My Six Favorite Websites That Help You Stage Your Home

Apartment Therapy

Last week on Facebook I recommended a different website each day (Okay, I skipped a day), websites that help you stage your home on the market. But to keep things brief, I never told why I loved these sites. Here's the rest of the story.

APARTMENT THERAPY. Although it's aimed at young, metropolitan apartment dwellers, Apartment Therapy can educate you in what's new and inventive no matter where you live or how old you are. If you sense your home needs some updating, you'll see what others are doing to spruce up their digs. Some projects are whole house remodels and some are single room do-overs. The format is brisk, breezy, and easy to navigate.

WISE GEEK. Need to know how to choose the best deck cleaner, fix a clogged bathtub drain, organize a craft room, or repair a sliding glass door? Then you need Wise Geek. Search the Home and Garden section, and the Crafts and DIY section, and get your answers, without the hype. Wise Geek articles are written to provide "clear answers to common questions." This site delivers!

ZILLOW. It wasn't that long ago that only realtors knew what houses sold for. Pre-Internet, MLS listings were published (on paper!) periodically. This giant, bound book was sequestered in brokers' offices, available for viewing only after you hooked up with the realtor. Now, we have Zillow. With a few keystrokes you can discover what homes are selling and renting for in your neighborhood. View photos, and see actual selling prices, not just asking prices. Zillow will help you get real about your home's price.

Nathan Egan, via  Desire to Inspire.

DESIRE TO INSPIRE. For endless interior decor and architectural eye candy, visit Desire to Inspire. You're bound to come away with plenty of ideas, although the site is not geared to home staging per se. One unique feature is that you can submit photos of your problem room and ask for reader solutions. Be sure to mention the fact that you are staging your home, not decorating it. 

Apartment Therapy

UNCLUTTERER. Only the organizationally gifted (you know who you are) don't need a kick in the pants when it comes to turning chaos into order. And, have you noticed, the organizing aficionados love to share their best ideas? My favorite place to harvest these ideas is Unclutterer. You'll find the archives to be a treasure trove of hints. And you can sign up to get a regular infusion of info about products and methods to simplify your home, your office, your life.

BUYING AND SELLING HOMES FORUM. This site is one of my favorite places to check the pulse of the real estate industry. It's a part of iVillage's Garden Web/Home Site. Real estate pros, home sellers, home buyers, lenders, investors, newbies -- they all contribute to the lively discussions. It's easy to search for what you want to learn. If you join, you can post your own questions and answers, and reel in a slew of opinions and advice. Immensely helpful. While there, check out other Home Site forums, like Cleaning Tips, and Organizing the Home.