Tips for Storing Stuff Off-Site.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pittsburgh-pa.findstoragefast.com/files/37690/gallery/images/ImageHandler-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://pittsburgh-pa.findstoragefast.com/files/37690/gallery/images/ImageHandler-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Have you ever rented a self-storage unit? I have. A few times. When we were selling a residence. It's kind of a hassle, but it sure helps your home look more like a model home.<br /><br />And I was always glad when it was time to actually start serious packing, because the job was already underway.    <br /><br />Getting the extra furniture, overflow from your closets, out-of-season belongings, and trinkets with too much personality to an off-site storage place is way-preferable to stacking them in the garage, or clustering them in the guestroom.  As with almost everything else, it helps to have a plan. Here's mine. <br /><br /><b>LIST</b> the items you plan to store.  Figure out how you'll pack them. <br /><ul><li>Boxes of uniform size are best for for books, clothes, kitchen items, linens, toys.</li><li>Plastic storage tubs with lids can be stacked for fragile items or for long term storage of off-season things.</li><li>Awkwardly-sized items like furniture, bikes, garden tools, and sports gear won’t stack but still take room. </li></ul><b>PRIORITIZE</b> boxed items you may have to access during storage, so they can be packed close to the front of the unit. <br /><br /><b>GET</b> your boxes from the paint store. They're free and they are all the same size -- four-gallon.  <br /><br /><b>PACK  </b> things like dishes and framed photographs between layers of sheets and towels that you're packing as well.<br /><br /><b>AVOID</b> storing items in containers that don't stack, if possible. Examples would be laundry baskets of toys, shopping bags of toiletries, or bundles of blankets. Boxed items stack straight so you'll fit more things into your space.  Nest together odd-shaped things when packing the unit.  <br /><br /><b>MARK</b> all boxes clearly to indicate contents. Be specific. Write "Stuffed armadillo, ping pong paddles, high school yearbook, beer mugs, tennis trophies," not "family room stuff." If strangers will be doing the moving for you, do not label boxes with valuables. Too tempting. They may disappear. Instead, number them and keep a master list for contents. Write on the sides, not the tops of boxes. Mark what is fragile because they should be stacked up high when stored and also when packed for moving.<b> </b><br /><br /><b>ESTIMATE</b> the size of the unit you'll need. Here are rough guidelines.  <br /><ul><li>  5' x 5'  unit holds a chest of drawers, a mattress set, and stacks of plastic tubs or boxes.  </li><li>  5' x 10' unit will hold furnishings of a mid-size bedroom, including a queen-size bed, dresser, TV, and a few storage boxes. If you have no furniture, calculate that it will accommodate 100 medium boxes. </li><li> 10' x 10' unit will hold the equivalent of the contents of an entire family room or two full bedrooms. </li><li> 10' x 15' unit will hold the contents of up to three bedrooms. Good for large items such as couches, tables and chairs. </li><li> 10' x 20' will hold the contents of a 5-bedroom house, including a refrigerator, washer/dryer, dining room table, chairs and large boxes. Since you're probably not storing appliances, you'll have that much more room for boxes and furniture. </li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.infiniteselfstorage.com/images/gallery/store_photos/1613/slideshow/large-self-storage-units-ohio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://www.infiniteselfstorage.com/images/gallery/store_photos/1613/slideshow/large-self-storage-units-ohio.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b> </b><br /><b>PROTECT</b> your belongings. Don't take a chance on storing clothing, electronics, upholstered items, art work, musical instruments, or family heirlooms in a unit that is not climate controlled.<br /><br /><b>CHOOSE</b> a site that is convenient if you might be digging into your stored goods now and then. If you don't expect to need the stored  items, you can probably save money by being able to choose from facilities less conveniently located.<br /><br /><b>ASK</b> management if your unit will be available 24 hours a day. Is it clean and brightly lighted? Do you feel secure when coming and going? Is it easy to load and unload from your car?  <br /><br /><b>STACK</b> strong items on the bottom -- things like tables, plastic totes and chairs. Stack to the ceiling if possible to use all the space you're paying for. Leave a narrow pathway so you can easily find items later.<b> </b><br /><br /><b>CONSIDER</b> off-site storage for things like an RV, a boat, or vehicle not being used. It will improve your curb appeal. <br /><br />Every time I've used a self-storage site, I was able to stage my home more effectively, and make our moving day go more smoothly. I hope these tips do the same for you.

Tips for Storing Stuff Off-Site.

Have you ever rented a self-storage unit? I have. A few times. When we were selling a residence. It's kind of a hassle, but it sure help...

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I Hope Santa Likes Biscotti

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/IMG_5063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/IMG_5063.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Here's sending out my best holiday greetings to family, friends and blog followers. Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoy your holiday season, and have all your wishes come true in 2011!  </i></div>

I Hope Santa Likes Biscotti

Here's sending out my best holiday greetings to family, friends and blog followers. Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoy your holiday s...

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Staging Your Home Cheap-Chic Style

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_4609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_4609.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br />If there are garage sales and thrift stores where you live, you can stage your home on the cheap. And be chic about it, too.<br /><br />To put my own opinions to the test, I challenged myself to see how many times I could stage one table in my own home, using second hand items I'd purchased over the years, along with some things from dollar stores.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Keep in mind </b></span>that I do not do professional staging for a living, so I do not have a warehouse or storage unit full of props to use. I am not a hoarder, but I don't throw many things away. I don't buy many things either. At least not at full retail prices.<br /><br />This habit means two of us are able to live in a 1700 square foot home, using all the rooms, and nothing looks cluttered. Even the garage. Honest.<br /><br />Don't ask about the closets.<br /><br />Here are the results of my challenge. <br /><br />I used a table I bought fifteen years ago for $10 at the Tobacco Barn in Asheville, North Carolina. I painted it white and lightly distressed it. Other than the table, every setup here is completely different.    <br /><br /><span id="goog_292672613"></span><span id="goog_292672614"></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/IMG_5012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/IMG_5012.jpg" width="356" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. COASTAL DECOR. </span></b>The thrifted $2 frame holds a print that was gifted to me years ago from my Connecticut sister-in-law. The two glass hurricanes I bought recently for 99 cents each, and here they hold some dollar store polished rocks and dollar store greenery. All three plates are thrifted at 99 cents each. All the shells are either collected on the beach or thrifted. I added some dollar store votives to the clear 49-cent dishes on the bottom shelf. Total cost: about $25.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_5019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_5019.jpg" width="358" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. ECLECTIC GROUPING.</b></span> There's no theme here, just a collection of pretty things. Anchoring the setting is a $15 framed Asian print I was ecstatic to find at Goodwill this year. Ordinarily, I would hang it higher, but I hesitated adding another hole to my wall. Most second hand stores sell hardcover books for $1, even when they are coffee-table size, like these. The plaster obelisk still has its $3.99 price marked on its underside. The orchid was $2.00 at a garage sale, complete with flower pot. Milk glass is plentiful at second hand stores, and the little compote become mine for $1. I've used it to hold a garage sale $1 candle. I love the shiny metal box with a metal bow, especially since it cost $1, same as all the ornaments in the large plastic dollar store bowl. The basket and the tray were each about $3, Salvation Army finds. Total cost: $34.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_5040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_5040.jpg" width="358" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. CONTEMPORARY LOOK.</span></b> The dollar store frame holds a thrifted black and white print. The lamp is a $2 garage sale purchase. The second hand shade cost me $1.50.  A dollar store charger holds Goodwill wine glasses at 59 cents a glass, and a Salvation Army vase holds dollar store lemons.  The flowers are from the dollar store and the "silver" vase is from Goodwill. An aluminum $3 thrift store platter holds goblets from the same place, plus a gifted bottle of wine. ( I'd fill the bottle with water for staging.) The $4 ice bucket is thrifted, too. Estimated total: $20.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/global6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/global6.jpg" width="358" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. TROPICAL COLOR. </b></span>In this example, I gathered props that reflected the global look I wrote about <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2010/11/ten-ways-to-rock-global-look.html">here</a>. Would you believe that the wall art is actually a wrap-around, cotton, batik print skirt, spray-starched and taped to a thrift store, unframed, painted canvas?  The painting was $4, and I am not going to count the cost of the skirt, because I've owned it for decades, and it was not "harmed during this filming." The Japanese-style, rice bowls were each 99 cents at Habitat for Humanity, and they hold four, $1 candles, stacked to look like two pillars. Love their color because it matches this (inconspicuously chipped) 50-cent garage sale vase I have filled with dollar store orchids. I can never resist wicker baskets like this square, $3 one. The wooden box is a garage sale $2 find. The round basket was $3, and the flowers and plant came from the dollar store totaling a hefty $4.  My cost: $21.50<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_5048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_5048.jpg" width="358" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">5. FLORAL INSPIRATION. </span></b> The artwork cost me just $4.99 at Goodwill because the colors in the print were faded. I performed surgery on the print, refreshing the colors with inexpensive watercolors and marking pens, then putting it back under glass. Linens like this $1 pink table runner are common and cheap at second hand stores. The wooden candle holders cost me $2 for the pair at a church thrift store. The peonies are a dollar store purchase, and I put them in a $2 clay pot I painted white, on a $1 pink and white plate. The hotel plate serving platter set me back about $5, and the shells together were about $10.  Total: $26.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I hope</b></span> my challenge and the results give you ideas for staging your own home. Don't turn up your nose at thrift stores. They are treasure houses for the DIY home stager, letting you easily decorate cheap-chic style.  Experiment with whatever objects you've found in your own closets and at garage sales and thrift stores to stage your home beautifully and economically.   <br /><br /><br />Download my<a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank"> eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar,</i> and you'll learn other ways to save money when you stage your home.<br /><br />

Staging Your Home Cheap-Chic Style

If there are garage sales and thrift stores where you live, you can stage your home on the cheap. And be chic about it, too. To put my own o...

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Furniture that Makes Rooms Look Larger

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vquUItR9CFc/TJYxtwhp_7I/AAAAAAAABBw/4BMneB-h4pY/s400/bdrm-calm-des-MablyHandler-600x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vquUItR9CFc/TJYxtwhp_7I/AAAAAAAABBw/4BMneB-h4pY/s640/bdrm-calm-des-MablyHandler-600x600.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>An even palette, unfussy details, see-through lamps, and leggy furniture </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>keep this bedroom from looking small. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo: Encore Home Staging, Jacksonville, Florida. </i></div><br />Home buyers want space for their money. Sure, they look at the numbers -- square footage, number of rooms, dimensions of rooms -- but they are also influenced by how large the rooms feel.<br /><br />How do <i>your</i> rooms feel? Big or small? Here are four kinds of furniture that make spaces seem bigger.    <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Curved pieces </b></span>visually expand a room because they force the eye to keep moving. When you are deciding what furniture to store and what to keep for staging, send the square stuff to the storage unit.  <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img4.coastalliving.com/i/2003/05/sea-shades-living-room-l.jpg?400:400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://img4.coastalliving.com/i/2003/05/sea-shades-living-room-l.jpg?400:400" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I'm seeing lots of curved lines in this living room. All three tables exhibit curves and swirls, and the furniture has softened lines. Even the fan, the flowers and the lamp have round shapes. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo: Coastal Living </i></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Leggy pieces</b> </span>of  furniture keep the room feeling light and airy. They show more floor and that always makes the space seem larger. If you have furniture with covered legs, can you show them off? Lose the tablecloth. Shorten a slipcover. Remove the bed skirt. What a difference!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2009/08/18/b6edc0905be9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2009/08/18/b6edc0905be9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>In this tight bedroom, a spider leg table in the corner lets more floor show and works so much better than a solid nightstand. Photo: Decorpad </i></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Monotone colors</b></span> make for a seamless look. When a room is furnished with some painted pieces, color coordinate them so no one piece stands out. They needn't be all the same color, but making them all the same value (on the scale from light to dark) will enlarge the room. If you have mismatched upholstered pieces, dressing them in matching slipcovers will have the same effect.  <br />  <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thelennoxx.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/ih0511-56.jpg?w=497&h=497" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://thelennoxx.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/ih0511-56.jpg?w=497&h=497" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Pale colors in this bedroom revolve around yellow and cream with hints of green. There's also an emphasis on horizontal lines, serving to expand space.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thelennoxx.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/ih0511-58.jpg?w=497&h=497" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://thelennoxx.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/ih0511-58.jpg?w=497&h=497" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The same room, done in more contrasting values of light and dark browns feels smaller. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Both photos: the lennoxx</i></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Low profile</span></b> furniture lets a buyer take in more of the room at a glance. Don't make buyers' eyes take a roller coaster ride around the room. Not only does low profile furniture make a room look bigger, it makes it feel less formal and more comfortable.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2010/05/05/993d5777cd3a.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2010/05/05/993d5777cd3a.png" width="425" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A low profile buffet seems to increase space in this foyer. The wainscoting, and the choice of lamp style and bowl style accentuate the low lines. And the mirror opens up the space even more. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo: Eric Roth Photography via House of Turquoise. </i></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Transparent, translucent, and reflective </b></span>furniture makes a room feel bigger than it is. There's no surprise here, because you can see right through the glass and Lucite, and reflective surfaces like mirrors and polished metals bounce light around a room to confuse the eye about where a room's perimeters really are.   <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2010/01/05/acaa27d28926.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2010/01/05/acaa27d28926.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>These classic Lucite chairs almost disappear, making for an more accommodating dining room.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo: Decorpad  </i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.onsugar.com/files/2010/02/08/1/192/1922794/33560b47fa09aa63_mirroredchest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media.onsugar.com/files/2010/02/08/1/192/1922794/33560b47fa09aa63_mirroredchest.png" width="507" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mirrored furniture is the most glamorous space expander available. A fancy chest like this one will set you back $719, but Target sells <a href="http://www.target.com/Mirrored-Side-Table/dp/B00298XI8C/">mirrored side tables for $90</a>  Photo: CasaSugar.com</i></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I offer</b></span> lots more tips on how to select and arrange furniture in my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook</a><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/null">,</a> <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar.</i>  Think big, and create rooms that make buyers think your home is big.

Furniture that Makes Rooms Look Larger

An even palette, unfussy details, see-through lamps, and leggy furniture  keep this bedroom from looking small.  Photo: Encore Home Staging,...

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Crafts, Felt Flowers and Fooling Around

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/pinkredpurpleones-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/pinkredpurpleones-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />I wanted to make some handmade Christmas gifts for female family and friends this year. When I saw<a href="http://jonesdesigncompany.com/tutorial/flower-pin-tutorial/"> this tutorial </a> by Emily at Jones Design Company, I knew I'd found my gift idea. The tutorial was linked by Kristi at <a href="http://pinkandpolkadot.blogspot.com/2010/12/flower-pin-tutorials.html?utm_source=BP_recent">Pink and Polka Dot</a>.<br /><br />But, problem is, I'm not all that crafty. I don't like doing the same thing over and over. I loved the look of these felt flower pins, though, so I pushed myself to do repetitive tasks.<br /><br />Guess what. I got better with each flower. Duh.<br /><br />Those of you with Etsy shops know this already.  By the time I had made twenty pins, I had put my own spin on the original tutorial, time flew by, and they started looking so good I hated to say goodbye to them.<br /><br />Oh, I kept a few good ones for my own coats.<br /><br />The lesson here for home stagers is that, even if you think home staging DIY projects like making a no-sew pillow, or painting a hutch, or rearranging furniture is not something you do well, just fooling around with it will get you good enough!<br /><br />So, dig in. Don't think that you have to be experienced, talented, crafty, or artistic to stage your own home.  Take it step by step, fooling around as you go until it looks right to you.  When I globbed too much glue into the center of the flower, I threw some red seed beads into it, disguising my oops. When four petals didn't seem full enough, I started adding another, and then filling in with even more, smaller petals. <br /><br />Who knew following directions meant you didn't have to follow directions. <br /><br />My <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebook_02.html">eBook</a>, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar, gives you simple ideas for dressing up your home, from lamps and pillows, to flowers and paint colors, from light fixtures to faucet handles, and door knobs to bookcases. Try it. You'll like it!

Crafts, Felt Flowers and Fooling Around

I wanted to make some handmade Christmas gifts for female family and friends this year. When I saw this tutorial  by Emily at Jones Design...

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We Have A Shabby Chic Winner!

Angela at <a href="http://cottagemagpie.com/">Cottage Magpie</a> won the Shabby Chic Christmas Ornaments Giveaway.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cottagemagpie.com/img/l/lets-start-over-shall-we.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="433" src="http://cottagemagpie.com/img/l/lets-start-over-shall-we.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Be sure to visit Angela's blog, where she's currently deliberating-- with the whole blogosphere watching -- how to rearrange her living room furniture. Who among us hasn't hasn't shoved couches and end tables around, scratched her head, and tweaked some more?  And some more. Go look at Angela's photos and check out her progress. She's a Shabby Chic girl at heart., and she has style!  <br /><br />Photo: Cottagemagpie.com

We Have A Shabby Chic Winner!

Angela at Cottage Magpie won the Shabby Chic Christmas Ornaments Giveaway. Be sure to visit Angela's blog, where she's currently de...

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Painting for Staging? Here's Touch-up Tips

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bittenandbound.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/tom-cruise-and-renee-zellweger-in-jerry-maguire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://www.bittenandbound.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/tom-cruise-and-renee-zellweger-in-jerry-maguire.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>What do Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger have to do with selling your home? Remember the scene -- video clip below -- where Tom comes back to his wife and declares his love for her? The way Renee responds is the way you want house hunters to respond to your house. <br /><br />I did some interior painting this week for a woman who wants her house on the market as quickly as possible. She wanted to spend her money and time where they would do the most good.<br /><br />I think my client's situation is a common one, and I think the approach she and I decided on is a good one. I'm calling it the "You Had Me At Hello" approach. That's what Renee told Tom. <br /><br />The idea is to make the first few rooms the prospective buyer sees so enticing that he falls head over heels. For my client, I worked on making the living room, dining room and kitchen --  the rooms that a realtor would naturally be showing first --  as attractive and fresh-looking as possible.<br /><br />I painted the walls in these three rooms. The rest of the house was clean, decluttered and attractively staged.  The budget and time for painting bedrooms, bathrooms, and halls just wasn't there. The realtor agreed that the decision made sense.<br /><br />The bathroom walls in this house, as in most houses, had been painted semi gloss, so they were easily washable. Hallway walls cleaned up with a Magic Eraser.<br /><br />Why didn't I just touch up walls that had smudges? Well, we tried that, and the paint Ms. Homeowner had stored didn't work for touch ups. I tested it in an out-of-the-way corner (behind a door that opens in), and I could tell when it dried that touch ups would give walls a case of the measles. The paint was left over from a three-year old total repaint, but wall paint color can change even over that short a time.<br /><br />So what if the walls in the kids bedrooms have some smudges and pencil marks, and the master bedroom walls have a few nail holes? Big deal. <br /><br />By the time the realtor winds the tour through the bedrooms, house hunters will have already decided if this is their true love, based on the space, floor plan and other features.<br /><br />My <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebook_02.html">eBook</a>, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar, gives other ways to stretch your painting budget.  <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L-yOdPjvwtY?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div>

Painting for Staging? Here's Touch-up Tips

What do Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger have to do with selling your home? Remember the scene -- video clip below -- where Tom comes back to ...

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Shabby Chic Christmas Ornaments Giveaway

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/boxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="408" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/boxes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I am giving away four boxes of Christmas ornaments perfect for decorating in shabby chic style. You can win these just by commenting on this post before the end of the day next Monday, December 13. I will mail them directly and immediately to you. Yes, you! So comment now, telling me how you would use these vintage decorations.<br /><br />I was helping a friend get her home ready for market this week. We decided against a large Christmas tree.  Rather than sell these on ebay, she gave them to me to give to you. As I <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-home-stagers-can-learn-from-shabby.html">mentioned once before</a>, Mr. Lucky would not be happy surrounded by shabby chic, so my loss is your gain.<br /><br />There are four boxes. Two boxes each have a dozen 1 3/4-inch globes. Two boxes have six hand made, teardrop ornaments, each about 5 inches long. Each glass (no plastic here) ornament is unique, and you can see that they are hand made. The round ones are American made Shiny Brite, and the teardrops are "Made by the finest craftsmen of Europe," it says here on the boxes. All the original hanging loops are there, except for two tear drop loops.<br />   <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/globes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/globes.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><br />I hope you can see from the photographs that the colors are beautiful --  mostly pinks, golds, and reds, but also a few blues and greens.<br /><br />Would you hang these on a tree? Nestle them in a wreath? Pile them in a bowl? Lay them on the mantel? Cluster them in a centerpiece? You can even sell them on ebay. A random number generator will determine the winner.<br /><br />If you have a blog and you mention this giveaway on your blog, I will enter your comment twice to double your chance of winning. You will will need to email me,  PinkOveralls(at)DIYHomeStagingTips.com, to let me know that you have told your readers about the giveaway, giving me a link to your mention.<br /><br />I hope everyone who loves holiday decorating (and who doesn't?) will comment and tell all your shabby chic friends about my giveaway. I want these babies to have a happy home for the holidays. They would make a welcome gift to the friend who loves the soft colors and old world charm of old style decorations. Giveaway open to continental U.S. residents only, please.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/teardrops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/teardrops.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Good luck to all of you. If you stage or decorate vintage style, you'll be happy to have these shabby chic Christmas ornaments in your collection.

Shabby Chic Christmas Ornaments Giveaway

I am giving away four boxes of Christmas ornaments perfect for decorating in shabby chic style. You can win these just by commenting on this...

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Thrifty Holiday Decorating

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzSwIpm-SZY_yvAuFaUAnBeD9mLJUpaDE1AKww3g0YiuPVAJs1TPbh1UFzkP6cgRK6b6yoAJV-QuzsvC53Vi9xUw9ntlW4vDhLnCkBaZOFHanqNi6kHhp5fWfY4-8qZxUdxYOvuX3pTw/s633/PC010004-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzSwIpm-SZY_yvAuFaUAnBeD9mLJUpaDE1AKww3g0YiuPVAJs1TPbh1UFzkP6cgRK6b6yoAJV-QuzsvC53Vi9xUw9ntlW4vDhLnCkBaZOFHanqNi6kHhp5fWfY4-8qZxUdxYOvuX3pTw/s640/PC010004-2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>As the song goes,</b></span> there's no place like home for the holidays. You're selling your home, so why not capitalize on the nostalgia of the season by making it as warm and inviting as possible to visiting house hunters? <br /><br />Tricia over at <a href="http://arosynote.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-dining-room.html">A Rosy Note</a> knows how to use soft colors and beautiful textures to make a house a home. Her dining room above is decorated for the holidays with pink, red, silver, and greenery. At holiday time, adding greens like this rosemary plant and poinsettias are a natural. Imitate this look and you have all that's called for in a staged, seasonally appropriate room.<br />  <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>When your home</b></span> is on the market may not be best time to splurge on over-the-top holiday decor. As I described <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-stage-home-for-holidays.html">here</a>, going all out with lights, ornaments, garlands, collections, wreaths and bows has a few disadvantages.<br /><br />One difficulty is that seasonal decorations could take money from your staging budget, a budget that will buy you props that will look good now and still look good in January. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Another problem </b></span>with going overboard with holiday decor is it can distract from the natural good looks of your home. Some buyers may even think the theatrics are hiding problems.<br /><br />And then there's the time factor. Between the usual celebrations and keeping a home show-ready, you have enough to do.  <br /><ul></ul><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The solution </b></span>is to place some big and inexpensive seasonal decorations in the right places. You want examples? Here ya go!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.styleathome.com/img/photos/biz/Style%20at%20Home/red-green-flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.styleathome.com/img/photos/biz/Style%20at%20Home/red-green-flowers.jpg" width="584" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo: StyleatHome.com </i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>This simple grouping of thrift store glassware could go anywhere -- a mantel, a dresser, a kitchen counter, or top of a bookcase. Forget the fresh flowers and fill them with silk or paper flowers. You say your silk chrysanthemums are yellow and your silk carnations are pink? Spray paint them red, white, or pale green.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/5-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/5-1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>An outside entranceway</b></span>, whether a front door, back door, or even a side door, begs for a seasonal touch. The budget-happy approach is to use what you have and use what nature provides. Yes, I had to purchase a couple of $5 kale plants, and some pansies (both purchased on that Saturday that American Express gave you $25 for spending $25 at any locally owned business, so free!).  I sprayed bare branches with silver paint, collected pinecones, and put them in ceramic crocks I own. The bow is made from a $2 vinyl tablecloth.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/BOUNTY-1-de.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/BOUNTY-1-de.jpg" width="497" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo: Country Living Magazine</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Even those of us </b></span>who love to decorate don't enjoy the part about taking it all down. One easy decor item to put up <i>and</i> take down is a wreath. Wreaths are usually large, one-piece affairs, unlike intricately decorated Christmas trees, or collections of teddy bears and Santas. You can hang or prop a wreath in all kinds of places, and you're home free. I like the red wreath above hung on the front of a cabinet.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/credenza-wreath-de.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/credenza-wreath-de.jpg" width="497" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo: Country Living Magazine</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Here is another </b></span>wreath hung on a credenza. Hanging it from the top of the cabinet is a nifty solution to the how-do-I-attach-it problem. For an idea-prompting gallery of wreaths, visit <a href="http://www.thenester.com/">The Nester's </a>expertly chosen assortment <a href="http://www.thenester.com/2010/12/bird-watching-wreaths.html">here</a>. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/Mp/CLX1207Kendall602-de.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/Mp/CLX1207Kendall602-de.jpg" width="497" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo: Country Living Magazine</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>When in doubt,</b></span> go with something bright. Now's your chance to bring out serving pieces that live most of the year in the back of a cabinet or closet. Even if you have already decluttered, shop your home for silver, brass, and glass. Then add some shiny strings of beads and some silver or gold ornaments, but nothing so precious it might grow legs at an open house or home tour.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Kitchens</b></span> are so important to buyers that the more homey and at the same time luxurious you can make yours, the better. I love a simple but glitzy circle of faux gold berries or plastic ornments, which would be fast and frugal to imitate using craft store and dollar store finds.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />Readers of my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebook_02.html">eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar</i> know that I'm big on greenery as a prop for staging. In fact, I like to see some kind of living or pretend greenery in each room. The book includes a list of what every room needs to appeal to buyers. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Happy holidays!</b></span> I hope the holidays you celebrate next year are in your new home, decorated exactly to your heart's content, as elaborate or as simple as you want it to be.

Thrifty Holiday Decorating

As the song goes, there's no place like home for the holidays. You're selling your home, so why not capitalize on the nostalgia of ...

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DIY No-Sew Cafe Curtains

<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/finibestclosed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/finibestclosed.jpg" width="355" /></a></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Every home stager wants to get as much natural light into rooms as she can.<br /><br />That means no heavy draperies or sun-blocking shades. There are plenty of possibilities – from lightweight curtains and sheer drapes to pull-backs and Roman shades.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>But what’s a stager to do </b></span>when there’s a view from the window that doesn’t exactly help sell the property? Neighbors with ugly yards, a factory, the back of an apartment building, a busy road, or a construction site are all common problems. <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">No one can make these things disappear, but a clever stager can minimize the impact by helping buyers forget the problem. Enter curtains that let in light but hide the view. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Here is my spin </b></span>on café curtains that are DIY-friendly, even to someone with no sewing skills. The lower portion can be kept closed to conceal some outdoor unsightliness, and the top can be kept open, hopefully revealing blue skies, mature trees, or a distant view.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">What I like about these cafe curtains is that they are reminiscent of a natural sisal rug bound in black, or a traditional woven reed tatami mat used for flooring in Japan. The way I see it, anything classic in a staged home is a bonus. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The mats I chose to work with can be purchased dirt cheap in summer by the beach. Amazon <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dependable-Straw-Beach-Mat/dp/B0013QT0YW/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1291578395&sr=8-11">sells them </a>all year long for about $6 each. They are called beach mats, picnic mats or yoga mats, and they measure about 3 feet by 6 feet.  </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What You Need</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">2 straw beach mats </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Yardstick</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Pencil</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Scissors</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Grosgrain ribbon to edge the mats, 7/8 inch wide, about 6 yards for each mat used</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Grosgrain ribbon to make loops, 3/8 inch wide, about 2 yards for each mat used</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Hot glue gun and glue sticks</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Dressmakers straight pins or masking tape</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Dressmakers marking pencil or chalk</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Having a table large enough to accommodate the length of the curtain helps. It doesn’t need to be big enough to lay out the whole mat, because the mat folds over easily. Protect your work surface from hot glue drips if necessary. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Install hardware.</b></span> If you do not have curtain rods installed, do that first. I used spring tension rods that sit inside the window frame. I chose black because I liked the way it looked with the black ribbon loops. The curtain rods, top and bottom should match. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Measure for the curtain.</b> </span>Measure the distance from the top of the curtain rod to where you want the curtain to end. The lower curtain should end at the window sill. The upper curtain should end just below the lower curtain rod. That figure minus one inch is your curtain length. If your window has an upper and lower sash, both curtains will probably be the same length because the rod will fall in the middle.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cut the mat.</span> </b>First you'll divide the mat in two. Heat up your glue gun because you’ll need it as soon as you cut the mat in half. If there are cloth ties on the end to tie the mat as a roll, cut them off. Fold the mat in half crosswise. With scissors, cut on the fold. The mat will want to unravel, so run a bead of glue down the edge to seal the stitches that have come loose. Don't worry if you lose a long reed or two. You may have to scrunch some of the reeds back in place and stick them down with glue. The ribbon will cover your glue repair.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/1-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Glue the edge to prevent unraveling.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">If your upper and lower curtains are different lengths, decide if you are making the upper or lower first. With a pencil, measure and then mark the length on one of your grass mat panels. Draw a line across the width of the panel to the correct length, and with scissors cut on this line. Going in this direction, across the reeds, the mat does not unravel. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Measure the right curtain length and draw a line.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Cut on the line to shorten the curtain.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Attach ribbon.</b></span> Lay the mat right side up (both sides are probably the same, but one side may look better) on your work table. Lay a length of 7/8-inch ribbon along the edge that will be the length of the curtain. Cut the ribbon the length of the curtain, plus an inch on each end. You might as well cut the ribbon for the other edge at the same time. My curtain panels were 25 ½ inches long. So I cut two lengths of ribbon 27 1/2 inches long. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Cut ribbon longer than the curtain.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Glue ribbon onto edges.</span> </b>Secure one end of ribbon by placing a dab of glue in the outermost corner of mat. Both sides of grosgrain ribbon are the same, so there's no right or wrong side. Align your ribbon by placing the center of it directly over the glue dab, so that the ribbon is centered over the edge of the mat, allowing the extra inch to overhang the end. Press on top of the ribbon so it sticks well to the glue. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Add a dab of glue to the corner of the mat.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Press end of ribbon into glue, leaving 1 inch overhang</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Add an 8- to 10-inch line of glue along the edge of the mat. Pull the ribbon straight, lay it down on the hot glue, and press it flat with your fingers. You can feel where the edge of the mat is, so you can line up the middle of the ribbon with the edge of the mat as you go. The ribbon should look like a perfectly a straight line. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Lay a line of glue 8 to 10 inches long.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Lay ribbon in glue, feeling the edge of the mat underneath it.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Pull back the ribbon after each 8- to 10-inch run, so that you begin the next line of glue where the last line of glue stopped. This will prevent any gaps where the ribbon is not affixed. You should have a 1-inch overhang of ribbon at the end. Trim the ribbon to a ½- inch overhang. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Glue ends of ribbon to back of curtain.</b> </span>Let glue cool for a minute. Turn mat over. Lay a thin line of glue along the cut end of the ribbon. Quickly wrap the ribbon around the edge of the mat and press it down onto the back of the mat. It’s neater if you put the glue on the ribbon because you know it will be hidden behind ribbon.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Lay a thin line of glue along the cut end of ribbon.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Press the glued ribbon down on the back of the mat.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Repeat on other edges of curtain.</b></span> Glue the ribbon along the edge of the opposite end, first making sure you have right side up. Measure and cut ribbon for top and bottom edges as before, adding two extra inches. Glue ribbon to top and bottom edges. Wrap the ends around to the back of the mat just as you did to the first two edges. You should have all 4 edges trimmed in ribbon. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Turn mat over and glue end of ribbon to corner of mat.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/14.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Glue ribbon to top and bottom edges. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/15.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This what the back of the curtain looks like at one corner.  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b></b><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cut the ribbon loops.</b> </span>Calculate how long the loops should be by wrapping a piece of ribbon around your curtain or drapery rod. Add an extra inch. I wanted a 1 ½ inch long loop to show, so I needed 3 inches for each loop, plus another inch for gluing and slack. I cut my ribbon into 4-inch lengths. Cut your ribbon into the lengths you need, for example, longer than 4 inches for a fatter curtain rod. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/measuretab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/measuretab.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Calculate how long to make loops by wrapping ribbon around the rod. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">To figure how many loops you need, fold mat in half, right sides together. Using a dressmakers straight pin or a piece of tape, mark where the fold is on the back side of the mat. Open the mat, and working on the back side, mark where ribbon loops will go.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My curtain width was 34 inches. I placed a pin on the fold, in the center, 17 inches in from each edge. Using a yardstick I measured and marked with pins points at 8 ½ inches in, and then at every 4 ¼ inches. In other words, divide, then divide in half again to determine points that are equally spaced. Or eye ball the placement, and mark with pins, figuring one loop at each end, one in the middle and the rest spaced equidistant. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Use pins or tape to mark where the loops will go.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Attach ribbon loops</b>.</span> Dab two small dots of glue on one end of each cut ribbon, then fold and press to make a loop. So that all the tabs will be the same length once they are glued on, mark with a dressmakers pencil a line 1/2 inch in from the cut end of each ribbon.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/18-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/18-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Mark 1/2 inch in from cut end of the ribbon loops.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>With your little mark facing up, align each ribbon loop with a pin or piece of tape, whichever you used to mark where loops should go.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/21.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Align each loop with a pin, and with the edge of the mat.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Be sure your mat is wrong side up. Align the little mark on the ribbon with the edge of the straw mat, and with the pin or tape you used to mark where loops should go. Place a dab on glue on the curtain, and press ribbon loop onto glue. Glue down all the loops, keeping them perfectly aligned, equally spaced, and at right angles to the top edge of the curtain. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hang your curtains.</b></span> When the glue has cooled thoroughly, remove one end cap or filial from each of the curtain rods. Thread the loops through the rods, and and replace the end caps. Hang the upper and lower rods, each with two curtain panels.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/closeup1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/closeup1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The grass mat filters the sunlight and adds texture to a room. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Space the loops along the rod, and adjust the folds of the curtains so they hang evenly. It's true that some of the original cotton fabric trim will show on the reverse side. Unless you hang your curtain in a window that faces a porch where people sit close to the house, no one will notice. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />My cafe curtains for a 31- by 54-inch window cost me about $21.00 including the two tension rods at $2.60 apiece, and two mats at $2.50 each. If I had to buy mats from Amazon, my cost would have increased by only $7.        </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/tag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/tag.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Typical price for a beachmat, in season.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I paid $10.05 for all my ribbon, but you could pay less if you <a href="http://www.ribbonfactory.com/html/solid.html">shop online</a>. Purchased online, you can buy 20 yards of 3/8 inch solid color ribbon for only $2.65, or the same amount of 7/8 inch  ribbon for $3.90. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/finisclosed2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/finisclosed2.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>My straw mat curtain lets in light but gives me privacy. I love it. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>My <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebook_02.html">eBook </a><i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar</i>, gives you loads of thrifty decorating ideas for making your home attractive to buyers, including how to arrange furniture you already own, how to choose paint colors that work for you, what to buy second hand, and how to use mismatched or out-of-date furniture. </div>

DIY No-Sew Cafe Curtains

Every home stager wants to get as much natural light into rooms as she can. That means no heavy draperies or sun-blocking shades. There are ...

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