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Staging really helps. You don't have to throw things you love away-- you can put some stuff in a storage unit until you decide if it has a place in your new home. Of course, then you'll end up like me after you move, with a garage filled with mystery boxes that have spent years in storage. Hmmm... maybe that idea isn't the best.
One thing I have discovered for sure: most buyers have no imagination. Zero. They can't conceive how a house will look with different color walls, new window treatments, no clutter, less knick-knacks or a more spacious furniture arrangement. I always try to stage my home like I would for a magazine or TV shoot and, so far, it's worked like a charm. Knock wood!
Here is what I have done, first I called my son to come and take what furniture he wanted (had to get rid of 2 rooms of stuff), the rest of the big stuff went to a local church that was having a benefit sale (tax write off too), then I called local shelters (no takers), alot of clothes and movies, ect. went to a young local couple that lost their home to a fire after I got rid of most everything. Now I have a booth at the flea market where I am taking the decorating stuff. I went from 3000 sf to 1300 sf of stuff. I also am a collector, ironstone and red and white transferware, it is boxed in bubble wrap and ready to move. I found it is easier to give my treasures to someone in need of them, I guess knowing they appreciated it helped. It has made this big house look hugh and it is easier to clean. Not to mention how much easier and less expensive it will be to move.
Where's the HGTV Home Organizer when you need her?
You know, Painter, I go to the local women's shelter and a Goodwill van that is permanently set up in the Sears parking lot (thank you, Sears) and several times a year drop things off.
I have always been a pack-rat, but find that all of that stuff quickly becomes a burden in your life. You have to take care of it, you worry about it getting damaged, and almost none of it is necessary. I am anxious to clean up and really pare down.
Our sons have all said to me not to get rid of anything until they come down with a trailer or truck! So, they will take a lot. Much has already been given away. And, I do like the idea of the flea market. You just make enough from all of your carefully tendered treasures to help with the moving expenses.
Most will go to the shelter. I hate to see any child sleep on the floor or in a bed with no sheets with 4 other children. Lots of need - lots of help here!!
Gem I took the smallest booth they had open, stop in every couple of weeks, add to it or whatever, get my check once a month, it ranges to a hundred to a few. Then I take myself out to a nice lunch and relax. There is a lady in there that never walks with less than $500., she has a good size booth and has gotten a check for over 1500. It amazes me what people will buy, they think it has to be a bargain if its in there. Some of the items I have seen I threw away..lol
Is it a consignment booth, Painter? It doesn't sound like you have to tend it.
I have also thought about using EBay for some costly collectibles. My boys have all sold musical instuments, sports equipment, cameras and computers, and one of my sons sold his Corvette on Ebay to a guy on the other side of the country. He flew in to get it and drove it a couple thousand miles to get it home!
The stager was one of two recommended by our real estate agent. The agent found they were so much help that she actually now offers to reimburse clients who use the stagers. Most experienced stagers will work on several levels. The least involved is just a walk through where they tell you what to do to improve things (the obvious declutter, neutral but not blah paint colors, throw pillows and arrangements of three) or, the next level where they will do a more detailed printed out version with more suggestions and even what things to purchase/remove to make rooms look bigger, lighter or what ever. The last option is where they actually come in and paint, redecorate, buy and rent accessories and furniture. We went with option 1! We had decided to sell very shortly after contacting the agent so the stager did not get to "do" major things that she would have preferred, like redoing whole rooms to "update" (right out of HGTV!!!), but she did tell us how to rearrange a bedroom for better impact, use our own "stuff" but rearranged and grouped for maximum effect, and even how to stack things in closets to make the eye move in such a way as to make the closets look bigger. The funniest advice was to put a red shopping bag in the back corner of a large storage closet to draw the eye to the back and show how big it was!! I did it and have no idea if it made any difference!! I had to shop for a piece or two from the local TJ Maxx and packed up some of my things but we got the general effects. I do think many buyers do not have the ability to see beyond what is right in front of them. At least that is what we heard over and over when we were getting ready to sell. Our house did look better in some ways but we really started feeling we were living in a hotel after a while! We didn't want to accidentally arrange things 'wrong' !!
Decluttering is painful, but worth it. I admit to being the pack rat while "J" is the minimalist. We donated as much as we could as well (Salvation Army for us) and had a a young family next door who happily took our living room furniture as well as a credenza that had been in my sewing room. They had friends who took other things as well so we had very little big stuff that needed throwing out. Gem, I wish my son were in the position to want/need stuff but he will be in the AF full time soon and moving a lot himself. In fact a bunch of the "stuff" we took with us is actually his.
You are smart to be thinking ahead and doing things well before you think you will put up the for sale sign. Suzanne I think a German Shepard might just have an effect on the painting results that the stager would not approve of! Depends on the painter I guess.
Last edited by J&Em; 06-27-2008 at 10:33 AM..
Reason: forgot something...LOL...
Is it a consignment booth, Painter? It doesn't sound like you have to tend it.
I have also thought about using EBay for some costly collectibles. My boys have all sold musical instuments, sports equipment, cameras and computers, and one of my sons sold his Corvette on Ebay to a guy on the other side of the country. He flew in to get it and drove it a couple thousand miles to get it home!
Yes it's set up as a consignment type store, I pay booth rent and then they take 10% of the total sales to boot. The place I am at has to big stores and the gal is making money left and right. I am looking into something similiar for when I move. They have more traffic now with the economy the way it is.
Becareful w/ ebay, my son tried that and really had an upset. Ive been reading about some problems on there just recently, the scams are becoming a problem and also with the paypal system. A friend of mine has been selling on there since the beginning and is now looking for an alternative. Bad times bring out the worse in some.
As in the past when we had a showing for any house that we were selling, when the agent called to see if she could bring someone by in 2 or 3 hours, I always said "YES". You never know which one will be your buyer.
I always had an empty clothes basket and quickly ran around the house and threw anything into that I couldn't take time to put away or clean up. In went kids' toys, 4 pairs of extra sneakers in the family room, all the snack bowls out on the closed-in porch, extra afghans, etc. I would put this in the car's trunk. Next, anything doggie - food bowls, dog toys and her sleeping kennel and bed - all in the trunk.
A quick vacuum in the obvious areas, beds were already always make each morning, dishes always went into the dishwasher as they were used, and everyone was well trained on keeping showers, vanities and such cleaned - and a quick dusting every morning.
While I was doing this, I had a frozen apple pie in the oven set for 10 mins. It filled the house with a nice scent and then it went back into the freezer! I could get 5 or 6 showings out of one frozen pie, then into the trash. It wasn't fit to eat after reheating it so many times.
Lastly, once the vacuum cleaner went back to the closet I turned on all the lights, lite the gas fireplace and only an hour had passed and the house would be perfect.
The kids, dog and I would head off to the park, library or mall for two hours and when we returned home everyone emptied the trunk and put everything in its place.
Now, however, I don't have all of those kids around to scatter like whirlwinds. I'm hoping the DH and my youngest son step up to the plate.
Thanks for all of the great tips, J&Em and Painter, as well as SMG,GBH and HI* (the "k" is silent)! Too bad JMT wasn't in here, too!
These ideas from all of you will come in handy. I am going to look for a stager, purge the house, and if NECESSARY, rent a locker. Oh, please, I hope I don't have to store anything!!
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Hmmm... maybe that idea isn't the best.
Where's the HGTV Home Organizer when you need her?
) and several times a year drop things off.
So, they will take a lot. Much has already been given away. And, I do like the idea of the flea market. You just make enough from all of your carefully tendered treasures to help with the moving expenses.
