Staging a Behind the Scenes Look

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When I tell people I’m a home stager, they say “What a fun job!”

I love my job, but there is so much more to it than arranging stuff in a house.

A typical staging job starts the moment a homeowner or Realtor calls. Step one is to go look at the property. Every property is unique, with distinct features. And each property will have a unique buying audience that we wish to target. This is why Stagers don’t prefer to estimate fees over the phone, site unseen. After careful consideration of the property’s needs, style, and demographics, a quote is prepared for the client within 24 hours.

Step Two: With the client approval and a date set, we move ahead with creating the design plan. After identifying the property’s needs, we head to the furniture store to pick out pieces for rental. We then source accessories, artwork, area rugs and anything else needed to complete the look. A full toolkit is essential too.

The pre-work is done. Step Three is staging day! Jessica from Fresh Moves and I meet at the property promptly at 9am with two full SUVs. The property is on the main level but down several looooong hallways. We unload our cars, piling everything in the lobby. The sight of beautiful accessories, furniture, and yes, a broom, makes passersby curious. We stop to chat with a few homeowners wondering if we are the new neighbours!

  

Shortly after, the large furniture pieces arrive. The moving men careful swivel the furniture into the condo. Andrei and Raymond of The Supermovers are simply awesome! Cheerful, skilled, and service-oriented, they really live up their name. We recommend them to anyone needing movers. They graciously help us move a pile of stuff from the lobby into the condo before heading off to the next job. Jessica and I are very thankful since each trip, that hallway gets a little looooooonger.

Now Jess and I are in full staging mode. Jessica starts to unpack accessories as I set up the beds in both bedrooms. We find it works best to put everything in the kitchen, but what a mess!                            

Starting in the bedrooms we first decide on the best layout, then choose the perfect pillows, artwork and accessories to complete the bedroom. We want to draw attention to the windows. This condo is nestled in Discovery Ridge and all the windows have a superb view of huge pine trees, your own private forest. In our opinion, an excellent selling feature! 

Now it’s time to tackle the main living area. Placing the furniture and art to highlight the focal points, dressing the sofa, mantle, and tables with just the right finishing touches – this is the art of staging that we love! A well-positioned mirror reflects the gorgeous kitchen and the wonderful view.

A few simple touches in the bathrooms takes them from empty-feeling to well-dressed and spa-like.

Now comes the steaming process! All bedding and towels are steamed so they are wrinkle-free, fresh and crisp. Time to tidy up and re-pack our cars with any extras floating around, plus the recycling.

Finally we snap a few shots for our portfolio and a quick phone call brings the homeowner running to the reveal. She is thrilled with the transformation! We’re thrilled that she’s thrilled. Another great day of staging complete!

For more information on having YOUR home transformed, contact Elysse at Simplystylishstaging@gmail.com; or Jessica@FreshMoves.ca.

To contact The Supermovers, call 403.437.MOVE (6683)

Occupied Staging For Your Calgary Home.

Occupied Staging is becoming more popular in Calgary. Most sellers just need help arranging furniture to make their space buyer friendly. With a few tweaks to what this client already had we were able to create a space with function, allowing buyers to see the potential in this spacious bonus room.

                                     
 

Stool Height Explained

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Islands and Bars are a popular design element in most homes today, but many people do not know the correct height for seating under the island or bar. Use this guide to help you choose your seating for these areas.


Before you go the store measures your bar or island twice, so you only buy once. Proper measurement will ensure your family or guests will be comfortable. A good rule to follow is allow for 10 to13 inches between seat of stool to the bottom of the counter or bar, this will ensure you will have enough room to cross your legs or swivel and sit comfortably. Bar height is  usually between 35” and 36”. The best seating height to choose is the seat height of 24” to 26” inches. Kitchen and vanity are just a little shorter usually between 28” to 30” inches. When buy a chair or stool you should be looking for a seat height of 17” to 18” inches. This will provide max comfort when using the kitchen island or bathroom vanity.

How many stools can fit under the counter? To figure out how much seating you have room for, remember stools should be spaced about 30 inches of the middle of one stool to the middle of the next one. Correct spacing you should be able to get on and off the stool comfortably.


Going to the store with no idea of what kind of stool you need could leave you over whelmed. Before you go to the store think about what kind of stool will fit your family’s needs? Something to consider materials stools are made from, would you prefer wood or metal? Do you need arms? Do you need stools to swivel? Do you want back or backless? Putting some thought into these questions can help determine what the perfect stool looks like for your family.


Bar stools are great ways to change the look of your space. Weather your selling or just changing things up with a redesign,  bar stools are a great way to save on space. I hope these tips help you find the stool that fit your homes needs.


Elysse Bulloch


Simply Stylish Staging

Cleaning Tips to Prepare for The Spring Market

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When buyers get more serious about making an offer they start looking closer and closer at the property. At a closer glance buyers can get scared away if appliances are not well maintained. Red flags are raised and buyers wonder if sellers are hiding anything else, stop these thoughts in there tracks by making sure everything is Q-tip clean.

 Spring cleaning time is fast approaching especially if you’re trying to get your home ready for the spring market. The one thing that seems to always be the “to do list” is to clean the oven. We all hate cleaning the oven, procrastination makes this worse. The longer you put it off the harder the job gets.

Without proper maintenance the oven vents clog up and the oven will start to smoke. Here is a step by step guide to cleaning your oven chemical free. If you clean your oven after every use, you will never need to spend hours scrubbing away again.

For gas stove tops remove all grate and griddles and wash in hot soapy water. Scrub with a scouring pad; dry all part thoroughly before putting back. Look for blockage on all fuel parts use a paper clip to free blockage. For spills soak a cloth in hot soap water and place on the spill let the water penetrate the spill for a few minutes. Remove build up with a rubber scraper. Wipe the surface clean with a damp sponge. Make sure the sponge is not to wet ,excess water can damage the igniter on glass or ceramic stove tops.  

If you have an electric stove top the first thing to do is remove the coil and reflector bowls, wipe coil with a damp sponge. Clean out the reflector bowls with hot soapy water and a scouring pad. I you have build up on the coils put the stove top back together and turn the burns on high let the build up burn off.

Now for the hardest part cleaning the oven, starts by removing the racks .Soak them in hot soapy water using a scoring pad to remove splatter build up. If you have heavy build up sir together ¾ cup baking soda and 1/4 cup water Smooth paste all over oven accept the door. Let sit a few hours or over night. Wipe out with a damp cloth, repeat to remove any streaks. The oven door should be cleaned with equal parts water and white vinegar. The baking soda mixture can run down in between the glass which can only be removed if the oven door is taken apart.

Now that you have tackled the oven, you might want to start on the microwave. In just 5 to 10 minute it can be sparkling too. The easiest way to clean the microwave is to prepare a bowl with one cup water and 1/2 cup lemon juice, the lemon juice act as a deodorizer. Heat the bowl for three minutes and let sit in the microwave for 5 minutes. The stream will loosen build up. Wipe out the inside of the microwave with a sponge dipped in warm soapy water. Clean the control panel with a very damp cloth.

Please feel free to share your oven cleaning tips. Look forward to hearing what works for you.

Elysse Bulloch

Simply Stylish Staging

Painting Over Wallpaper

Removing dated wall paper can be a challenge, especially when layers and layers have been put up. Sometime remove old wallpaper can damage the plaster or drywall.  You may want to think about painting over the wallpaper to update you space or even preparing it for the market. You be surprised to know that you can paint over almost anything as long as you use the right paint and primer.

If you decide to paint over your current wall paper here are some things to keep in mind. Check every seam look for bubbles, make sure they are smooth and pressed down. You can glue any lifting corners just be sure you let the glue dry very well.

The next step is to prep all the seams and flaws, using a drywall  knife apply a layer of drywall mud over all flaws and seams. Once the dry wall mud has set you can start sanding the mud to a smooth surface. You will probably need to do this twice to guarantee the seams are covered  well. Using a damp cloth wipe the walls down to remove any dust from sanding. This will help the primer to stick to the walls.

Always use a primer, applying water based paint directly to the wallpaper can cause a big mess lifting seams and loosening bubbles. When choosing a primer pick an alcohol based primer, this will make certain their will be a tight boned to the paper and will block stains that can bleed through. Caulk along the ceiling, trim and baseboards this will ensure you get a nice line when you paint. You are now ready to prime you walls and let dry.

The hardest part of the job is done, now let’s talk about paint. I would recommend using a flat or eggshell finish . These paints have less sheen to them and will hide flaws better. You now can paint one coat; this is your chance to fix anything that you think is still not perfect. Sand and re prime until your happy then apply your second coat of paint.

I hope you find these tip helpful, if you need any information on preparing  you home for the market contact Simply Stylish Staging. I would be happy to answer any of your questions.

Elysse Bulloch

Simply Stylish Staging

Home Staging vs Decorating

  Okay let’s talk about home staging; first let’s clarify what home staging really is? Home staging is preparing a property for sale. The goal is to appeal to highest number of potential buyers, selling in less time for more money. Staging focuses on improving the properties appeal by showcasing an eye-catching product where anyone would want to live.

   I feel sellers often think of home staging as decorating. I guess from the outside this could be a fine line. Decorating is to enhance the beauty of a space, but it’s more about taste. Decorating is more of a personal touch adding element that is suited to ones taste.

  

  When you sell your home decorating will only appeal to potential buyers that have the same taste, where home staging takes taste out of the space, making to appeal to the masses.

  

    Home Staging is a marketing strategy to draw as many people to your listing as possible. As a Stager it’s my job to sell the dream, by drawing potential buyers to the selling features in the home, helping buyers connect with the space. Stagers take in to consideration the target market of the property. We add elements to the home that the target market would be looking for. Take a look at this space

  

  The target market for this condo is likely young professional .When potential buyers were viewing this listing they were having trouble envisioning the floor plan. Clearly, to attract as many potential buyers as possible, this room had to show function. Only 1 of 10 people can envision a space with furniture. You never want a potential buyer to struggle to picture a home working for their needs or to picture living there. Here is our transformation.

This condo sold in 42 days on the market.   

Elysse Bulloch

Simply Stylish Staging

Creating Balance with Home Decor

 Creating balance can be done two ways.  The first way is Symmetrical design is it’s when you have two unit of each item. It’s like a mirror effect for example if you have two identical tables on either side of the sofa with lamps on them. This is the simplest way to create balance but tends to be a bit static lacking visual interest.

Photo from Campbell DesignsLLC.com

 The second way to create balance is asymmetry, which is opposite symmetric design. Asymmetry is when the visual weight of two items is almost equal and mixed with items that are of different in size, pattern, spacing and shape.

Photo from EthanAllen.com

  Balance is created when everything in the room works together to create a pleasurable feeling. To achieve balance you need to consider that size, scale and lighting our in proportion to the room.

 Let’s talk about how you can apply balance into your space, start with the biggest piece of furniture. For example the sofa will anchor a grouping of art, make sure you artwork is not bigger then the sofa and hung 6 to 8 inches above. This will make the grouping appear as one piece with the sofa. If the art is to height it will look lost or out of balance.

 When accessioning use multiple pieces placed close together all around the room. If you’re selling your home this trick will keep the buyers eye moving around the room, large displays tend to stop the buyers eye.

  The larger the piece of furniture the more room you need to leave around it, this allows they eye to rest. Too much stuff and buyers get distracted; they look at the stuff instead of connecting with the space.

  A great way to add visual interest and balance with accessories is to place décor item at three height levels floor, mid level and eye level. This will help the buyer’s eyes move naturally through the room, an example of item at floor level would be area rugs ,plants and the flooring its self. Décor items at mid level are lamps and accessories placed on table tops. Window treatment and art work are examples of height at eye level.

   Contrast is a great way to achieve interest in a room. Imagine an all white room with white floor and white furniture it would be pretty boring. Contrast helps bring energy to the space and keeps the buyers eyes moving. I love this look.

Elle Decor.com

Elysse Bulloch

Simply Stylish Staging

Dealing With Pets And Selling Your Calgary Home

   When you have pets they become part of the family, but when you sell your home pet could be a turn off to potential buyers. How do you deal with Miss Kitty or Fido? First you have to realistic only about half the people that tour your home with be pet people the other half not so much. The best way to combat this is to remove all signs of pets, food dishes, toys, cat litter and even the food in the pantry. Oh and don’t forget to remove the pets as well.

   

   If you have an outdoor enclosure for your pet, be sure it’s clean and in good condition. You don’t want buyers to form any kind of ideas. Sometime buyers think that if you don’t care enough about your pets to keep them clean, then how bad is the rest of the property.

  

 Don’t lose out on buyers, because you don’t attend to pet details outside. Their are plenty of services that can help maintain a doggy doo free yard for minimal cost.. If your yard is a selling feature it might be worth the few extra bucks.

   

   Cats tend to have strong odor, its best to scoop the box everyday and when you have showing remove the litter from your home. Scooping everyday with ensure your home does not take on any odor, that could scare off buyers.

   

   If you have exotic animals you may decide they take a small vacation while your house is on the market snakes, spiders, and lizards are not for everyone and might even scare or shock potential buyers touring your home. You don’t want your house to be remembered as the scary one.

  

  Get resourceful with solutions for your pets; ask friends and family to take care of your pets while you’re selling. Check out doggy day cares or pet spa in your area or perhaps take you pets to work with you.

 Elysse Bulloch
Simply Stylish Staging

Staging Tricks to Make Any Room Look Bigger

   Buyers are always looking for the property with the most space here are few tips to consider when staging that give the illusions of more square footage.

 Hanging a mirror an effective way to increase light your space, keep in mind mirrors reflect whatever is in front of them. Try to place the mirror so you are reflecting a great view or something with interest .The best way to reflect light into the space is to place the mirror on the opposite wall of the window.

 When you entry a room your eye will catch the biggest item in the room, by placing all large items at the back of the room you automatically draw the eye back. Try to keep your facial point at the back of the room too. Placing the facial point at the entrance can make buyers feel crowed.

 Color plays a big part in how large a space feels, keep the paint color light. Light colors recede making the space feel large. Dark colors tend to swallow up the light making the space feel dark and small.

  

 If you are thinking about updating your flooring consider having the flooring installed on a diagonal. This will create the longest straight lines possible in the space. When ever possible use the same flooring through out the space this will create unity and seem more open. Over sized tile can also make the space appear larger even in the smallest rooms.

 Over sized furniture can make a space feel small, consider the scale of your furniture to the size of the room. A common mistake to place all the furniture on the walls, pull the furniture away from the wall this will make the space seem cozier.

 A great visual trick is to use glass table tops like coffee table, desks and dinning tables. The glass makes you think you can see more space and less clutter.  

Elysse Bulloch CCSP

Simply Stylish Staging

Using Color Effectively

Staging a property with color is easy as long as you follow 60/30/10. 60 represents the dominate area this would include walls, floors and ceiling. 30 would be the medium area items like furniture, drapery and bedding and10 is the smallest area in the room items like pillows, bedding and décor.

Image by Jasmic via Flickr

 When staging a room it is best to stick with three colors anymore and your potential buyer can get distracted. However just two colors can be visual stimulating as well but instead of using 50/50 ratio try out 60/40 or 70/30  this will keep the buyers eye moving through out the space.

Their three types of color scheme monochromatic, analogous and complementary. Monochromatic scheme is different shades and tints of one color; this tends to the most calming and relaxing color scheme. An analogous scheme consists of colors that are beside each other on the color wheel, such as orange and red. A complementary scheme uses colors located across from each other on the color wheel like purple and green. Complementary color scheme are used to create excitement and interested.

 Test your paint color for accuracy; place your paint chip on the wall under natural light.  If you hold it up you will only see what it looks like under the light but not what it will look like on the wall. Keep in mind interior paint always dry darker and exterior always dry lighter.


Elysse Bulloch
Simply Stylish Staging

Is The Realtor.ca App Changing Real Estate ?

 The tech savvy buyers can now drive to a desire community and look at every house on the market with the new Realtor.ca app right from their phone.  Looking at this from the buyer's side this app definitely changes Real Estate. Statistics shows that 90% of people start their home search online these consumers have a good idea of which property they want to look at by how they houses shows in their online marketing. I am pretty sure that this stat will rise now that Realtor.ca has made it even easier to search for properties.

 Sellers may be able to use this app as an advantage, view your competition. Know what you up against. Once you know what your up against its time to put the elbow grease in to make your property look as good if not better than what’s out their.  Staging may be a crucial part of your marketing. I believe this app will change the standard of how properties are marketed. The houses with only one picture or bad photography will get past over.

 Before you list your house in 2011 work with a Realtor to get it priced right, put the time in to prepare your home. Many sellers need to paint, declutter and stage the property. Buyers need to see past your life to envision living in the space. You need you property to sparkle and shine resembling a magazine or show home. You never know who might be driving by. 

   Kelley Skar a Calgary Realtor recently reviewed the app. If you’re interested in see the app up and running check out his video blog.

Elysse Bulloch

Simply Stylish Staging

Turning Old Things New Again

I discovered a product today that I can’t keep to a secret. Frame your Mirror Inc is a Calgary based company that can transform your exiting plain mirror into to a high-end framed mirror.

John McCruden founder of Frame Your Mirror met with me this morning to show me his product. I fell in love on the spot. John has developed a frame that the customer can easily put together and place on their current mirror.The frames are designed to fit any mirror even if it has no clearance around the edge because the frame fits right on the glass.. He has also lined up installers to come out should the client feel uncomfortable with the DIY. The best part about the product is the existing ,mirror does not need to come down, the frame fit right on top.Frames are available in 10 choices  in a wide range of colors to match your decor. John can ship framed any where in Canada in about 6 - 10 days and will deliver within the city

John’s product is an inexpensive fix to updating any mirror in your home, the frames run from $50 to $250. John will also send out samples of his product to help the client with color choice. His website also let you put the dimensions in to a calculator that will tell you how much your frame choice will cost before tax and shipping.

If you have an outdate mirror in your home check out Frame your Mirror. A quick inexpensive fix for your dated mirror, that anyone can do. Still have questions check out the FAQ if you can't find the answer their  contact John.

If you have a staging or design dilemma I would love to help please direct you question to me . I will feature your question in my upcoming blog.

Elysse Bulloch

Simply Stylish Staging

Perfect Responses to the Most Challenging Staging Questions

Calgary has so many excuses on why they should not invest in staging. Here how I answer the most common objections when it comes to staging.

The first and most commons objection is I can’t afford Staging. Often the seller does not look at the big picture if your house sits on the market longer then you had expected you still have mortgage payments, household expenses and property taxes. Staging will help buyer’s see past your life and connect with your property selling your home in less time. The investment in staging is much less then price reduction stats from RESA show that staged homes sell in 78% less time.

Lots of homes sell without staging. This is very true; but the market has changed a lot over the last few years. Buyers have more choices and have become picky, they want to move in on Monday and entertain on Friday. Television shows have made consumers savvy and the market more competitive. This makes first impressions the key to selling your home.

It was good enough for me why would it not be good enough for others. The market is full of new construction and existing homes which leaves the buyer with a lot more option. 90 % of buyers start their home search online. Buyers know what they want before they call a Realtor. Staging your home will ensure your home makes it to the want to see list.

My home looks nice,I spent a lot of time and money decorating it. Staging is not decorating, staging is making your home appeal to the masses, and decorating is about your personal taste. When you decide to sell your home you need to understand that your home is now a product on the market and your personal style may not appeal to everyone.

Other Home on the Block were not Staged. Do you know if they got what they were asking? Staging is proven marketing techniques that highlight the features of your home generating multiply offers. A few repairs and a little elbow grease will go a long way and will directly affect the selling price. Staged properties are perceived as well maintained buyers are less likely to chip away at your asking price.

If you have any question about staging or have a staging dilemma please email or call me I would love to help.

Elysse Bulloch

Home Office Staging Help

Downtown Calgary Office After Staging

One of the biggest questions I get form clients is what do I do with the home office when selling ?  The home office need to show clean and organized while maintaining a functional work environment while in transition. One of the first things on the to-do list is get rid of clutter, box up all old files, and clean out the bookshelves, drawers and file cabinets. Only work with what you need and get in the habit of filing it away at the end of the day.

 When you sell your house you need to show buyers how the space is used, this helps buyer to imagine living in your space. The office can be one space where buyers feel like they are being meddlesome in the seller’s life. Pack away all personal items like photography’s and diplomas these items tend to encourage buyers to look at your life instead of imagining living in the space.

Anyone that works from home has a bookshelf that is stuffed to the gills. Buyers see this as clutter. To fix this, stag the bookshelves half full, add plants and vases to give your bookshelf a splash of color submissively buyers will feel like this is a prolific work space.

Often the office has larger pieces of furniture which can make the space seem small. Filing cabinets take up lots of space; it is unlikely you will need all these files at one time.  Ask yourself if you can move the file cabinet to the basement or even store them off site but in a place where you can still easily access them. By removing bigger piece of furniture the office will showcase bigger and more productive.

Adding plants to the home office is a great inexpensive way to hide cords and plug ins. Cords look untidy and unorganized. Move your desk so it faces the wall so cords fall behind, out of sight out of mind.

Downtown Calgary Office Before Staging

Simply Stylish Staging

Elysse Bulloch

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• 10 Cheap Desk Organization Tips (brighthub.com)
• Setting Up a Home Office (turbotax.intuit.com)
• Creative Home Offices Inspiration Gallery (apartmenttherapy.com)

To Stage or Not To Stage?

Image via Wikipedia

Many people in Calgary have never heard of home staging. This is surprising considering home staging is an industry standard in many larger cities across Canada. Here in Calgary it seems that only homes that are priced over the $800k are staged.

A friend of mine wrote a blog in October about Calgary luxury homes sales Crystal Tost Realtor with Re max says "We continue to see the luxury home market in Calgary spread it’s wings" This got me thinking why are luxury home sales on the rise in Calgary? Could it be that people in this price bracket understand the importance of how their home shows? Or do sellers understand at that price buyers are going to be picky? Or is it that a seller’s budget for staging is a part of their marketing?

 I can't say for sure why luxury homes sell, but I do know that the importance of how your home shows will help your property sell. I also know that when selling a Million dollar home most Realtors would suggest a stager be called. If even just to tweak the home using the current furniture and accessories. 

Single family homes sales are down 31% from last year according to The Calgary Real Estate Board  inventory levels are higher than last year. Buyers have become spoiled with all the choices. Buying a home is one of the biggest investments most people will make in their lifetime, however, sellers need to understand that once you list your home it becomes a product on the market. Like any market, the home needs to appeal to the target audience.

 A home Staging professional can help you prepare your home for sale because Stagers understand what buyers expect. Many home owners that have lived in their home for years think if it was good enough for them, why wouldn’t it be good enough for everyone else. A common saying is “What is great for dwelling is not always great for the selling” These seller's often think if it’s not broke don't fix it, but this way of thinking does not appeal to the masses. Most buyers want to move in, sit down and are willing to pay a premium price to achieve this.

Staging may be an investment on the sellers side, but stats show that staged homes sell in 78% less time than homes that have not been staged. Kelley Skar  Realtor with Sutton group writes "the relatively small investment when considering the return, may be of huge benefit. You only have one chance to make a first impression think about staging before your list your home.

Staging Ideas For Small Spaces

Image by caribb via Flickr

If you have a small space in your home it can be a challenge to show its function and show its potential. Staging your small space can make huge impact on buyers here are some staging tips and tricks for small spaces.

• Small living room - to show off small spaces make sure to use smaller scale furniture or eliminate a few large pieces. Couches take up a lot of your square footage, try using the love seat instead. Use floating end table instead of a coffee table.
• Storage- Buyers need to see that you have lots of storage. Decorative box and baskets are great way to hide remotes, toys, magazines and  personal items. Buyers only know what they see, you need to show buyers how your space can be used.Storage ottoman and floating shelves are great way to show buyers you have lots of storage.
• Patterns - stick to solid neutral colors they help brighten your space. Patterns tend to be to busy and over powering. Use textures to add some interest .
• Paint- dark colors absorb the light  making  your space appear smaller. Pick a lighter color to expand your space
• Lighting- upward lighting creates an impression of more square footage.Trim back tree to allow lots of light to come through the windows,lighting can increase the illusion of space in a small spaces.

Staging can help sell your home quickly often for more then asking. If you have any question about Calgary Home Staging please feel free to contact Simply Stylish Staging


Elysse Bulloch

Related articles

• Make a Room Look Bigger in two Hours (interiordecorating.suite101.com)
• How Can I Sell My House Fast? (brighthub.com)

Selling your Calgary Home With Small Children

  When it comes to selling your house it can pose quite a problem for young families. When you have small children your furniture placement is geared towards  keeping your kids safe. How do young families prepare their home for sale while maintaining kid friendliness and normalcy in their family lives. Here are a few things you can do ensure your home shows its true potential.                                                                     
                                                                                          

• Store toys in baskets and decorative boxes, keeping toys well organized will help show off your square footage. This way toys are still easy to get to but neatly stored away.
• In the living room you can use an ottoman that has storage in it, all the toy in the living room can be stored away neatly in the ottoman for showing but still very easy for kids to access.
• Place high chairs,bounce chairs and baby gates neatly in the garage for showings.
• Do not stuff items in the closet buyers always look in the closet but you can place them under the bed no one looks their.
• Use an extra bedroom to set up a play space
• Stuffed animals take up allot of space have your children pick a few of their favorite and store the rest in a hanging net.

It might be difficult to stag your home with small children, just remember your hard work will pay and you soon will be movign to your dream home.

Elysse Bulloch
Simply Stylish Staging

Things That Turn Calgary Home Buyers Off And Their Solutions

Image by thinkpanama via Flickr

Are you thinking about selling your Calgary home? Wondering where to start? Here are a few budget friendly ideas to help get your home sold.

We know that bathrooms sell houses .if you have a small bathroom, consider taking out your vanity and replace it with a pedestal sink. Buyers will love this modern take and it shows off your square footage.

Shower door get grimy and dell instead of spend a couple hundred dollars on replacing them get out your rubber gloves. Mix 1 part decaling liquid to 10 part water and scrub with steel wool .A little bit of elbow grease and your shower doors look new again.

When selling your house you need to make sure that each room is not to gender specific. Edit items that may be specific to one sex. Paint walls a neutral color and add accessories to match.

Update an old brick fireplace, if the bricks on the fireplace are overpowering an easy fix is to paint. Paint each brick with a rag or brush a coat at a time. Pick a color that matched the wall and your fireplace will tie in nicely instead of standing out.

Brass fireplace, an easy fix is to pick up some heat resistance paint, tape to protect from over spray, spray with steady strokes 18cm away from surface. In no time your fireplace will look modern.

Wood paneling is screaming Hello 1970. Pick up some wood filler fill the cracks between each panel after the wood fillers dries paint the room and we are back in 2010.

Fix all repairs one thing buyers do not want to see is work. Repairs left for the buyer to see mean low offers.

If you need help preparing your home for sale contact us for some free advice on home Staging.

Simply Stylish Staging

Elysse Bulloch

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