Basic Staging

• Begin at the curb: does your home look well cared for? This means driveway, walkway, and front steps right up to the front door.
• Walk through the interior and try to see it throught the eyes of a buyer, flaws and all.
• Make a list of necessary fixes by room and importance. Foyer, kitchen and baths first.
• Prioritize the list based on available funds. Do everything that is affordable!
• Reduce clutter by removing excess furnitureand prepacking many items. Ask to store in a friend's home if a storage unit or POD is not in the budget.
• Prepack ALL personal photos, mementos, and items of religious significance
• Hire a cleaning service for a full-on "spring" cleaning including washing windows and walls
• Eliminate any pet or smoking odors
• Remove any unhealthy plants
• Have all rooms set up to be used as their intended purpose (no offices in formal dining rooms)
• Arrange furniture to bring the eye to the opposite wall, and have walk through areas clear of furniture
• Pull furniture slightly away from the wall (approx 4 inches) and don't be afraid to angle some pieces for interest if space allows
• Don't forget the basement and garage. Use pegboard and hooks to hang lawncare and sports items. Remove cobwebs, wash windows and sweep and wash down floors

"Susan Smith of Cheap Chic is amazing! She takes a simple room full of boxes and old furniture and turns it into a designers palace. All for a surprising low price! My sellers are thrilled and their homes show great!" - Autumn Starr, Hunt Real Estate (Syracuse, NY)

A Cheap Chic Staging Tip

Among the most frequent feedback complaints Realtors hear are "too much wallpaper" and "the buyers don't want to do all that painting ".

• You can paint over wallpaper that is in good shape and has reasonably good seams
• Separating seams can be glued w a little bit of Elmer's glue
• Peel off bad sections and sand down, then prime w a high quality primer before painting
• Wallpaper borders should be removed, then sand the area before re-painting

• Eliminate dated decorative painting, wall murals, and extreme colors
• If rooms are neutral but need freshening, add a fresh coat in same color but in an eggshell finish( vs flat)
• Keep colors flowing from room to room by using shades from the same color palette
• Paint all trim and ceilings bright white in smaller homes or homes lacking natural light
• Clean stained wood trim w Orange Oil and rub briskly for shine and a clean look
• Use "neutral" colors when repainting. Don't think "white" or "off white": Today's neutrals are much softer and warmer, in the Pottery Barn style that consumers seem to crave **
• Instead think softer warmer colors such as taupes, gray-greens, light apricot, creamy caramels, or toasty oatmeal.. Just about any color or decor will look great with these tones and the home becomes instantly more inviting and cozy
• Some colors to try:  Pittsburgh Paint's Prairie Dust, Pony Tail, or Spiced Vinegar;   Benjamin Moore's Pismo Dunes or Waterbury Cream.

"Thanks again for the wonderful staging job! I'll say it again, you were worth every penny!" Victoria Augustina Cantandella (Baldwinsville NY)

Click here to start receiving our monthly email "Decorating Tips and Trends"