A Devonshire Design

Greetings from Mexico!

2009-11-06T09:25:00.002-05:00

One of the great joys of taking a vacation is the opportunity to see other cultures and to find out how other people live their lives.

As you can see from my blog, I love to take photographs of many things, but I especially enjoy taking photos of architecture, in all different forms. Balconies, windows, the shapes of trim, photos both close up and far away.

These things inspire me. They also afford me the opportunity to work on my eye - for lovely vignettes, for details, etc. I also like to use the photographs for art in some of my staging or decorating work. Blowing up details of a balcony or using three similar vignettes in matching frames can set the mood for a room.

So we are now on the Mexico portion of our trip, soon to go through the Panama Canal and I cannot wait to get home (well, I can but I wanted to be polite) and post some of my photographs for you.

In the meantime, I'll keep taking them.

Shabby Chic Redefined

2009-10-15T16:54:00.000-04:00

I have always been the anti-Shabby Chic gal.

While I certainly understood how it would appeal to so many people, I just always felt it was messy and too casual for so many styles of homes. I don't think anything was more shocking then walking into someones home and seeing the formal spaces turned into shabby chic without a real thought into how it fit your "modern" home.....

But it still shocked me when in January I had heard that Rachel Ashwell and the "Shabby Chic" brand had filed for bankruptcy. She had stores, lines in other stores, web sites and many, many books. So what happened?

Apparently, she was trying to expand (due to a deal) at the same time the economy was going down the dirt. This led to the downfall of the company and the eventual Chapter 11 filing.

Bus Rachel and Shabby Chic are making a comeback according to this article in the New York Times. "The business plan, he and Ms. Ashwell said, describes a line of lower-price upholstered pieces that will appear in furniture stores sometime next year. Her new flagship stores in Manhattan and Santa Monica (a third is to open in London early next year) have been conspicuously named Shabby Chic Couture, to differentiate their higher price point — the new $3,500 sofa, versus one that might sell for $1,500 — from the new line for other stores."

While I applaud the "lower priced" line, I do wish there was not a disconnect between that and the higher priced "Couture" line. Does it make that much of a difference if your sofa is $2,000 as long as it has that Shabby Chic title?

Just asking....

Anyway, it's great to see a decorating icon make it back after a difficult time. Let's look for more of those decorating icons to return...like some of those magazines we have lost.....

Shabby Chic....redefined for the better, I hope.

Home Staging Cheat Sheet

2009-10-08T11:37:00.003-04:00

While I don't agree with everything Barb touts, I thought this was a good article to share.

The Home-Staging Cheat Sheet
6 easy ways to make your property more appealing to buyers
Posted: July 3, 2008

Faced with a massive glut of unsold homes, many would-be sellers are struggling to make their properties stand out in today's downtrodden real estate market. But while the economic head winds are beyond property owners' control, author Barb Schwarz says they can dramatically improve their chances of making a sale by devoting attention to an often-overlooked corner of real estate marketing: home staging.

Schwarz, the CEO of StagedHomes.com, was a pioneer in home staging back in the early 1970s and has used the techniques to sell properties ever since. "The goal [of home staging] is for the buyer to mentally move in," Schwarz says. "If they cannot mentally feel and see themselves living here, you've lost them." Schwarz offers six simple tips to help home sellers better position themselves in a sluggish market.
Get them inside. The first thing a prospective buyer notices about a home is not the living room but the front yard. "A lot of people think staging is the inside only," Schwarz says. "[But] we've got to stage the outside to get them inside." So cut the grass, trim the hedges, rake those leaves, sweep the sidewalks, and power-wash the driveway. And make sure you don't have too many potted plants scattered around the property.

Pretend you're camping. Schwarz says a cluttered room will appear too small to buyers. "Clutter eats equity," she says. Schwarz tells homeowners to go through each room of the house and divide their belongings into two piles: "keep" and "give up." Items in the "keep" pile will be used to stage the room, while those in the "give up" pile should be stored elsewhere. "Pretend you are camping," she says. "When you go camping, you are not taking all those books, right?"
The decluttered rooms may appear bare to the seller, but the buyer won't think so. Schwarz says. "And buyers cannot visualize when there is too much [stuff] in the room." Decluttering a home's outdoor spaces is important, too, she says.

Balance hard and soft surfaces. When staging a particular room, it's essential to have a good balance of hard surfaces, such as a coffee-table top, and soft surfaces, like a carpet, Schwarz says. For example, a room with a cushy, 7-foot-long sofa, a love seat, and four La-Z-Boy recliners has too many soft surfaces and not enough hard surfaces. "The room is sinking," she says. "It's all too heavy." "If you have hardwood floors but no rugs, it's too hard," Schwarz says. "So you want to add a rug."

Work in ones or threes. Schwarz recommends arranging items on top of hard surfaces in ones or threes.
You would place three items—say, a lamp, a plant, and a book—on top of a larger hard surface, like an end table. "You take away the plant and the book, it's too bare," she says. "[But if] you put 10 things on it, it's overdone." The three items should be closely grouped together in a triangle shape. "I draw a triangle for my clients," Schwarz says. "I say, 'Here is the end table—let's superimpose a triangle on top of it.' " For hard surfaces with less area, however, a single item will do.

Decide from the doorway. Since would-be buyers will get their first impression of each room from the doorway, homeowners should use that perspective to judge their staging work. "Do your work, go back to the doorway. Do some more, go back to the doorway," Schwarz says. That way, you'll be better able to ensure that each room appeals to buyers.

Make your place "Q-Tip clean." A properly staged home should be immaculate—"Q-Tip clean," as Schwarz puts it. "I mean Q-Tips getting dead flies out of your windowsill [and] going around the bottom of your toilet on the floor," she says. The purpose of ensuring the house is spotless is more than simply making it presentable. If a home is unkempt, a buyer will wonder what other, less visible problems may come with the property, Schwarz says. "They'll say, 'Gosh, if they live like this, what don't they take care of that I can't see?'"

How Home Staging can help Realtors

2009-09-20T08:04:00.004-04:00

Being a home stager has many sides to it. There is the education side - where we are always looking at model homes, learning tricks and tips for making our clients homes look ready for sale. There is the client side - where we get to meet wonderful people and help them move to the next station in life. And there is the realtor side - which is where we can help build business for them.

So how do Stagers help Realtors? And how can we help each other?

Incorporating Professional Staging Into Your Listing Presentation….

Gives You More Control – That’s right. Here’s a common scenario for you, the seller may desire a certain dollar amount for the home but you know that unless some changes are made, the seller won’t get it. By incorporating the first step in the home staging process, a Staging Consultation, you are controlling more of the outcome of the sale.

Gives You Credibility and Differentiation- When you’re focused on your own field of interest and outsource to professionals it gives you added credibility in what you’re good at – selling homes!

Protects Your Relationship and Listing - You have to have a strong client relationship that gets you through the entire escrow process. Home staging is a form of constructive criticism that sometimes addresses hard, personal issues like smell and cleanliness. Your clients EXPECT a professional stager to instruct them on these issues but are not completely comfortable with you as their Realtor doing this.

Is A LOT Less Expensive Than You Think – We have Realtor Partner Packages that start as low as a simple Staging Consultation which will usually result in a day of staging (paid by the now engaged seller), gorgeous photos of prepared rooms for your online marketing campaign, and an Action Plan for the seller to do more to make their home desirable. The cost of staging is MUCH less than the first price reduction!

So all I have to say is...

2009-09-14T22:17:00.001-04:00

that my DH lost 8 pounds his first freaking week on Atkins!

and I continue to lose at the snail's pace of 1/2 pound a week.

Men drive me crazy. But, I love them anyway.

Back to School - for Adults!

2009-09-06T10:07:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year when thoughts turn to back to school and that whole fall "refreshing" thing that many of us do. I have always looked at fall as the opportunity to restart - part of that comes from our religious traditions (after all it's almost New Year for us) - and part of it is the school thing.

So the DH and I have decided that this Tuesday will be our "Back to School" start. While the DS is already back (his senior year, yikes!) we wanted on last holiday weekend. So starting Tuesday:

1) DH goes on Adkins and I go back on full tracking WW.

2) We will not drink liquor for the first thirty days. Exception - wine on our anniversary (9/24).

3) Meal planning will restart. Freezer, Slow Cooker and leftovers will be well utilized.

4) Take out no more than once per week.

5) College prep/essay writing and scholarship searching will be done in earnest.

This is also our time to get our DS ready to go to college and be more on his own. The more I can get him organized and moving forward the right way, the more assured we will be that he will succeed on his own.

Do you do any "adult" back to school type of stuff?

Random Thoughts - End of Summer Edition

2009-09-02T18:08:00.003-04:00

The End of Summer (how did it get away so fast?) edition of Random Thoughts:

How is it that so many "Decorating" blogs really are just blogs of pictures from books and magazines of rooms that they like? Of course with reasons why. Shouldn't a decorator show their own work?

I have learned that a hot water heater actually fails over several years by not really heating the water. How did I learn this? By getting a new hot water heater and barely being able to move the faucet off cold.

Does it get any better than a week of the Beatles on one of the VH1 stations?

My son just drove home from North Carolina in his "new" car. I am really hopeful that this is an evolution in his maturity. Or he won't have the car too long.

I am in the process of redoing the displays at the Judaica Shop in my synagogue. It's fun to redecorate and to purchase new items. Plus have a display wall 8 feet tall is going to be great!

This was not the best summer - it did not get warm until August - June & July were chilly and rainy. I like a moderate summer, low 80's, no humidity type of thing.

Chicago is really my kind of town. (more on that later)

Great News for Home Staging

2009-08-30T13:14:00.002-04:00

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), “home staging seems to be a more important selling tool than ever.”

NAR points to a new book, “Staging to Sell: The Secret to Selling Homes in a Down Market,” which found that even in today’s slower housing market, 95 percent of staged homes sell (on average) in 35 days or less. On the other hand, homes that are not staged take 172 days or more to sell, if they sell at all.

Source: Fallbrook Bonsall Village News, Thursday, August 27th, 2009. Issue 35, Volume 13.

Let's get this news out there...

Remember I am here and ready to help you sell your home!

Yard Sale Saturday

2009-08-29T13:25:00.006-04:00

Hi, welcome to this week's Yard Sale Saturday. There was not much out there this week as there have been showers for the last two days and a few folks rescheduled for next weekend. I am already looking forward to that!

The first sales I found did not have much of anything - baby clothes and toys, so I had seen a sign for a block sale and doubled back to that area.

At the first sale I found some nice place mats (6 for $2.00) and some ribbon, but the best find was these glass dessert size plates - all 6 for 50 cents. I like glass plates for staging as they can be used with almost any decor and can also be used for candles, dresser tops, etc.

The other homes in this block sale did not have much - one was all old electronics - but one sale did have some great photographs by the owner...I wish I could take photos that well.

Well, onto one more set of sales in a nicer upscale community and I hit the jackpot - but only for one thing. This absolutely mint cocktail set from the early 60's. It features six mint condition glasses and a mixer that is over sized for today, but just the right size for the period.

Really cool, eh? Quite the "Mad Men" vibe...I know that I when I spotted I immediately had to grab it as I though my bestest would just love it.

Any great finds for you this weekend?

Safe and Sound

2009-08-21T06:03:00.004-04:00

I know that I should not tempt fate. I work hard not to do that, especially with a 17 year old son who has just started driving.

Everytime he goes out in the car, I say a small silent prayer - not just for him, but for anyone who is on the road when he is. Everytime he walks back into the house, I quietly thank G-d again for bringing him back home safely.

But I worry even more when he gets into another driver's car. Who hasn't read the stories lately about Moms driving impaired and smacking into other cars, or teens who drag race, or just drive too fast. It seems the passengers are just as likely to be hurt as the drivers. Of course, I know all of these kids and have since most of them were small. But I still worry. So my prayers are more frequent. And my sleep is less sound.

This summer he has worked as a camp counselor and most of the other counselors are older (18-20) and he was out many nights, so my sleep has been less than stellar...lol. Last night, we decided to let him stay overnight at an end of camp party and be home by 6:00 this morning for work. This is a big thing as we do not encourage overnight parties, but we do trust our son. So we let him go. And while I did go to sleep, it was not the most restful.

I was wide awake at 5:00 am - and when I crept out of my bedroom and looked in his, there he was, sleeping in his room. I thanked G-d for keeping him and his friends in his care. And I was happy he was home.

Safe and sound.

A Quiet Friday

2009-08-14T14:39:00.002-04:00

I am sitting here on my comfy sofa in my family room. My little cat Suzy, barely 7 lbs, is curled up in a ball next to me and my darling hubby is lying on the floor curled up with the pillows.

Both are sound asleep.

Both are gently snoring.

It is quite peaceful.

I am happy that my darling hubby is getting some nap time in. Since he has become a non-smoker, his sleep has been quite disrupted. I know that is adding to his difficulties and so it is good (even though I am not sure it will help later tonight) that he is getting a "cat nap".

It wonderful to have a quiet day, when there is little to do - perhaps some laundry or a quick trip to the store - and just enjoy the opportunity. I finished a scarf I had been knitting, read a bit and did some computer time reading blogs and such.

I know that soon enough my son will be home from work, hungry and tired. I know that soon enough we will be getting ready to go bowling (for charity). I know that soon enough the weekend and madness of activity will begin. But for now I am enjoying this time.

A Quiet Friday.

Latest Staging Day Pictures

2009-08-09T10:35:00.004-04:00

I have been working diligently on Devonshire Design's latest staging project, plus I have been going out most evenings to meetings for the group I volunteer with that I have had no time to post or read blogs!

But I am thrilled to tell you all that yesterday we had a very successful staging day and here are some of the great before and after pictures for you to view.

This is the Living room and Dining room. As you can see from the after picture the look from the front entry is open and airy, lots of room and very modern. We worked to de-emphasize the television as we have the family room downstairs.

And a peek at the Family Room....

Changing the panel walls to a light creme color and adding a family game area, opens up the room and makes it much more welcoming. Since you can see if from the front entry, we wanted a bright and cheery space when looking downstairs. It looks terrific.

You can view the full day's video here: http://www.youtube.com/user/DevonshireDesignLtd

The family was so helpful with getting everything done, while Devonshire Design worked on the furniture and arranging, the family was cleaning the outside and inside.

Today they are having 6 showings and I am certain they will have a quick sale!

Focal Points - myth or necessity?

2009-08-02T08:39:00.005-04:00

How many times have you heard that every room needs to have a focal point? But is that true? Can a room design be successful without a focal point - a fireplace, a great view or even the television?

I think so. Sometimes you may just have a beautiful piece of furniture that sets the tone of the room - then make that the "focal point". Maybe you have a piece of art that you could put on an easel and make it the focal point.

How about a room that once once considered the formal living room. You know the room without the television? Well, if you have one without a fireplace or some other obvious focal point - why not make the conversation area the focal? Arrange the seating into "intimate" conversations areas. A bigger room could hold two or three of these. This makes the room all about the seating groups with no defined focal point. Can it work? You bet!

Do yourself a favor when re-arranging or re-decorating your rooms. Don't be locked into convential ideas about focal points - think about what you love in the room and call that the focal point.

And if you are still stuck - call me! I'd be happy to help!

How do I make the business thrive?

2009-07-30T08:54:00.002-04:00

I like a sense of order and one of the difficult things about starting and running a business is the lack of order. Especially in marketing.

You can order many things in your life - morning routines, your desk, menu planning. But it's almost impossible to bring order to the idea of getting your business marketed and successful. A marketing plan is really a fluid thing - you build the plan and then it has to be constantly adjusted. Why? Because all of your customers are not alike!

Realtors - they need more attention than any other group. You have to be sure to communicate with them on a regular basis, but not too much. Don't want to look like a stalker!! Then you have to determine the best way to communicate - in person, phone call, notes, e-mail, etc. It can almost be overwhelming. But you keep trying.

Sellers - What is hard here is finding them. You can visit open houses and you can leave cards and notes on homes for sale, but that does not guarantee you will hear from them. Again, you have to find that way to market to them without overkill.

Folks looking for a change (redecorate)- The hardest group to market to, they almost have to come to you. That is where the website comes in handy. And lucky for me, I have a great website designer who is in the midst of re-vamping my site. It looks great now, but I know it will be better after the redesign!

So this is my struggle - I want to make the business thrive, but I have learned there is no easy way to make it happen.

But I am determined...and am willing to work as hard as needed. I just wish there was a way to make it orderly.

Sometimes you need your best friend

2009-07-26T15:52:00.005-04:00

My darling husband has recently become a non-smoker and there are good days and bad days associated with that. More good days than bad, but sometimes it's a good idea to take a break from each other.

Yesterday was one of those days.

Around lunchtime, I picked up the phone and called my bestest to see what she was up to. She immediately sensed that I needed some girl time and offered to meet me for dinner at a great local place nearby - well, actually in the middle - because we live about 40 minutes apart.

It was a lovely evening. We sat at the bar, talked and drank a few cocktails. We had salad and then shared Little Neck Clams steamed in Wine with Chorizo and Lightly Battered Calamari with a sweet/tart sauce. We talked about our men, our families and her recent loss. We discussed home decorating, my business and getting together for dinner next week.

Girlfriends are such an important part of our lives. They enable us to love unconditionally, have an outlet, share secrets, go shopping and provide us a shoulder to cry upon. They provide that extra opinion (not always agreeing with you!) and let you know when you are being a "dough-head".

I am so glad to have many wonderful women in my life and I will always do my best to be there for them. I hope to not let them down,

Because sometimes you really need your best friend.

Random Thoughts - July Edition (Plus the Winner!)

2009-07-22T06:35:00.004-04:00

Thoughts rattling around in my head....

1) For those who live in the Delaware Valley - isn't is a bummer that they are tearing down the original Spectrum? Man, I had some great times at concerts there! At least I think I did...lol.

2) The marketing continues in earnest - this month I have an ad in the new "Your Home Magazine" that will run for a year, plus I am working with a friend/web designer to redesign my business site.

3) I completed two courses this summer and hope to take a few more in the fall. I am thinking it may be cool to teach a class - you know Community Ed?

4) I am slowly getting used to my son driving. But it is still nerve racking.

5) Speaking of my son, he got stitches this weekend. First injury ever and I wasn't there to fuss over him.

6) We went to the new casino in Bethlehem this past weekend. It's really nice for just slots - Emeril's restaurant and all. We would go back again and maybe eat next time.

7) Looking forward to seeing my granddaughters next week, they are getting so big and I wish they lived closer. It's fun to be a grammie!

8) I wish I could lose weight easier. But then again I am not the best at staying away from things that I really like to eat, but shouldn't. (Dark Chocolate, wine anyone?)

That's it for now - what on your mind?

Oh Yeah, the contest winner?

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:6
Timestamp: 2009-07-22 11:59:28 UTC

Carolyn said...
Hi there! Great giveaway!Just stopping by from SITS.
July 5, 2009

I'll be reaching out to the winner - thanks all!

Yard Sale Saturday...and a Bonus!

2009-07-18T12:26:00.006-04:00

This week I wanted to show you my best yard sale find EVER! Plus as a bonus I wanted to share a Stagers/Decorators best friend.

First up, one in a set of four Winnie the Pooh framed pictures, frames are in perfect condition and they will look perfect in the home I am staging with a baby's room. All four for just $12. Great buy.

Next up, is my best yard sale find ever! This new, never used Oak Glider Rocker with matching ottoman (again perfect for that Baby room) with the plastic still on the ottoman. Let's just say that I got this amazing item for under $50 - way under. I almost felt guilty for the prices they quoted. Sometimes you are just lucky, an earlier yard sale had one also and they wanted $150!

Now for the bonus. My favorite place to go shopping for many furniture and accessories is the CORT Furniture Outlet. Do you have one near you? While you have to check condition, this is rented furniture that is no longer in rotation. You can find sofas for $100, chairs for half that and accesories (like this print) for half that again. Just great pricing and selection. Check this place out!
Anyone else have a good day at the sales? Hope so!

What’s The Difference – Decorator v. Home Stager?

2009-07-16T06:36:00.002-04:00

I am often asked what the difference is between being and Interior Decorator and a Home Stager. While you’ll need a good eye for space, color and esthetics in both roles, there are differences.

An Interior Decorator takes you and your families needs and desires into the room plan.

A Home Stager removes you, the current homeowner, from the room plan.

An Interior Decorator wants you, the current homemaker to feel at home.

A Home Stager is working with you to make the next family feel home!

An Interior Decorator uses your personal collections to enhance your home.

A Home Stager removes or minimizes your personal collections so that the buyer can picture themselves in the home.

As a certified Home Stager, I work with many families to help them “remove” themselves from the home and to break the emotional attachment to it. While that may sound like we do some therapy, it’s only for your home. We see the potential for the next family and we want to help you, the home seller, make your home as appealing to everyone – as it was for you when you first bought it.

I love both aspects of what I get to do, helping people create the perfect room for them, helping them to get the vision to reality as an Interior Decorator. But, I also love helping people move on to the next part of their lives by getting their homes ready for the next family – and let’s face it - increasing the sale price!

Yard Sale Saturday

2009-07-11T18:42:00.002-04:00

Today was just a few local yard sales, but it seemed like all of them were emptying the house!

And I was the lucky recipient!! First off, this absolutely in perfect shape floor lamp, glass shade, iron base and a great bargain.

Can’t you just see this in a lovely reading nook? Behind a set of chairs just made for sitting quietly and reading. I sure can.

This is a pair of picture frames – silver with inset beading – currently housing a set of watercolor sketches, but made for almost any lovely picture.

Just a great day of yard sales. I so look forward to finding the right home for these pieces.

So, any luck with your sales – let me know!

So much to do...

2009-07-08T22:18:00.003-04:00

This will be short.

I feel like I have so much to do, yet so much of my time right now is to help my darling husband cope with the effects of quitting smoking after 40 plus years.

I know he is suffering. I need to be supportive. I WILL be supportive.

But can I just whine for a moment? I have a proposal to finish, meetings to write speeches for, a house to organize, laundry to do, grocery shopping - have I mentioned that yet?

OK, off to tackle something on my to do list.

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway (scroll down).

S.P. S. Send me your support - I need it with this non-smoking thing.

Cafe 2825 – Everyone needs a favorite place

2009-07-05T08:56:00.001-04:00

This is Joe and his lovely wife Jan at our favorite Atlantic City restaurant – Cafe 2825.

This is not in a casino.

This is not on the boardwalk or in a hotel.

Cafe 2825 is a local place manned by the same family for many, many years. It is no bigger than your living room, yet it never feels crowded or loud. (well, maybe that’s because we are loud, but who knows!) There is only about 20 tables in the entire place. But it is all about the food here.

And the food is incredible! Below is the Ricotta Cheesecake – made from his Mom’s original recipe. Look at those berries – Wow! Everything is homemade and made to order. Stuffed Calamari, an amazing stuffed Artichoke, Sunday gravy with amazing Meatballs. The portions are good, but not oversized and the prices are shore prices – not low, but not casino high!

I know that there are probable really good places to eat in the casino’s – we have even tried a few and had a good meal. But I would much rather eat at a local place that remembers me when I walk in the door.

And that’s what Cafe 2825 does.

Try it if you ever visit Atlantic City. Tell them the Napoleon family sent you.

Hey, It's a Giveaway!

2009-07-01T22:43:00.007-04:00

Why? Just cos' it's July, that's why!

As always, it will include one cute item and something to help with your decorating.

The cute item? A "Rate that Wine" pad complete with built in coaster so you can hold a great wine tasting party this summer. This pad is from those great folks at www.knockknock.biz.

The decorating item? A set of two Lenox vases. I picked them up at an auction and I think they are just lovely for any style home.

So what do you have to do to win?

1) Leave me some comment love - 1 entry
2) Follow me (or tell me you already do) - 1 entry
3) Subscribe to my newsletter (or tell me you already do) - 1 entry
4) Twitter about my giveaway - 1 entry

Easy-Peasy - right?

Giveaway is open until 10:00 pm DST, July 10th. Giveaway is open to US participants only (shipping costs, you know)

Happy July!

Yard Sale Saturday Finds

2009-06-28T13:26:00.001-04:00

Some great items were out and about these past two Saturday’s. It’s funny you never know what you can find, especially when you are having one of those days where you keep looking with little success.

These three items all came from the same sale. First, a beautiful carved wooden plate/bowl. I can see it hanging up or on a coffee table. Maybe with a hurricane glass and candle?

Next up is this beautiful pair of old globe style bookends. These just need a bit of polish and shine up to really sparkle!

Last thing I found were these feather balls that could work in so many places. These usually go for quite a bit of money (new) but I got the five of them for $2.00!

All told three great finds for under $10.00 total. Man, I love yard sales!

I never realized…..

2009-06-24T13:17:00.001-04:00

how difficult it would be to not have a laptop.

When I first purchased my laptop about 2 years ago, I wanted it to be for business and to move myself out of the family office and into the family room. You see, I spent a lot of time in the house but not with the family and that was making the family unhappy. So when the ~~life sucking corporation~~ the old company offered computer discounts, I took advantage and bought a basic model.

I was addicted. It was so convenient to use. I could sit on the sofa and work. I could take it with me on business calls and when I do inventory and even on trips. Want to know what the heck something you just heard really is? I could look it up on Wiki and not even leave the room.

I was a happy camper. Until June 8th when all hell broke loose. The laptop would not load certain websites. So I backed out an IE update. It seemed better. Then it just started shutting down randomly. I thought I better do a backup and soon…right.

I could not get the laptop to stay on long enough to pull the data off. I called for service, dropped it off and hoped for the best. Then I got the call. Good News – they saved my data. Bad News – the motherboard died. And it’s just not worth the money to replace.

So I went two weeks without a laptop going crazy every day. But not anymore – I am typing this on my lovely 17” Dell Studio purple. And I will be backing up my data weekly. And BTW I bought the two year extended warranty. I learned my lesson.

I just never realized…..

Six Quick Tips for Home Staging

2009-06-21T09:23:00.005-04:00

So many articles are out there talking about Home Staging and what it can do for your home. I agree, hiring a certified Home Stager can add value to your property and improve your showings.

But what if you cannot afford a Home Stager right away? Maybe you want to try to put your home together yourself first, then get some Open House feedback before taking that leap in hiring someone? Well, while I not trying to lose any business, I do understand the economics of today.

So here are Six Quick Tips for Home Staging....

1) Make the front of your home welcome. Ensure people can see your house number and that the lawn is well manicured.

2) Ensure that the color of your Home is in line with the neighborhood. Not too many people will be attracted to the fuchsia house in the creme/tan/brick neighborhood!

3) Put away your garbage cans. If there is a place where they can be hidden, great. If not consider a privacy screen of some sort.

4) De-Clutter! This is the biggest challenge most homeowners face.

5) Clear the kitchen counters. Think of that model home you just saw - did they have a toaster, coffee maker, mixer, dish drain, et al. out? Probably not/

6) Make the beds. I cannot tell you how many homes I have visited with a realtor that the beds are not made, covers not pulled up or pillows astray. It only takes a few minutes to complete a bed!

One more tip....Ask a Home Stage for a free consultation - most of us are willing to take a few minutes to look at some room pictures and offer a few tips. We just hope you will hire us for more!