Special offer

The Most Meaningful Project of 2012. Home Staging Minneapolis MN

By
Home Stager with Rooms With Style

The Most Meaningful Project of 2012. Home Staging & Redesign Minneapolis MN

At the end of each year I like to look back and think about the projects I have worked on. I had some that were great, some that were easy, some that were tough and of course I had my favorites or most memorable projects. 

At the completion of each project I have almost always had fun but there is always one or two that stood out.  For 2012 I had a few:

1) Favorite Home Staging New Construction,

2) Favorite Redesign Project and,

3) Most Meaningful Project

So here is the third of my three '2012 Year In Review' posts: My Most Meaningful Project! 

This project won't make it on the cover of Home Beautiful....it won't bring any Woos and Haaas over the spectacular furnishings and color. 

But....it did bring tears to my eyes and joy to my heart to have the honor to do this quick project.

I received a call one day from a developer that I had staged Model Homes for before but this time he needed some help closer to home. His Mom was going to be moved into a Nursing Home as she was in the final stages of Parkinson's Disease. 

The move was taking place in a couple days and on that day, I only had a few hours to complete the project. My assignment:

1) Pick pieces from her home to take to the nursing home room to make it feel like her home,

2) When I removed pieces from her home....fill in with other pieces so the home looked unchanged, and 

3) Do the entire selection, packing, loading, move, unloading (we even moved her hospital bed) and decorate the nursing home room in 3 hours or less

On the day she was being moved I showed up at her home with my movers and waited to the side as she was put into their vehicle and left her home for the last time. 

Her husband of 60 years whom I had never met sobbed in my arms. He couldn't believe she was leaving their home.

I was then told to also pack up a room of items for the husband as he was going to get an efficiency apartment at the same facility down the hall from her so he would be close by. I still had only 3 hours total! 

 

Nursing Home Room Before:

 

Nursing Home Before 

 

Nursing Room Before

 

 

After, she was greeted with her own items when she was wheeled in.....


Nursing Room After


Nursing Home After


I made sure she was surrounded with small mementos and family pictures.

 

 Nursing Home After

 

Her Husband of 60 Years: His efficiency down the hall before.....

 

Efficiency Before

 

Efficiency Before

 

A few hours later......A cozy room for him at the end of a very difficult and emotional day.

Bedroom on Left Side:

 

Efficiency After

 

 

And on the right his favorite recliner, TV and an extra chair for his Grand-kids when they visited.

 

Efficiency After

 

And a few special photos and mementos to make it seem like home for him. I felt he deserved some flowers too.....

 

Efficiency After 



I want to commend the son for what he did. He wanted his Mom to enter her new home (the nursing home room) having it look as much like her own home as possible.  He also wanted to ease the pain for his Dad in taking her there. 

What a true sign of love for his Mom and Dad. 

I felt the pressure to get this one right more than any other project. I had 3 hours while they drove her around and fed her lunch to do the impossible but in the end it was the best 3 hour project I have ever done. 

 

If you missed my first two 2012 Year In Review Posts check them out at: 

 

2012 - My Favorite Home Staging for New Construction. 


2012- My Favorite Redesign Project of the Year. 

 

 If you would like assistance with your home contact Rooms With Style. 952-567-1124

 

 

Shar Sitter
Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN
Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Thank you John. I think alot of us with aging parents can relate to this. I loved how this son thought to bring me in so it could all be done before she arrived. 

It is harder on the families sometimes Joanna. The husband had an extremely hard time knowing his wife was never coming back to their home but he loved how cozy I made it for her. 

I do hope I have meaningful projects like this one in 2013 too Michael. 

Thank you for the feature Kathy. I think this helped the husband and family more than her to be honest. It didn't feel like a sterile hospital room and it was a cozy place to sit and visit with her. 

Thank you Ellen, you are so sweet. 

Dec 25, 2012 10:47 PM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

Shar, with your talent, I can't imagine you ever getting any staging project wrong.

Dec 25, 2012 11:25 PM
Kim Gaston
RE/MAX Advantage Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs REALTOR®, CNE (719)661-6987

Wow, Shar. What a wonderful gift you were able to give them. My father-in-law lost his wife a few months ago and is now in hospice himself. Emotions are intense and raw on a daily basis for everyone. Your spirit and heart are truly beautiful, love your story. Thanks for sharing, suggested.

Dec 25, 2012 11:25 PM
Bryan Robertson
Los Altos, CA

Wow!  That was an incredible transformation. You made that potentially frightening place into a warm home that I'm sure made those people feel extremely comfortable. I've been to a couple of Alzheimer's care facilities for family members and can honestly say that retaining a feeling of home is more important than many people know.

Dec 25, 2012 11:56 PM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Shar, you provided your talents and what a gift to give this family.  My husband's friend of 40 years asked for help in finding him an assistant living place. We did and had most of his things moved in to his efficiency and it really made him happy.  A job  well done Shar and suggested as well!

Dec 26, 2012 01:26 AM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Shar ~ it's easy to see how much care and effort you put into making sure this transition was as smooth as possible for this family.  All of your skills came together to make these rooms "home" so quickly and so creatively! I'm sure this family feel very lucky that you crossed their paths and helped them in such a wonderful way ... and I have no idea how you did it all in such a short timeframe.  Bravo to you!

Dec 26, 2012 02:02 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

It looks like you did the imppossible in a matter of hours. What a beautiful story to share and I admire you and her son for caring so much.

 

Dec 26, 2012 02:30 AM
Shar Sitter
Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN
Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

I was nervous on this one Roger....it meant to much to this family. And my brain had to think so fast and pick and pack and hope it all worked. 

Thank you Kim, it is so difficult for the family members and it was so great that this son thought to do something like this. 

Isn't that the truth Bryan. And I think it is more important it feels like home for the family that had to make the decision to move them there. Never, ever easy. 

Thank you Rebecca. I am sure your friend was so touched to have you help him. 

I was huffing and puffing after those 3 hours Maureen! LOL. I was running with bins, out to the truck, back and forth down the halls between rooms. Someone should have been taping that part for a reality TV show! 

Thank you Margaret and thank you for the phone call. That was so sweet and made my day, thank you. 

Dec 26, 2012 03:22 AM
Jennifer Prestwich
Henderson, Thornton, Broomfield and Westminster - Henderson, CO
Madison & Co Properties

That's so lovely, Shar.  You did a wonderful job.  And you brought tears to my eyes, too!  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to You! :)

Dec 26, 2012 04:54 AM
Lisa Von Domek
Lisa Von Domek Team - Dallas, TX
....Experience Isn't Expensive.... It's Priceless!

Hello Shar,

Absolutely lovely - both the story and the finished rooms.  It is heart warming when we can use our professional services to help others through difficult circumstances.

Dec 26, 2012 06:12 AM
Shar Sitter
Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN
Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Thank you Jennifer and Happy New Year to you!

Isn't it though Lisa. It is all about giving back for sure. 

Dec 27, 2012 12:53 AM
Tatyana Makarov
Century 21 All Points Realty - South Windsor, CT
Your Greater Hartford Area Realtor

Beautiful job, Shar. And it make it so special.. you are a great person! I wish you a great success in 2013!

Dec 27, 2012 09:57 AM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

You worked a miracle, Shar. How touching. You gave back in a big way. I'm sure it feels like "home" to them both.

Kathy

Dec 27, 2012 08:32 PM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Shar - You were absolutely the right person for this job - you are so kind and empathetic.  What a wonderful project to be involved with.  I will oooh and ahhhh at how well you made these rooms look homey and relevant to this husband and wife.  Bravo!

Dec 28, 2012 01:18 AM
Shar Sitter
Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN
Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Thank you Tatyana and much success to you in 2013 as well. 

I hope so Kathy...I think it did feel homey to them. Thanks much.

Thanks Sally. "Relevant to this husband and wife" is exactly it Sally! Perfect phrase for this project. 

Dec 28, 2012 11:15 PM
Michelle Finnamore
Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON
Preparing your property for sale

HI Shar, this staging job was truly deserving of being your favourite of 2012.  You made a difference in the lives of this family at a very trying time in their family history.

They will always think highly of you and speak of your consideration to others.

I know quite a few stagers that will not take on this type  of work. Either too hard emotionally or not interested in the extra time involved.

Thank you for taking the time to share this with us. It really does make you realize we all need to think about how we want our final move to come together. Hopefully, there will be someone there at the time like yourself to make the transition so much easier.

I can imagine the smile on their faces when they saw the cozy atmosphere you had created with their belongings.

Dec 29, 2012 12:25 AM
Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

Oh my, Shar.  I have tears running down my cheecks as I type this comment.  Your post brings back memories to moving both my mother-in-law and my mother to assisted living facilities.  Now some of their favorite pieces grace our home & homes of our siblings.  Fond memories for all of us.

Happy New Year.

Dec 29, 2012 02:52 AM
Shar Sitter
Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN
Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

It does make us think of when we may need to make this move Michelle. I almost needed to put my Mom in assisted living this year and it is not an easy decision.

Oh Mary, I bet those pieces of theirs are so special for you. I hope the tears were of joy remembering all the time you spent with them and that I didn't bring you tears of sadness. Blessings to you. 

Dec 30, 2012 02:30 AM
Peg Barcelo
Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC
The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

Beautiful! This brought tears to my eyes as well Shar! What a wonderful son to understand enough to make sure both his parents needed something like this! Wonderful job!

Jan 06, 2013 12:59 AM
Shar Sitter
Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN
Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Wasn't that great of him Peg! It was a pleasure to do this project. 

Jan 06, 2013 08:08 AM