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How do you end your staging days?

By
Home Stager with Lea-Ann's Home Beautiful Staging and Design LLC

Yesterday I had a vacant staging that went very well but I was pooped at the end of the day.  As many of you have mentioned.  The night before (actually two nights for me) I had little sleep as I lay in bed mentally staging the house, going through my accessories making sure that I have everything I need.  

The morning of the staging I had a few hick-ups with the rental furniture delivery.  I had set things up so they would call and notify me an hour before the delivery, as I was forty minutes away from the house. I went at 8:00 in the morning and got my rental truck for all my accessories and while loading my accessories I get a call from my client that the delivery truck drivers called him and said they would be there at 9:15 am.  He has to leave for an appointment as I was going to receive the furniture for him.  I tell him that I will handle it and to go on to his appointment.  It's now 8:45 am and I call my salesman at CORT and explain the situation.  They tell me they will call the delivery truck and call me back in 10 minutes.  I continue to frantically load my accessories while I wait for their call.  They call me back at 9:00 and tell me they rerouted the truck and it will be there at about 9:45 but will wait for me if they know I am on my way.  I thank him for his help jump in the truck and go!  I am driving as quickly and carefully as I can - of course get stuck in construction traffic - and pray that they will wait for me as the time encroaches on 10:00am.  I arrive at the house to see the big delivery truck waiting in front of the house.  YEAH!  

They begin bringing the furniture in and I notice two pieces missing.  I quickly call my contact at CORT, again he says he will look into it and call me right back.  I get a call a little later and he tells me they hired a seperate delivery service to bring out the pieces I need since their trucks are swamped and that the pieces would be there today.  YEAH again!  Build a good relationship with your contacts as they come in handy in those crisis moments - which are bound to happen. 

Most of the rest of the day went smoothly except for a fight with a wall anchor that I needed to hang a large clock on.  Which then fell and toppled one of my ceramic vases onto the tile floor - GASP!  Thank goodness, it didn't break, amazingly!!!!  From the time I picked up my rental truck to the time I got home was a little over twelve hours.

However, when the homeowner walks in at the end of the staging and walks around in amazement, it is so worth it!  His comments of, "this is amazing", "our house has never looked this good", and my favorite, "it's so much better than I even anticipated."  Of which I said, "I will take that as a compliment" =)  Make the stress begin to melt away.  But then as he is writing that all important check we begin a discussion about some wine that he had brought in with him.  He tells me to take a bottle with me as a tip for all the hard work I'd done - that I deserved it.  How nice is that!!  

So after the delivery truck is dropped off and I return home.......my husband drew me a great big bubble bath to soak my tired body and I had a great glass of Merlot while soaking!  That is the way to end a great day of staging! =) 

Here are a few quick pictures I took, I will be going back next week for a couple other details and to take the official pictures.

Living Room/Dining Room After

Bedroom After

(FYI: The coloring on this pic is a little off  - the spread is a creamy white and it looks pinkish here.) 

Family Room After

Show All Comments Sort:
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

The home looks marvelous!  What a great job you did.  I can understand completely why the owners were thrilled.

And what a way to end a staging day! 

Kathy

Mar 28, 2008 11:37 PM
Kathy Passarette
Creative Home Expressions - Mount Sinai, NY
L.I. Staging/Decorating
Lea-Ann ~ Glad to hear everything came together.  I'm sure having a good relationship with your contact at Cort helped to keep things running smoothly.  The pictures look great!
Mar 29, 2008 12:09 AM
Anonymous
Jason
Lea Ann...great stuff, but one thing. In your picture you wear white. No real designer ever wears white. You need to get with the all black thing so you can charge more...
Mar 29, 2008 12:24 AM
#6
Renee Pratta
Renewed Rooms - North Myrtle Beach, SC
Renewed Rooms - SC

Great job on the staging.  Seems like we all have our coordination stories. You mentioned a fight with a wall anchor...no need for them anymore...have you tried:

wall hanger           Set N Match

 

These are tools I cannot live without....The hook holds up to 150 lbs.  The set-n-match allows me to only have two holes when hanging a picture instead of a woodpecker wall.  I sell both on my website...

Mar 29, 2008 12:31 AM
Lea-Ann Virnig
Lea-Ann's Home Beautiful Staging and Design LLC - San Antonio, TX
Home Beautiful: San Antonionulls Premier , Home Staging Company

Tabitha, Vicki, Kathy - Thank you, it's so nice to be complimented by fellow stagers who know their stuff!

Cathy - Believe it or not I found it at WalMart and it feels good as well as looks good.  I had looked at several other stores and didn't come up with exactly what I had in mind, until this.

Kathy - Yes, my contact at CORT was key in helping the day come off and help build credibility with my client that I was able to handle the problems so efficiently which had everything to do with having that contact.

Jason - Funny - I usually wear black, a lot.  I can charge more if I retake my picture, huh?  I have actually been thinking about it - maybe I will have to take your advice =).

Renee - Thanks for the tips.  Are those hercules hooks?  I have wondered about those but haven't had the time to really research them and didn't want to use them without really knowing they work.  Good to hear that you trust them.  The set-n-match looks like a great tool too!  I will have to check out your site.

Mar 29, 2008 02:41 AM
Renee Pratta
Renewed Rooms - North Myrtle Beach, SC
Renewed Rooms - SC
Lea-Ann, Yes they are.  The ones I have hold up to 150 lbs. of weight and only make a small hole.  Gotta love things that make your life easier.
Mar 29, 2008 02:52 AM
Elaine Manes Gage
Home Staging Online Services - Denver, CO
Staging done ONLINE!
Lea-Ann- Thanks for sharing your day with us! It sounds pretty typical, as far as having to jump a few hurdles, but getting to do a victory dance (soak) at the end! Your staging looks wonderful, and I'm not surprised the client was pleased! And, your husband sounds like a keeper!!!
Mar 29, 2008 06:07 AM
Kathy Riggle
STAGING SMART N SOLD - Houston, TX
Houston Home Staging

Hi Lea-Ann,

Glad you are off and running with your staging business in your new location in San Antonio! Cort Furniture here in Houston & in Dallas is very professional and will work with stagers (in my experience) to make things right. Nice staging work! 

Kathy

Mar 29, 2008 06:46 AM
Melissa Marro
Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL
Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging
You did a beautiful job!  A great bubble bath is a wonderful way to end a day - any day.  Unfortunately most of the time I end mine with coming home, checking email, cooking dinner and then hanging out with my husband and whichever of my kids are actually home....
Mar 29, 2008 07:43 AM
Margaret Gehr
Chicagoland Home Staging LLC - Naperville, IL

Great work Lea ann! Looks great!  Sounds like a day in my life...without the wine, bubble bath and relaxing of course.

Margaret 

Mar 29, 2008 12:11 PM
Alicia Barrington
THE ORIGINAL HOUSTON HOME STAGING - Katy, TX
Houston Home Staging Presents Alicia Barrington

Usually, I crawl out of the U-haul, grab the Aleve, and swear that I'll never, never accessorize like that again!

Happy Staging!

Mar 30, 2008 01:43 AM
Lea-Ann Virnig
Lea-Ann's Home Beautiful Staging and Design LLC - San Antonio, TX
Home Beautiful: San Antonionulls Premier , Home Staging Company

Elaine - Thanks, this was my first time working with Cort here in San Antonio and I was so happy that things worked out so well when those hurdles had to be jumped.  Ya, I think my hubby is a keeper too!

Kathy - Thanks for making me an associate - I am so happy things went well with Cort because I am not at a place to buy furniture for my own inventory, and I'm not sure that I want to.  Cort was great from the selection of the furniture through to the extra delivery.

Melissa - I am so honored to get a "beautiful job" from you.  I have been watching your work and you have helped set the bar high - I always like to strive for the top - and you have helped set that example for me.  Thanks!  My kids are young so they were all going to bed when I got home......and my hubby had his time =)!

Margaret - Thanks! You are a pro at this so I'm sure you have had many days like this.  I just love when the client is so happy and appreciative!  Bubble baths are one of my saving graces.....I couldn't live with out 'em!  What do you do to unwind?

Mar 30, 2008 01:52 AM
Terry Haugen STAGE it RIGHT! 321-956-2495
Stage it Right! - Melbourne, FL
I end my staging day with BEER!  Nice job BTW!
Mar 30, 2008 05:14 AM
Becca Briggs
Rochester, NY

How I"d like to end my day is in one of those spa tubs that I've staged.  Candles, nice towels, they look so inviting.  With the jets and bubbles and ahh!!  My shower tub is far from spa like, no one has even had a bath in the thing!  People are always giving us things they don't want becuase they are moving soon, do you think anyone will want to give me there tub? 

Becky

Mar 30, 2008 12:29 PM
Lori Kim Polk
Premiere Home Staging : Home Staging Services - Roseville, CA
Home Stager - Roseville, Sacramento
Don't all of you just jump into the gorgeous bath that you staged and test it out? What? I am the only one who does this??? Just kidding.. well.. kind of ;) I usually take my helpers out for dinner, pay them and them get on the computer for the next round. A beer sounds like a plan though ;) will that work in the tub?
Mar 30, 2008 03:06 PM
Cindy Bryant
Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX
"Houston Home Staging Pros"
I get home so late, am exhausted, and go right to work on the computer and everything else we have to do.  Whats a Bubble Bath???
Mar 30, 2008 04:13 PM
Wendy Casey
A-List Home Staging & Decor - Surrey, BC

Lea-Ann, it's good to know that I'm not  the only one who stages in my 'sleep' for two days prior to the actual staging day. If we could find a way around this, wouldn't it be great? Maybe it's a bubble bath each night prior to the staging! Thanks for sharing your day with us.

Wendy Casey - Vancouver, BC

Mar 30, 2008 04:51 PM
Lea-Ann Virnig
Lea-Ann's Home Beautiful Staging and Design LLC - San Antonio, TX
Home Beautiful: San Antonionulls Premier , Home Staging Company

Tom - Oh ya, I hit the ibuprofen before I put the truck in gear =)  But you know we will all do it again - it's the perfectionist in us.

Terry -Wine or Beer, whatever you fancy works right!  Thanks, by the way!

Becky -I got a good soaker tub but not whirlpool jets - that would top it off.   Who knows maybe somebody someday will just give you the house with the tub in it =)!

Lori - It 's like the Kohler commercial where he's installing the shower and comes out soaked - do you think they would notice??  At least have that beer while you are working round the clock - right.  I haven't ventured into anyone assisting me (except my husband for an hour to hang the big mirrors and art), that's probably why I am so pooped!

Cindy - Exhausted is right.....balance......you all are a bunch of workaholics....LOL =)

Wendy - You got the right idea....maybe we should rename to Zombie Staging.

Mar 31, 2008 02:23 AM
Kristi Oliver
Atlanta Staging & Design - Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager
Oh, I've had these days.  Sometimes at the end of the day it feels like that morning was a week ago!  A bubble bath and some wine is often a necessity!
Mar 31, 2008 09:21 AM
Phyllis Pafumi
ReStyled to Sell Home Staging New Jersey - Old Bridge, NJ
ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ

The days of staging are never easy but oh when you come home after a job well done, there is NOTHING like it

Phyllis Pafumi 

Apr 02, 2008 02:57 PM