As a home stager, part of your job is to convince your clients why they have to spend money on a house they’re selling, an unattractive notion for many homeowners you’ll encounter.

Your job is to demonstrate how the money they spend on their home now is actually an investment and that the more money they put into the project, the greater their potential profit when the house sells.

When I entered a bidding war on the home I’m currently living in, I had only a few days to get my other house on the market and there was a lot of pressure to have it looking perfect, especially with me being The Staging Diva!

Of course I didn’t have to hire a stager but I did have to hire a handyman, gardener, painter and junk removal service. I also had no choice but to install a new kitchen floor because the 1920s kitchen had never been renovated. I decided to go with cork because it’s easy to install right over vinyl and it would work well with the retro chic look that I’d created while living in the space.

As the costs continued to climb to prepare my house for the real estate market, I found myself saying, “Why in the world would I spend almost $800 on a new floor for a house that I’m just trying to sell?” Naturally, I know better and the stager half of me was able to give that negative voice a little pep talk on why it’s an investment and not an expense.

When I originally purchased that home I’d painted the old laminate counter tops, cabinets and the back splash. I’d even added new hardware and lighting but I fell into that familiar trap of being too busy to replace the floor and I just got good at learning to ignore it.

The reality is that kitchens are key with buyers and I knew the old floor would stand right out and would encourage buyers to focus on the fact that it was really an old kitchen that had simply been tarted up. The look needed to be complete to wow buyers and leave them thinking “nice kitchen” rather than “this needs to be renovated!”

If I wanted to make a good profit on my own home staging services, I had to complete that look and spend the $800 to fix the floor and when it was finished, I knew it would pay off.

I was right! I sold that house after only 9 days on the market and I sold for well above asking. The profit I made more than covered the costs I’d incurred replacing the kitchen floor and getting repairs done. Even better, despite the house competing with others in the price range that had renovated kitchens with granite counters, the buyer told her agent that one of the reasons she bought the house was that she fell in love with the kitchen!

If your clients are struggling with investing in their home as they prepare to sell, remind them that every improvement they make is one less barrier between a potential buyer and their decision to buy.

Home stagers, do you have a story you’d like to share about an investment your clients were resistant to make that ended up paying off? Please share by leaving a comment below.

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Debra Gould knows how to make money as a home stager and she developed the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love.

Technorati Tags: home stagers, staging diva, staging clients, home staging courses, home staging business, invest in staging, home staging training, debra gould

If you have not yet taken part in the Staging Diva Mother’s Day Madness Sale, don’t worry, it’s still in full swing even though Mother’s Day is over! The crazy prices I’ve set on home staging guides for home stagers, courses and other resources are in effect until 5pm on May 14 so you still have time to save.

Every now and then, every stager wonders whether they’re doing things the right way or if they could be doing things a bit better. The collection of Staging Diva Ultimate Guides for home stagers offer specialized knowledge and lots of confidence to bring along on your next home staging project.

Did you know that during the Mother’s Day Madness Sale, you can get the entire collection of Staging Diva Ultimate Guides  for home stagers for only $185?! That’s because if you buy one it’s marked down to $65 during this sale, but if you add one or both of the others to your order at the same time, you’ll pay only $60 for each of the other two volumes.

Staging Diva Ultimate Color Guide will help remove the intimidation factor many home stagers experience when selecting color for staging projects. I share my favorite Benjamin Moore colors with you and group them into color palettes so you can quickly pick what you need for any home staging project.

Leigh Olson (WA) realized what a huge time saver this guide is saying, “The Staging Diva Ultimate Color Guide saved me hundreds of hours. Within 45 minutes, I had my own Staging Fan Deck put together. It’s easier to carry, less daunting for clients and reinforces my professionalism and expertise. Debra, your suggestions are brilliant. I cannot tell you how inspiring you are!”

Francesca Midolo of Ontario says, “I love the Color Guide. I never thought there was so much to know about colors and paint. This was the topic I was most nervous about as I didn’t know that different colors, lighting and sheens make all the difference. Now I’ll be more confident when explaining these details to clients. I never would have thought it would be so easy to learn. I love the way Debra presents information— to the point and very easy to understand. Just like all Staging Diva material this color guide is outstanding and gave me more information for building my business.”

Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide addresses many staging challenges you might encounter as a home stager, giving design direction as it pertains to every room of a home including the laundry room and the attic! I give you sample floor plans and before and after photos from my own staging projects so that you’ll learn what I’ve figured out after more than 7 years staging my clients’ homes.

Isabelle Gelderblom (UK) says, “The Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide is not only full of fresh design insights but clearly outlines what every home stager needs to know to become successful when staging clients’ homes. This comprehensive resource provides the recipe for success— a must-have for both new and experienced professionals!”

“I began reading the Ultimate Design Guide and couldn’t put it down, says Gary Baugher (TN). “What a great tool for new stagers and even those who have been in business for awhile. I enjoyed how you touched on all the different situations we encounter daily, the room by room descriptions and seeing how you stage in detail. You also helped me answer the question if I stage too little or too much. I liked the ending where you speak of credentials. I remember when I first started, I wondered who would hire me. Then I realized I always had the talent and just lacked the confidence. Reading your book confirmed I have what it takes and I found it to be a great booster. Debra, I consider you the BEST in our field!!!! Appreciate you sharing your experiences and expertise. Your willingness to always help others succeed is admirable. Great book and certainly worth the value.”

Staging Diva Ultimate Portfolio Guide contains all the information you need to wow potential clients when it comes to putting together your very important home staging portfolio. From taking the best before and after photos to getting a great home staging business logo and writing about your services, it’s all here in this guide.

Laura Jensen (WI) says, “Debra, the Staging Diva Ultimate Portfolio Guide is fantastic!! Everyone interested in the business of home staging should read it. You have a great writing style that puts the reader at ease. I especially liked how you went into detail about how to take perfect photos. Your Guide is not only helpful to home stagers but to Realtors who take listing photos. As I scan through the hundreds of homes for sale in my county alone, I am shocked at the photos that are representing them. Congratulations on a great addition to your Staging Diva eBook collection.”

Another reader, Joanne Babynec (AB) reports, “I received my Portfolio Guide immediately and found the Staging Diva’s advice invaluable! I’ve encountered a couple of Home Staging ‘Experts’ selling their information and Debra Gould’s is the best. It is practical, motivating, real-life stuff. It demystifies a lot of technical subjects, while making me feel proud of my unique ability to stage homes!” Judi Collins (Australia) “The Staging Diva Portfolio Guide is to the point and easy to read, which works great for business people.”

Now, during Mother’s Day Madness, is the perfect time to get the entire collection of Staging Diva Ultimate Guides for home stagers because I’ve slashed the prices saving you $40 when you buy the whole collection! Visit the Staging Diva Store today for more details.

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Debra Gould has taught thousands of people around the globe how to make money using their natural creative talent as home stagers through the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. She’s put together a special Mother’s Day gift for all stagers to provide them with the encouragement they need to follow their dreams. Download your own free copy here.

Technorati Tags: staging diva, home stager, home staging, home staging program, home staging course, home staging training, business coaching, mothers day sale

Unfortunately, in this day and age one can’t take for granted that everyone who visits an open house or books a showing is actually in the market for a home.

There’s always a chance that someone browsing photos of real estate online and visiting open houses is actually trying to scope a property for valuables with intentions of breaking in later…or possibly something even worse.

There are several things you should keep in mind when staging a home to help ensure the homeowners safety.

Ensure small valuables are hidden. Make sure small items of value such as figurines, jewelry, cameras, iPods and even laptops aren’t out in plain view. Suggest to the homeowners that they have a designated bag or box to stash these items in and to take it with them when they leave for a showing if they don’t wish to store them off-site while the home’s on the market.

Keep paperwork out of site. Not only does a stack of bills and junk mail add clutter to the home, but it would only take a quick glance for someone to gain enough information to steal the homeowner’s identity. Tell the homeowners to keep items like this hidden well.

Personal items have to go. If you’re having a hard time convincing the homeowners that those trophies and diplomas will distract buyers by making them wonder about the current owners, remind them how much information those things give to people walking through their home. Trophies and photos of the kids playing their favorite sports would give someone plenty of information to use if they were wanting an easy way to lure those children. They’d have their names and their favorite hobbies to work with. Remind the homeowners they need to get rid of anything that identifies their children, where they go to school or what hobbies they enjoy.

Tone down the presence of large valuables. It’s important to note that photos of the home’s interior will be all over the Internet. Valuable artwork and expensive electronics will be shown, which saves a thief the trouble of scheduling a showing to see what goods are in the home.

Protect childrens’ identities. If the homeowners have their childrens’ names on the walls as a decorative item, that gives everyone looking at the photos online or walking through the home a very important detail especially when they have a home address and a map of the home via interior photos. Sure those signs are cute on a wall, but it’s not safe while the home’s for sale.

Be sure that your clients realize that during an open house, complete strangers will be walking through their home completely unsupervised and that you want to take all safety precautions you can.

I was inspired to write this post after reading a blog post on home staging and security written by Staging Diva Graduate, Heather Stewart. I’ve written about Heather several times before, for the wonderful job she’s done with branding her home staging business and also to acknowledge her for being named Entrepreneur of the Year by her local Chamber of Commerce. I’m not playing favorites by writing about Heather, but because she’s active on Twitter, I know what she’s doing.

If you’re a Staging Diva Graduate and you’d like some free publicity, just click here and fill in the blanks to let me know what you’re up to. Or start following me on Twitter and we can stay in touch that way. If you’re not on Twitter yet, check out the Home Stager’s Guide to Twitter and learn why you should be and how to get started!

Do you have any more home staging security tips I may have overlooked? Please share your best advice by leaving a comment below.

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Debra Gould’s mission is to inspire people to follow their dreams. She developed the Staging Diva Home Staging Courses to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love.

Technorati Tags: home stager, home stagers, home staging, home staging and security, staging diva, home staging business

In the hundreds of homes I’ve staged, I have yet to see a house that has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. But I have been in many real estate properties where it was a challenge to find the good features!

If you’re worried about what to do if you find yourself in a home like that, first of all, remember the current owners decided to make that home theirs at some point. So you have to assume there are at least a few good things about the property and it’s your job to find them.

As a professional home stager it will be your job to make sure the home’s good points shine and that the buyer doesn’t have the same reaction walking in that you initially did (that there is nothing good about the place).

How far you go to accomplish this transformation will depend primarily on the price point of the home.

For example, in a more expensive home when the furniture is dated, unattractive (or simply too cheap looking to belong in a home of that price range), you might store it off-site and bring in new rental items.

But in a less expensive home that might not be a feasible option, so you’ll have to be creative.

If the furniture is very bad, slip covers might work. If it’s wooden furniture you’re working with, you might be able to paint it or have hardware replaced to give it an updated look and a new lease on life.  Think about all those magazine articles and TV shows about the transformation of “flea market finds”. Well, you’ll be doing the same thing only with something you find in your client’s home, rather than something you’re buying at a flea market.

Rather than feeling deflated by a real estate property that has no immediately obvious qualities, embrace it as a creative challenge.

After all you decided to become a home stager because you have a creative eye for seeing possibilities. These ugly homes with ugly contents, and boring cookie cutter properties are just your chance to stretch your talents.

You can always do something to improve the look of any room.

Consider fresh flowers for the kitchen, new towels and a shower curtain in the bathroom, accent pillows in the living room, a new “bed in a bag” for the bedroom, art and accessories throughout the home to create islands of beauty. All these serve to distract a potential buyer from the worn furniture, boring architecture or less than ideal room dimensions.

However, if these things aren’t in your budget and you literally have no choice but to work with what you have in front of you, often rearranging the items in the house will make a great improvement after a good cleaning and de-cluttering.

When you have the power to help someone in a home like this to make more money on the sale of their real estate property, you could be making more of a difference in someone’s life than you know.

These types of staging projects are often the most rewarding.

If you’re thinking of starting a home staging business and are nervous that you won’t know what to do in a situation like this, check out the Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide: Home Staging Tips Tricks and Floor Plans. It will help you stage any room in any home, plus give you many ideas for creating curb appeal without spending much (if any) money.

Home stagers, have you ever found yourself in a home that you initially thought had no redeeming qualities? Please share your experiences by leaving a comment below!

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Debra Gould knows how to make money as a home stager and she developed the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love while helping others at the same time.

Technorati Tags: home stager, home stagers, how to stage a house, home staging design guide, home staging training, design for home staging, real estate staging, staging diva, debra gould

In a home staging business dilemma I posted last month, I tried to get you thinking about what you would do if you were asked to stage a house that was completely taken over by Christmas décor. A special thanks to those of you who contributed to the discussion by posting your own advice to the story (If you would like to read that original post and comments, click here).

Contrary to what was suggested in a couple of comments on that post, I would not suggest that the homeowner hold off on listing their property until after the holidays, nor would I ask them to hold off on having the property shown.

There are still people looking for a home in December and there often isn’t much for buyers to look at during this time of year because so many sellers are waiting until after the holidays to list.

Basically, having a house listed over the holidays presents a wonderful opportunity for a smart seller. When the supply of homes is low, that’s THE ideal time to be on the market because there’s a greater chance of selling and more potential for selling at a higher price. Remember, when demand exceeds supply, prices go up.

That being said, you don’t have to swoop in like the Grinch and steal Christmas from your clients, but you do have to make sure they go easy on the tinsel! Here are my best holiday home staging tips:

• Ensure listing photos are taken without any Christmas decorations. Nothing dates a photo like holiday decorations and details like that in a photograph are simply too distracting.
• Keep holiday decorations simple to avoid overwhelming buyers and distracting them from the actual house you’re trying to sell.
• Don’t deck all the halls! Choose one area of the house to decorate and keep it simple.
• Décor doesn’t have to be focused on Christmas because not everyone celebrates the holiday. For example, elements of nature like berries and pinecones in a glass bowl can be decorative and understated without being “Christmas.” With home staging we want decorative accents not theme rooms, even if that theme happens to be many people’s favorite holiday.
• Chocolate brown is a big color in decorating this year and it can be used to tastefully tone down more colorful Christmas decor. For example, you can combine dark brown and jewel-toned ornaments for a tasteful and beautiful alternative to red and green.
• Plant an outside urn or window boxes with an arrangement that will last all winter, like the one I did shown above. Twigs and evergreens, pine cones and dried poppy pods can look attractive and festive without screaming Christmas.

I love the comment Donna left on my original post. Especially where she shares the words of wisdom she leaves with her clients:

“For every holiday decoration you add to your home, that’s one more reason to keep a prospective buyer from buying your home because they can’t really see your home through the distractions, lovely as they may be.”

Hopefully this article will help prepare you for any holiday home staging situation you find yourself in this month!

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Debra Gould knows how to make money as a home stager and she developed the Staging Diva Training Program to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love.

Technorati Tags: home staging business dilemma, home staging Christmas, home stager, home stagers, home staging for the holidays, staging diva

Last month I posted a home staging business dilemma asking what you would do if you found yourself being asked to stage an absolutely filthy property. A special thanks to everyone who left comments on that blog post!

I’ve been in situations like this more times than I would like— meeting with homeowners who belong on an Oprah episode about compulsive hoarders. And just like you, when this happens, my first instinct is to turn and run!

But instead of running, fight that impulse and remember one important thing about home staging – no two projects are the same and every home staging consultation will happen on a different level depending on the clients and the property.

Some houses are relatively clean and you can spend all of your time on the creative side of things, what we typically think of as “home staging”. Other homes just need a good thorough cleaning to make a huge difference— in those cases you’ll spend more time covering the basics.

You can still talk about decorating while you’re addressing the cleanliness issues. For example, you are going to have to address the fact that the kitchen is filthy and there can’t be dirty dishes in the sink when showings are happening but you can also say something like, “once this is all cleaned up, here’s what will need to be done in this kitchen.”

You should make it a non-negotiable fact that the house be thoroughly cleaned as a first step.

Generally the filthiest houses also have the most clutter. I don’t clean houses, nor do I sort through belongings so I have cleaners and home organizers that I recommend for these tasks. I make it clear to the client that these individuals are less expensive than I am and that’s why it’s best to use my time to focus on home staging and how to best decorate each room so that it shows to its best potential.

When I’m in a filthy house, I’ll use my initial consultation to give them very specific direction on what needs to be cleaned and to what degree, and also how much clutter has to be removed. For example, I’ll say these pieces of furniture will need to be removed, this closet has to be emptied by at least 50%, etc.

I’ll ask them point blank whether they’d like help taking care of this all the while making it very clear that not doing it can cost them thousands of dollars or make it impossible to sell their home in a timely fashion. Then I provide contact information for the cleaners and organizers and ask if they’d prefer if I have them call them directly to set something up.

Then it’s clear that’s the first step that must be taken— no getting around it.

By the way, in course 5 of the Staging Diva Training Program, called “Over 30 More Ways to Make Money in Home Staging,” I discuss how you’ll find and evaluate the right outside companies to work with, and how to make money from their services too.

Remember that every house you go into you’ll be faced with different challenges and different personalities. One of the things that makes home staging such a gratifying career is that you will never stage the same house twice— you’re doing something new every time you tackle a new home staging project because the layout is different, the contents are different and the personality and needs of your clients will change.

Sometimes you have a clean slate to work with and sometimes making the slate clean is your main goal! There is also a deep satisfaction that comes with helping someone get control of their environment, especially when you see how this starts to ripple out into the other areas of their lives.

Do you have any stories to share about how your ideas and input changed how your clients live?

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Through the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, Debra Gould has taught more than 4000 people around the world how to make money as home stagers.

Technorati Tags: home staging, staging a dirty house, home staging dilemma, debra gould, staging diva, home staging career, learn home staging

I get approximately five calls a week from people interested in shadowing me for a day to see how I work as a home stager. I have yet to say yes, and if you’re trying to find a successful home stager to shadow before you start your own business, you’re not making a good use of your time.

There are many reasons why I’m not interested in having someone shadow me. First of all, I would have to screen them beforehand because that person would be a direct reflection on me. We would have have to meet ahead of time and then try to coordinate times to meet a the consultation and staging day and I’m not getting anything out of this arrangement. Also, the fact that someone in my market wants my help in entering my market isn’t very attractive.

I’m sure if you’re looking to shadow someone, there’s no malicious intent there, you’re probably thinking it would be a lot less scary if you could follow someone around and see what there is to it. But the thing is, what you do when you get to a client’s house is the easiest part of operating a home staging business. What you do there has everything to do with the natural talent you possess. The difficult part of running a successful home staging business is figuring out how to get those clients and how to get paid for your time. Nobody you shadow is going to teach you those things. That’s why I created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, to teach you the nuts and bolts of starting a home staging business. It’s valuable information and nobody is going to give it away.

Remember, if you’re considering starting a home staging business, you must already have the talent. Since I’m betting nobody is going to want you to job shadow them, a better way to gain confidence that you will be able to do this is to go around to open houses on the weekends. You don’t have to say anything when you’re there, you don’t even necessarily need to introduce yourself. Just walk through and pretend you’re in a client’s house for a home staging consultation. Imagine what you would be recommending for different rooms.

The more houses you go into, the more comfortable you’ll become. Go around to other cities to get a feel for real estate prices and different types of properties. Every house you go into, you’ll learn something new. You’ll encounter all kinds of “don’ts” that you can figure out how to correct. You will never encounter a house that is completely perfect and that will help you learn that there’s always something to be done.

If you’re feeling very nervous about your first home staging consultation, consider ordering Course 3 of the Staging Diva Program. It’s the one where you learn how to conduct yourself at consultations including what to wear and what to bring. It takes the mystery out of home staging consultations.

Home stagers, did you spend time touring open houses before you started your home staging business? Did you use it as a tool to ease your anxiety? Did you spend time shadowing other stagers or do you allow others to shadow you on the job? Please share your experiences by leaving a comment below.

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Debra Gould knows how to make money as a home stager and she developed the Staging Diva Home Staging Training Program to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love. In course 3 of the Staging Diva Program, Debra teaches her students everything they need to know to conduct a home staging consultation. There are over 4000 Staging Diva students around the world.

Technorati Tags: home stagers, learn home staging, home staging business, home staging training, home staging consultation, debra gould, staging diva

At a recent Ask Staging Diva Live event, I was asked whether or not I bring an assistant with me to home staging consultations. I realized this might be something other aspiring home stagers are worried about, so I thought I’d discuss that question here.

When I arrive at an initial consultation, I’m not actually doing the staging at that point. As we walk through the house, I’m mostly taking everything in and making suggestions for improvements. For example, I might suggest that a large wall unit would look better on a different wall, or that the current living room furniture would work better in the family room. But at this initial consultation session, it’s not going to be moved.  These recommendations will go on a to-do list for later.

I frequently move small items during a home staging consultation. I might say something like, “You know, your fireplace could be a fabulous focal point in this room, but I feel like it’s a bit lost under all this stuff on the mantle. Would you mind if I showed you how this can look a lot better?” Then the client will say, “Of course, go ahead.” Then I jump in and start changing things around.

It’s actually doing small things like this that make your clients will light up because they can start to see a transformation and they’re excited about what you can do with the rest of their house.

I rarely bring an assistant with me to an initial home staging consultation. I generally only get help when I’m doing a vacant house that’s being staged from top to bottom in a single day. In that case it’s helpful to have someone to assist with hanging artwork, placing towels, hanging curtains, ironing bedding – that type of thing.

Most of the time, I work on my own with my clients and because I do, I get to keep more of the profits and I’m better able to stay focused on the task at hand.

Course 3 of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program answers all your questions about what happens during a home staging consultation. It comes with a bonus home staging check list and covers topics such as:

• Avoiding the “free estimate trap”
• What to wear and what to bring to your consultations
• How to turn a potential buyer into a paying client
• Who moves what and when (and other home staging mysteries)
• How to build your client relationships
• How to get paid on the spot
• Much, much more.

Home stagers, please feel free to share how you handle your home staging consultations by posting a comment below.

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Debra Gould knows how to make money as a home stager and she developed the Staging Diva Home Staging Training Program to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love. There are over 4000 Staging Diva students around the world.

Technorati Tags: home stagers, home staging consultation, home staging assistant, staging diva, staging diva home staging program, home staging course

Articles on home staging or how to decorate a house to sell quickly in a slow real estate market often focus on de-cluttering and neutralizing (unfortunately, often to the point of blandness). There is also much talk of the importance of kitchens and bathrooms, but bedrooms are important too.

The right touches can take a sad room that would never stick in a buyers mind to one that is memorable and says “wow!’

Staging Diva Graduate Jayne Steuart of Colorado-based Pearl Home Staging and Redesign LLC really shows us how it’s done in this transformation of a 13 x 14 foot extra bedroom.

Before Jayne transformed this space the placement of the bed was awkward and made the room look small. The focal point was also the unattractive window.

Jayne moved the bed to go under the window to refocus and re-balance the room. At the same time she dressed both to create a relaxing and stylish haven.

Her use of muted tones and well chosen accessories create a lush environment that make the room look larger and far more elegant. I love how she handled the window. Now it looks much larger because the soft chenille panels and silky sheers are hung close to the ceiling. This is a great trick to make ceilings also appear higher, one of the many I share in the Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide: Home Staging Tips, Tricks and Floor Plans.

Some home sellers worry about the cost of staging, reluctant to invest in a home they’re selling. This is short-sighted because selling an unappealing property costs the seller more in lost time and lower offers, than would dressing it up to appeal to buyers and attracting higher offers sooner.

It’s interesting to note that Jayne Steuart staged this bedroom with furniture the home seller already had in other rooms. The new bedding and window treatments can be used in the sellers new home, so purchasing these items was not a waste. They serve the important purpose of letting the home show well on the real estate market with the added bonus that the owners will live in much better style in their new abode.

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Debra Gould knows how to make money as a home stager and she developed the Staging Diva Home Staging Training Program to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love. There are over 4000 Staging Diva students around the world.

Technorati Tags: home staging, decorating bedroom, staging bedroom, bedroom staging, Jayne Steuart, Pearl Home Staging, Staging Diva, home staging colorado

If you’ve never had to move with kids, it’s important to understand how stressful it is for a young family to sell their home. A child’s schedule is thrown off when showings coincide with bedtimes or meals. Cleaning and packing are extremely difficult to do around children and there are tons of other details that are all harder to take care of with kids involved than without.

As a home stager, it’s up to you to make a space as beautiful and easy-to-sell as possible. Anything you can do as a home stager to help make this happen will be especially appreciated by parents with children because of the ongoing difficulties of living in a show home while their house is on the real estate market.

It’s almost a full time job to keep a home in ‘showing-ready’ condition for anyone, but babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers can’t grasp the concept of keeping their toys put away at all times. This is why it’s important for you to give the homeowners your best advice about staging a family home and to set up some good storage solutions for the children’s things.

Here are some tips you can use the next time you’re staging a home where small children reside:

• Encourage your clients to keep only one box of toys per child in the house. Make sure the pieces they keep aren’t things like Play-Doh or Lego which is impossible to clean up in a hurry for a last minute showing.
• Remove large items. Play kitchen sets and kid-sized furniture should be put into storage instead of taking up valuable floor space.
• Keep outside toys tidy. Remind the homeowners to keep bicycles and other outdoor toys stored neatly and not strewn across the yard as well – you never know when a drive-by will happen.
• Use attractive storage for remaining toys. A good way to store and showcase the toys that are staying while the house is listed is on a cubical storage shelf with canvas baskets in the family room or child’s room. When toys are organized this way it’s easier to clean up in a hurry.

You’ll find more home staging tips like this in the Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide: Home Staging Tips, Tricks and Floor Plans.

The presence of toys  probably won’t turn off a buyer without children or a plan to have them, but keeping things tidy and preventing toys from overwhelming the home will help increase the property’s appeal.

If you want to be remembered by the family whose home you’re staging, give them this tip for moving with children:

When packing, put a toy or two in every box so the kids are excited about unpacking and the parents have their cooperation while getting the boxes emptied.

Do you have any favorite tips for staging a space where children live? Please share by leaving a comment below.

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Debra Gould developed the Staging Diva Training Program to create opportunities for others to grow their own profitable home staging businesses. There are currently over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates around the world. Debra created the Staging Diva Ultimate Design Guide: Home Staging Tips, Tricks and Floor Plans to provide design direction to home stagers feeling they need it.

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