Staging

Having your house staged is fun! I keep telling our realtor that after we move to a new house, she'll have to come back and decorate it for me. I've been truly amazed at what she's been able to do with our not-necessarily pretty furnishings. I've also appreciated her efforts toward staging that have included buy items for our house that we didn't already have. And of course, there's the work she asked us to do to make things look better. Like painting all the baseboards. And washing the windows.

And painting the old, ugly yellow window trim on the front side door.



I had no idea you could paint that! I thought we would have to buy a whole new door. But it sure did make a big difference. We bought the flowers there to the right, but she brought that stand. Isn't it cute? Why didn't I ever think of that? And that chair on the left is from her own back deck! Seriously! And she bought those cushions to match the flowers. Makes you want to actually sit on our little porch out there and enjoy the evening.



While I was walking around the house snapping pictures of a few of the changes, Carrie was having a snack. Daniel came to find me in the living room and said, "Hey Mom, I broke Carrie's goldfish into smaller pieces for her. They were too big and she might choke." Already certain I knew what he'd done, I went to take a look.


Yep. Mostly crumbs. Thanks a lot big brother.


Here's the newly redone dining room. It looks and feels so much bigger than ever before.



This picture above the piano has always hung in the dining room. I never knew it could look so nice in here. This was an empty space because I had removed a frame of family pictures.


On the other side of the living room is our fireplace. I've always liked this mirror and the board that sits underneath it. On either side, I had picture frames of family and friends. Our realtor bought these candles and holders to display.



Upstairs didn't need quite as much decorating attention. In our room, we just adjusted the location of our dresser a few feet and moved the tv out of the direct line of sight when you enter. In Carrie's room, she moved this picture off the nail and set it on the shelf above the changing table. Then she found a bear among the baby items to display along side it. So cute!!


This last change was probably the most dramatic and effective. Brenna and Daniel are still sharing a room, but once we move they won't. Because of that, I never bothered to put any kind of theme or decoration to their room. Brenna has a girly comforter and Daniel has a Cars comforter. Christy (realtor) bought white blankets for their beds. By throwing those blankets over top their old ones, the room is instantly tied altogether. Before we show the house, we come straighten the blankets, tuck them in, remove Brenna's, blue pillow and Daniel's animals. It's amazing what two white blankets do to the room.


Having done everything she asked, signed all the paperwork, and taken a deep breath, we're ready. Hopefully somewhere there's another couple (or individual) who has also just taken a deep breath, sorted through their finances, and decided to buy a house... a house that looks a bit like ours.