Stage Your Home with Books. Here's How.

<div style="text-align: right;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2010/11/18/67b6dbf4ae56.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2010/11/18/67b6dbf4ae56.png" width="396" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Some books, some art. That's one way. Ashley Goforth.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>In my<a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html#.UzRkSqI3Ndg" target="_blank"> eBook</a>, I give a step-by-step formula for staging bookcase and bookshelves. It's something most people staging their own homes struggle with.<br /><br />How many books? Just books? What kind of books? Will it look crowded? Skimpy? Will house hunters read the titles?     <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Books are indicators </b></span>of The Good Life. They represent education, money, intelligence, good company, entertainment, success, and taste<br /><br />When someone makes an offer on your home, he wants to step into your shoes. You've sold him on your lifestyle.<br /><br />Buyers know in their heads they're not buying your possessions, but in their hearts they hope your success, good taste and other enviable qualities will transfer with the deed.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I know it's crazy</b></span>. But that doesn't make it less true.<br /><br />Therefore, having some well-chosen and arranged books in every room is not a stretch.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2009/12/29/48efa613b652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2009/12/29/48efa613b652.jpg" width="536" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A home office is a natural place for showcasing books. The cubby design of these shelves is a style that anyone could imitate on a shoestring in a vacant or spare room or bonus room </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>to create the illusion of an accommodating workspace. BHG.  </i><br /><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2009/07/20/d3b520974395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2009/07/20/d3b520974395.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Although built-in bookcases add value to a home, free-standing units can imitate their appeal. And you can take them with you to your next home. Notice how sparsely staged these shelves are. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Notice also that they don't steal the show from the fireplace, the focal point. Style at Home. </i><br /><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2009/09/01/93a8bb489ab2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2009/09/01/93a8bb489ab2.jpg" width="545" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">One way to arrange books is by color. I like that this collection of cookbooks is actually part of </div><div style="text-align: center;">the kitchen staging, and that it looks more like a serious and useful library </div><div style="text-align: center;">than just a few shelves gussied up with cute stuff. DecorPad.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2011/06/01/b3efdef511ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2011/06/01/b3efdef511ed.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Sometimes it makes more sense to stage bookshelves as something other than shelves for books. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This arrangement of plants and barware on Ikea shelves is an inviting scene. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>It's simple,and it gives a function to small space. DecorPad.</i><br /><i>   </i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2008/11/21/b0841bd8b87e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2008/11/21/b0841bd8b87e.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Floating shelves can convert a slice of unused space or the corner of a room into a home office. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The staggered arrangement minimizes the ho-hum factor. Notice that even the desk </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>isn't really a desk, but a shelf supported by custom brackets. Sarah Richardson.</i><br /><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2010/06/24/f8eb4de40fea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2010/06/24/f8eb4de40fea.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A traditional room in a traditional house begs for a more formal arrangement </i><br /><i>of bookcase items. </i><i>It's okay to place seating in front of bookshelves </i><br /><i>as long </i><i>as the books are accessible. Circaonline.net.</i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><i></i>Download my $5 <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> to learn all the ins and outs of staging a bookcase and bookshelves, as well as other tips that tug at the heartstrings of home buyers.  </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div>

Stage Your Home with Books. Here's How.

Some books, some art. That's one way. Ashley Goforth.In my eBook, I give a step-by-step formula for staging bookcase and bookshelves. It's something most people staging their own homes struggle with.How many books? Just books? What kind of books? Will it look crowded? Skimpy? Will house hunters read…

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Why I love an Etagere, and You Should Too

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://common2.csnimages.com/lf/1/hash/2240/1677487/1/Regency+Black+&+White+Etagere+-+6+Shelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://common2.csnimages.com/lf/1/hash/2240/1677487/1/Regency+Black+&+White+Etagere+-+6+Shelf.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Behold the classic and classy etagere. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="ssens"><b></b> Quick. What's tall and thin, stands alone against a wall or in a corner,</span><span class="ssens"> and displays valuables?</span><br /><br /><span class="ssens">Not a fashion model who lacks conversation skills.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Answer: </b></span><span class="ssens">It's an etagere, an open</span> shelving unit typically used to display art objects, plants, books or curios. It's also a friend to anyone staging a home for sale.<br /><br />Here are the reasons I say this piece of furniture should be part of any home stager's furniture collection: <br /><ul><li>The shelves are open, which gives any room a more open feeling.</li><li>There's an etagere to mix or match with any design style.</li><li>The price range is wide and accommodating.</li><li>They are often lightweight and easy to move. Some disassemble for packing.</li><li>Placed in a corner, one will round out a sparsely furnished room.</li><li>Used in pairs, they add formality and function to a room that's lacking these aspects.  </li></ul>You can call an etagere a bookcase or a display case or a storage unit, but it's more than those things. It's a statement piece, the way a fashionable purse is. An etagere can supply that important finishing touch every room needs.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I've been in love</b></span> with the etagere since I owned a set of plastic knockdown, Parsons style units about 30 years ago. Talk about versatile! These units held books in some of my homes, displayed a collection of framed photos and tchotchkes at another time, contained all the audio equipment at other times, provided space to start seedlings one year, stood in for closet shelving near the end of their lives, and were finally relegated to the garage as a humble shelving unit until someone named <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/02/50-reasons-i-love-my-husband.html">Mr. Lucky</a> melted one of the plastic legs with a heater.<br /><br />A moment of silence, please, for a trusted and loyal friend.<br /><br />The plastic etagere, not Mr. Lucky.   <br /><br />I'm here to sing the praises of all etagere today. And let's not confuse an etagere with a bakers rack, or enclosed bookcases, or media storage cabinets. The traditional etagere is backless and has corner posts. It can have a square, rectangular or triangular footprint. It can be curvy or angular, and made of chrome, wood, glass, mirrors, wicker, stainless steel, sheet metal, bamboo, particle board, or plastic. Here are some examples of what this classic and useful piece of furniture can look like.           <br /><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://gimagesr.gabriels.net/ImageReader.aspx?IDClient=166&IDListings=2596-KSD1125&H=231&W=315&ImageURL=http%3a%2f%2fcommon1.csnimages.com%2flf%2f1%2fhash%2f6777%2f2627634%2f1%2f1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://gimagesr.gabriels.net/ImageReader.aspx?IDClient=166&IDListings=2596-KSD1125&H=231&W=315&ImageURL=http%3a%2f%2fcommon1.csnimages.com%2flf%2f1%2fhash%2f6777%2f2627634%2f1%2f1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An etagere needn't be large. This telephone table is an example. Accent Furniture Direct.  </i></span></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://images.hayneedle.com/mgen/master:YSC116.jpg?is=310,310,0xffffff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images.hayneedle.com/mgen/master:YSC116.jpg?is=310,310,0xffffff" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This Mission style etagere would be at home in a bath, office, or family room. BakersRacks.com</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><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://common2.csnimages.com/lf/47/hash/6973/2583279/1/kathy-ireland-by-LH-Licensed-Products-5-Tier-Ladder-Shelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://common2.csnimages.com/lf/47/hash/6973/2583279/1/kathy-ireland-by-LH-Licensed-Products-5-Tier-Ladder-Shelf.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Called a ladder etagere, this design by Kathy Ireland has a tiny footprint.</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;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://images.homeportfolio.com/4282/312438/400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images.homeportfolio.com/4282/312438/400.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">An etagere can have enclosed storage space below, but it always has open shelves. Walters Wicker.</span></i></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://g-cdn.apartmenttherapy.com/1263689/resto_rect540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="http://g-cdn.apartmenttherapy.com/1263689/resto_rect540.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>What could be more sleek than glass and chrome? Newberry Grand via Apartment Therapy.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><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://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2011/04/06/1bc3a1d78045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2011/04/06/1bc3a1d78045.jpg" width="499" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>And this is another treatment of etagere as bookcase. House Beautiful.</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://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2008/09/10/abc0b3a89019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2008/09/10/abc0b3a89019.jpg" width="366" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I love the punch that cross braces add to this one. Habitually Chic. </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://www.decorpad.com/photos/2010/12/17/835eeac35ea6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2010/12/17/835eeac35ea6.png" width="452" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>See how the etagere adds just the right amount of weight to this room? Greg Scheidmann.</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://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2011/05/10/87f651e3b85d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2011/05/10/87f651e3b85d.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A pair of etagere used as end tables. Graciela Rutkowski Interiors. </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://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2008/08/10/9e904a25ce18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2008/08/10/9e904a25ce18.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Nate Berkus let this one dominate the room, where i</i><i>ts lines repeat the rug motif. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Since home staging</b></span> is about making your home look clean and spacious, most etagere designs fill that bill, and they do it with panache. Whether you're staging your bathroom, home office, kitchen, bedroom, living room or even a garage or closet, there's usually a place for one of these functional shelving sets.<br /><br />This week on Facebook I am giving a daily Tip of the Day about staging bookshelves. It's a topic I get lots of questions about. I'll give some simple formulas and other suggestions to take the mystery out of arranging both freestanding bookcases and built-in bookshelves.    <br /><br />Looking for ideas to help you stage your property? Then, buy my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebook_02.html">eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home and For Top Dollar. </i>You'll be inspired and informed, I guarantee it. Get advice from an expert so you can stage your home like an expert.    <br /><br /><span class="ssens"><i>Top Photo: Accent-furniture-direct.com </i></span><br /><span class="ssens"><br /></span>

Why I love an Etagere, and You Should Too

Behold the classic and classy etagere. Quick. What's tall and thin, stands alone against a wall or in a corner, and displays valuables?Not a fashion model who lacks conversation skills.Answer: It's an etagere, an open shelving unit typically used to display art objects, plants, books or curios. It'…

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Ceiling Fans-- Good or Bad for Bedroom Staging?

<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/dougwilson_zpscd3cdd52.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/dougwilson_zpscd3cdd52.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>Do ceiling fans stir up interest in your home, or are they just dated ugliness on a stick, with whirling blades? And where do we go for an answer to that question? <br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Years ago</span></b> my daughter's home was featured on Trading Spaces, the HGTV show. The designer <a href="http://www.douglaswilson.ws/">Doug Wilson</a> made over her<a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_778192984"> </a><a href="http://www.noceilingfans.com/s2e44.html">master bedroom</a>. One of the first things Doug said HAD to go was the ceiling fan.<br /><br />I've lived in houses with ceiling fans and without ceiling fans. I like that they move the air in a room. I like that they cool in summer, and circulate warm, rising air in winter. I like that they create the sensation of life in a room, almost the way a fire in the fireplace does. And I like that they can reduce heating and cooling bills.  <br /><br />If we ask Feng Shui consultant <span class="black">Ann Bingley Gallops</span>, she'll say that ceiling fans <a href="http://openspacesfengshui.com/blog/2010/03/26/feng-shui-bedroom-ceiling-fans/">properly placed in the bedroom</a> will move energy around, and that's always beneficial. I happen to believe that good Feng Shui is good home staging.  <br /><br />But designers like Doug seem to hate the things. If the fan features cutting edge technology, costs a month's salary, and looks like it was designed by an Italian architect, that's a different story. Then, maybe even Doug will install it. <br /><br />So, what's a home owner to do when it's time to sell? Do you keep the fan or replace it? What do buyers want? And if the fan comes down, what do you replace it with?<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Answers</span></b> have to do with things like the style of your home, the likely buyers, the size of your room, your locale, your choice of fan, and even your ability to keep it clean.<br /><br />If you are presently living in your home, and you actually use your fans and find them quiet and efficient, I would say, leave them there. Chances are good that your buyer will appreciate them as well.<br /><br />If the look and feel of your home doesn't support the use of ceiling fans, if the builder installed them because he thought they looked trendy, if they are oversized or undersized for the rooms, perhaps it's time to replace them with stylish, new lighting fixtures that will look better and be more practical. If the heating and cooling systems in your home are doing their job well, ceiling fans may be redundant and pointless.<br /><br />However, when your home is a city loft with high ceilings, an industrial vibe, stainless appliances, and minimal furnishings, then a sleek, new brushed aluminum ceiling fan may put the finishing touch on your style statement.<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.hansenwholesale.com/images/modern/fans/alt-ba-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://www.hansenwholesale.com/images/modern/fans/alt-ba-500.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="http://www.hansenwholesale.com/ceilingfans/model.asp?Mfg=MO&ProdNo=ALTBA&Ceiling%20Fans=Modern%20Fan+Altus+Ceiling%20Fan">This fan </a>costs about $250, and would be a beautiful asset to the right room.  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Or if your home is a classic Craftsman style, you'll woo more buyers if your decor is more authentic, including what's overhead. Period details are important to people who value historic homes. <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.hansenwholesale.com/images/emerson/fans/cf4800ab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.hansenwholesale.com/images/emerson/fans/cf4800ab.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This Mission style overhead fan from Emerson costs $368 from <a href="http://www.hansenwholesale.com/ceilingfans/model.asp?Mfg=EM&ProdNo=CF4800AB&Ceiling%20Fans=Emerson+Premium+Ceiling%20Fan">Hanson Wholesale.</a></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Ceiling fans with a tropical look are popular, especially in homes located in warmer climates or decorated in that style. These fans convey a certain global flair, hinting at exotic destinations and romantic retreats. Is this the look your home has, and that your buyers will respond to?<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.hansenwholesale.com/images/tommybahama/fans/tb301mab-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://www.hansenwholesale.com/images/tommybahama/fans/tb301mab-500.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From Tommy Bahama, <a href="http://www.hansenwholesale.com/ceilingfans/model.asp?Mfg=TB&ProdNo=TB-TB301MAB&Ceiling%20Fans=Tommy%20Bahama+Paradise%20Key+Ceiling%20Fan">this design</a> comes with a $650 price tag. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>You can spend as little as $40 for a fan or as much as a couple of thousand. Before you spend anything, check <a href="http://www.epinions.com/search/?submitted_form=searchbar&search_string=ceiling+fans&tax_name=&dyn_nav=0&dyn_nav_id=&search_vertical=all&searchbar_submit=Search">customer reviews online</a> to learn about how difficult it will be to assemble or install, how quiet the motor is, and what the long term customer satisfaction is.<br /><br />Need some specifics? <a href="http://www.coastalliving.com/homes/decorating/easy-breezy-00400000000701/">Here</a> is what Coastal Living Magazine suggests about the size and style of ceiling fans.<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://images.meredith.com/remodel/images/2008/06/p_101031661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://images.meredith.com/remodel/images/2008/06/p_101031661.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A ceiling fan is a natural in a summer cottage. Photo: Meredith Corp. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><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.housebeautiful.com/cm/housebeautiful/images/uY/2-makeover-bedroom-0207-xlg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.housebeautiful.com/cm/housebeautiful/images/uY/2-makeover-bedroom-0207-xlg.jpg" width="499" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Best choice is a fan that's in keeping with a home's style and colors. Photo: House beautiful. </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://www.housebeautiful.com/cm/housebeautiful/images/81/hbx-decorating-barber-18-0709-xlg-91352873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.housebeautiful.com/cm/housebeautiful/images/81/hbx-decorating-barber-18-0709-xlg-91352873.jpg" width="499" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A fan should hang closer to the foot of the bed than the head. Photo: House Beautiful.</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://uglyhousephotos.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/080324f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://uglyhousephotos.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/080324f.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We've all seen a version of this nightmare.  Surely, my readers are not guilty of this crime. They make <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Get-Organized-Ceiling-Fan-Duster/dp/B000ETQLRS">tools</a> for this task, people! Photo: <a href="http://uglyhousephotos.com/wordpress/?cat=74">Ugly House Photos</a>.  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>I was recently in a home on the market, and when I walked into the bedroom with the owner, I stopped short at the sight of her ceiling fan. The owner admitted that the fan was so low over the bed it was scary.  I doubt the sellers turned it on at all. I suggested that she replace the fan with a light fixture suitable for the bedroom.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Three R's</b></span>. Do you have fans that ought to be replaced by lights? Low-priced, small fans, the ones that sell for about $40, can handle one 60-watt bulb. That's not enough to illuminate most rooms.<br /><br />When your realtor walks to your bedroom door, and throws the wall switch to show the room to potential buyers, is it bright in there? A realtor doesn't always have time to arrive ahead of clients and turn on lights. She's not going to walk across the room and turn on bedside lamps. She's busy pointing out other features.<br /><br />It's also a good idea to <b>replace, repair or remove </b>fans that are missing parts, that wobble, are noisy, look out-of-date, or don't fit the room's decor. Typical ceiling fan styles are contemporary, retro, tropical, old world, Asian, Victorian, Mission, and novelty.<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.hansenwholesale.com/images/hunter/fans/21841-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://www.hansenwholesale.com/images/hunter/fans/21841-500.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Maybe your son loved it, but it's time to pack it up for the move to your next home.  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />If you have a fan that needs to look new again, paint it. I suggest you first remove the blades. Just two screws hold each one. Ask me how I know not to attempt painting attached fan blades while standing on a bed. I wish I had a video of my attempt! <br />  <br />Do you need some more helpful pointers and encouragement when it comes to sprucing up your home for the real estate market? Order 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>. It comes with a money-back guarantee. Why go it alone, when you can learn from my experience? How you stage does make a difference, a difference in how much money your home is worth to a buyer.     <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Doug's Photo: Silver Feast</i></span>

Ceiling Fans-- Good or Bad for Bedroom Staging?

Do ceiling fans stir up interest in your home, or are they just dated ugliness on a stick, with whirling blades? And where do we go for an answer to that question? Years ago my daughter's home was featured on Trading Spaces, the HGTV show. The designer Doug Wilson made over her master bedroom. One o…

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Stage Your Home by Example. Copy the Luxury Hotels

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.das-tyrol.at/uploads/pics/02_Hotel_Das_Tyrol_Double4_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.das-tyrol.at/uploads/pics/02_Hotel_Das_Tyrol_Double4_01.jpg" width="369" /></a></div>If you are staging your home, I can give you an excuse to take a little vacation. I am sure you deserve it.<br /><br />You can convince your significant other that it's time for some R & R, by explaining a vacation is an opportunity to study decor that works for home staging. You're on a research mission. Hotels and resorts have lots to teach.<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bedrooms Matter!</span></b><br />Wouldn't you love one bedroom in your staged home to look something like the one on the right? I know your future buyers would!<br /><br />Here's what's worth copying from this room at the Das Tyrol Hotel:<br /><ul><li>The matched benches at the foot of the bed. </li><li>The layered but simple headboard. </li><li>The abstract art that's positioned to emphasize the tall ceiling. </li><li>The harmonious color scheme. </li><li>The lack of itty-bitty stuff scattered here and there. </li></ul><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Faked Luxury </b></span><br />Take a look at the two photos below. If you guessed that they are a page from the portfolio of a professional home stager, you'd be wrong.<br /><br />These are two shots of similar rooms in the same hotel, but one was taken by the Las Vegas hotel chain for its advertising material, and the other was taken by the travel site called <a href="http://www.oyster.com/hotels/photo-fakeouts/">Oyster</a>.com. Oyster loves to debunk the illusions that resorts thrive on, the picturesque deserted beach, the pool with sexy models, the dream buffet table and cocktail lounge, the luxuriously appointed and spacious room.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.o-static.com/s/image/fakeouts/fakeout-color-me-sad-california-hotel-vegas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://www.o-static.com/s/image/fakeouts/fakeout-color-me-sad-california-hotel-vegas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.oyster.com/las-vegas/hotels/california-hotel-and-casino/photos/deluxe-king-room-california-hotel-casino-v224457-640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://images.oyster.com/las-vegas/hotels/california-hotel-and-casino/photos/deluxe-king-room-california-hotel-casino-v224457-640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Below is another example of over-zealous promotion. What looks like a lovely room to kick back in once you check into the Ritz-Carlton in Coconut Grove, Florida, is actually a typically barren, institutionalized hotel room. We can see the importance of a photographer who knows how to make a room look good when it's time to shoot your home for MLS listings. The major differences between photos one and two are a couple of plants, better lighting, a different angle, and more colorful draperies and bedding. Sound like staging?    </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.o-static.com/s/image/fakeouts/fakeout-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://www.o-static.com/s/image/fakeouts/fakeout-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">   <a href="http://images.oyster.com/miami/hotels/the-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove/photos/deluxe-room-the-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove-v62851-640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://images.oyster.com/miami/hotels/the-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove/photos/deluxe-room-the-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove-v62851-640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />But I didn't call you all together here to talk about fake-out photos. I want to point out what's smart to copy from hotel room decor.<br /><br />All this week I'll be giving pointers on Facebook about staging bedrooms. Join the DIY Home Staging Group to receive the Tip of the Day. Just click on the FB button in the sidebar.  <br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Some History</span></b><br />Hotels used to be the punching bag of interior decoration. And no wonder.<br /><br />The color schemes were plucked from the worst Hollywood had to offer, as if to remind you that you were escaping reality by vacationing. The furniture was chosen to withstand abuse but it looked like it was designed for men's dormitories. Tacky reproductions of rainy Paris street scenes and puppies in a field a daisies were screwed to the flocked wallpapered wall through their gilded frames.<br /><br />Very impressive. If you never left home before.<br /><br />Then along came boutique hotels, and American hotel chains knew they had to follow suit. Probably the Internet helped to educate people about what hotels could look like if hotels wanted to put forth any effort.<br /><br />There are still plenty of ugly hotel rooms in America, but if we concentrate on the elegant ones, the expensive ones, the luxury ones, the ones managed by people wise enough to hire a designer, then we can learn something about how to a stage a bedroom for the real estate market.<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Some Samples</span></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">are examples of hotel rooms worth emulating. Who doesn't relish the feeling of waltzing into a big, beautiful, private bedroom, that's been freshly prepared just for your relaxation and enjoyment? That's the feeling you want to convey to people touring your home.    </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><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.lhw.com/static/hotels/479/479_35894281_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://www.lhw.com/static/hotels/479/479_35894281_medium.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Of course, the wide angle lens helps glamorize this room at the Rittenhouse Hotel, in Philadelphia. But notice the friendly colors and soft textures. There's plenty of natural and artificial light sources, a mirror adds to the feeling of spaciousness, and the art is large scale.  </span></i></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://www.lhw.com/static/hotels/626/626_28065561_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://www.lhw.com/static/hotels/626/626_28065561_medium.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>At the Kahala Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii, window drapes don't cover up any of the view. In fact, they go wall to wall to suggest that the window is even larger than it is. I like the matching nightstands and lamps, and lots of leggy furniture that shows off more flooring. You can skip the bottle of wine for your open house days! </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plantersinn.com/img/p_guestrooms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.plantersinn.com/img/p_guestrooms.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Creating the sense of a bedroom suite is always a good idea. Do you have the space for a writing desk, a lounge chair, or love seat? Women especially respond to a bedroom staged as a getaway, a place to unwind and be alone, or else spend private time as a couple. This charming and traditional hotel room is at the Planters Inn, in Charleston, South Carolina. </span></i></div><br />If you want more tips on staging bedrooms to sell your home, download 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> You'll easily gain a wealth of information, advice that will let your stage your own home on a dime. And earn money when you sell!

Stage Your Home by Example. Copy the Luxury Hotels

If you are staging your home, I can give you an excuse to take a little vacation. I am sure you deserve it.You can convince your significant other that it's time for some R & R, by explaining a vacation is an opportunity to study decor that works for home staging. You're on a research mission. Hotel…

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Book Review and the Truth About What I Know.

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8199.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Although not about staging, this is one helpful book</span>.</i> </td></tr></tbody></table>I have a confession. I'm not the little Miss Know-It-All that I pretend to be. <br /><br />When I'm staging a home, I have to experiment. I have to try different furniture arrangements, different lamps, different plants, before I  get it right.<br /><br />I have to go online and research new cleaning products, tutorials on repairing furniture, and best sources for drapery hardware.  <br /><br />I have to soak up every store display, model home, and televised makeover that crosses my path.<br /><br />I haunt the bookstore. I go to the library every two weeks and bring home an armful of books about interior decoration, home repair, crafting, and landscaping. These constitute the bulk of my bedtime reading.<br /><br />Last month I brought home a book so interesting that I decided rather than read it with the sense of urgency that comes with reading library books near their due date, I would actually purchase it. So I ordered a second hand one from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stylish-Solutions-Elizabeth-Gaynor/dp/0517704528/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307911154&sr=8-1">Amazon.</a> <br /><br />What? You didn't think I'd buy NEW, did you? <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8208.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><br />Now I have my own copy of <i>Stylish Solutions</i>, by Elizabeth Gaynor and Kari Haavisto, published by Random House in 1998.  The date is important because although it is 13 years old, the photos look as fresh as any in the monthly shelter mags. The decor is classic without being stuffy or fussy. Most of the photos are shot in designers' own homes, and in the homes of architects, stylists, art directors and the like -- talented people, people with style. People who would start bidding wars if they listed their homes for sale.  <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="576" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8192.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />But what really captivated me was the elegant writing. Here's a sample of what the authors have to say about fireplace mantels.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"A Fireplace gives presence to a room and prominence to a wall. If you have one, you can't ignore it, but that doesn't mean all adjacent furniture must be oriented in its direction. If you don't have one, you can bring in a mantel, old or new, just to give a room a bit of architecture. A chimneypiece can be highly ornamental and require very little embellishment, or be very plain. It provides a natural, although expected place to hang a large mirror or painting. A mantel is really a shelf of sorts, as welcoming to found objects of almost any height, artfully arranged, as to valuable antiques."</i></span><br /><br />Now, really, that's almost everything you need to know about mantels, in a nutshell.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8187.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Besides an introductory paragraph that kicks off each section -- coffee tables, sideboards, sofas, bookcases, mantels and beds -- the bulk of the book is photos with "deep captions," informative, descriptive captions.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8200.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><i>Here's another sample I photographed from my newest book. I don't have a scanner, so I apologize for not doing justice to the photos. But, notice the richness of textures and the variety of materials here -- glass, wood, metal, vegetation, fabrics, all with generous proportions.</i>  </div>  <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8198.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>What home buyer wouldn't fall in love with a spare bed tucked cozily into a corner, filled with fluffy pillows and topped off with a bookshelf for a headboard? </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="496" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8196.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Here's another bedroom worth imitating for staging purposes. The lines are clean, and the color scheme is contemporary. There are plenty of places for the eye to rest, and the artwork isn't distracting.  </i></div>  <br />All this week I am posting suggestions about books helpful to staging. They're on Facebook, as part of my ongoing Tip Of The Day program there. Join the Facebook Group by clicking the Facebook button in my sidebar. Next week I'll be giving tips about bedroom staging. In the past weeks I've talked about thrifting, curb appeal, painting, trends to avoid, mantels, photographing your home, and other topics that interest people who are selling a home.<br /><br />Is that you? Then whatever you read, and wherever you go, keeping an eye out for ideas is going to help you stage. If you expose yourself to examples of timelessly stylish decor, your eye becomes accustomed to what works and what doesn't, so when you're tweaking your own staged rooms, you'll know when you've got it right. <br /><br />There's more help available in my own <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>It's written just for homeowners, realtors, home stagers, builders, decorators, and others preparing homes for sale. You can download it now, and start seriously staging right away, the right way.

Book Review and the Truth About What I Know.

Although not about staging, this is one helpful book. I have a confession. I'm not the little Miss Know-It-All that I pretend to be. When I'm staging a home, I have to experiment. I have to try different furniture arrangements, different lamps, different plants, before I  get it right.I have to go o…

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What Every Garage Sale Shopper Needs to Know

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8181.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8181.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I didn't even try to lower the price. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Anyone who thrives on buying second hand, and I'm part of that club, has her own bag of tricks. Here are my favorite ways to score bargains at garage sales. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Chit Chat.</b></span> I always try to immediately befriend the seller. Smile. Small talk about the weather and about how many people have come by. Compliment the merchandise. Never mutter criticisms to your companions. Very often how friendly the seller thinks you are is in direct proportion to how flexible prices will be.<br />    <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Approach.</b></span> Scope out everything immediately upon arrival. Zero in on the good stuff and don't get distracted. Don't knock anyone over getting to a prize piece on the opposite side of a driveway, but don't dally over the blankets when what you really want is books.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Grab.</b></span> Who among us hasn't hesitated, and then watched someone else walk off with a coveted treasure? Most garage sale items are one of a kind. This ain't retail, folks.<br /><br />Asking the seller to set something aside doesn't work. It's still easy for someone else to not know it's "reserved." Often there is more than one seller, and I've seen arguments spring up about which buyer had dibbs on an item.  <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1050335_zps5aeb9d64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1050335_zps5aeb9d64.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Demographics.</b></span> Buy from little old ladies, and I can say this because I am a little old lady.  I'm not endorsing exploitation of the elderly. I'm saying that older people are often happy to downsize, and they usually have the kind of things that were made (in America!) before manufacturers realized how flimsy they could make things that people would still buy.<br /><br />Don't confine your garage sale shopping to the better neighborhoods, on the theory that people with money have more taste or better stuff. Wrong. Not only is the merchandise sometimes crapola, but it's usually overpriced.<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/IMG_8088-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8088-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Originally beat-up and painted an institutional green, I stripped the paint from this $15 </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">dresser, and patched the places where wood veneers had de-laminated. </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">Then I faux finished what needed it, imitating a birdseye maple </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">on the drawer fronts, and marble on the top. It's a keeper!</span></i></td></tr></tbody> </table>Don't ignore middle class neighborhoods, and even parts of town where there are older homes and people who need money. My favorite table lamp, above, is an example. I paid $2 after I found it in the corner of a dirt floor garage that smelled like pee.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Vehicle.</b></span> Don't drive an expensive car. Buddy up with someone who drives an old pickup. We owned a Jaguar a few years ago (before we realized how expensive repairs were). I told Mr. Lucky, "I can't drive that car to a yard sale. I lose all my negotiating power. Leave me the van."<br /><br />Sellers will judge your ability to pay by what you drive. Look like one of the people, not a wealthy cheapskate. <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/IMG_8136.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="411" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8136.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">When I wanted to buy just one of these frosted pink glasses (silly me!), the owner insisted I </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">take the pair. So glad I did, because they are perfect not only for centerpieces and </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">mantel decor, but for ice cream sundaes as well, which as we all know, one should </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">never enjoy alone! My gardenias and roses scented the entire room.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Arriving in a car that's not fancy or new also means you can transport things worry-free. You don't want that wrought iron trellis poking a hole in your leather seats. You want a truck bed that will accommodate a dining table if that's what you're hunting.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Outfit.</b></span> There is a way to dress for yard sale shopping. You want shoes that don't absorb the dew that is still on the grass early in the day. Forget cutesy shoes that don't give you the comfort required to last the morning.<br /><br />Look poor. Get your old sneaks out. Dress for functionality. The latest styles will only hamper your bargaining power.<br /><br />Wear pants or a jacket with pockets for money. Don't carry a purse because you need both hands free to rummage.    <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8117.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8117.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">What I fell in love with is the size of this demitasse (that's a penny </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">on the right), and the lovely handle, and, of course, </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">the pink transferware pattern. I don't use it for anything, but I still like to</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;"> keep it </span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;">in sight, along with my other pink transferware. If I ever start </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">drinking espresso, </span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;">I'll be all set. It cost all of one dollar. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Schedule.</b></span> Get there early or get there late. Everyone knows this. Have a plan. If you are getting your addresses from Craigslist, map them so you can make a travel loop.<br /><br />Don't be so early that you risk annoying the seller. Some professional pickers may differ with me on this point, arguing that arriving while it's still dark, and the harried sellers are just setting up tables, is okay because you are a serious buyer. Do what you're comfortable with, but I don't think sellers like the idea of selling to people who are making a profit. Don't act like a pro. Even if you are.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Mindset.</b></span> Train your eye to isolate objects. In the row of junk vases there may be a genuine Roseville. Don't be influenced by surroundings. Instead, envision the lamp or chair the way you will use it. Maybe you'll be <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-faux-finish-plastic-flower-pot.html">faux finishing that ugly flower pot</a>, or changing the hardware on an old dresser.<br /><br />Last month my friend Julie found a signed crystal bowl at a yard sale that she bought for $5. She sold it on ebay for $3,000. True story. She's also found diamond rings and sterling place settings for pennies on the dollar. She's educated herself about what's valuable.  <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Money. </b></span>Have cash, and have it in small change and small bills. Sellers are wanting to see profits. Some even have set a monetary goal for the day. Make it easy for them, and yourself, by having exact amounts. Checks sometimes are acceptable (life in a small town, ahhhhhh), but usually cash is king.<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/IMG_8111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="359" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8111.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I recently bought this original painting at a yard sale. It's one of the first things I see every morning, and I never tire of studying its play of light. It cost me three dollars. It's signed on the front. On the back it's titled Approach To The Mountain, and dated 1984. The artist even pasted his printed address sticker on the back. Thank you, Mr. Sumner in Keene, New Hampshire. I'm waiting for Mr. Lucky to make a frame.  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Here is one trick I have seen work wonders. Know what you will pay for a piece. Have the cash in your hand. Make your offer, and extend your fistful of dollars. You can even put it on the table in front of the seller, or start counting it out. If the seller refuses your offer, put the money back in your pocket. Usually, she'll agree, or start negotiating, because she saw the money, started spending it in her head, then watched the money disappear. Try it. I once bought an expensive bike for my son this way, paying only a few bucks.  <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Locale.</b></span> I know that many bargain hunters shop flea markets, thrift stores and and consignment shops while on vacation, but have you looked for yard sales when you're away from home? Vacation shopping in souvenir shops, gift stores and outlet malls bores me, but show me a yard sale sign and I'm gonna follow that arrow. Besides prices being a plus, my chances of finding something with local color, something not common back home, are going to be pretty darn good. I still have the bamboo furniture I bought cheap while visiting the Florida Panhandle ten years ago.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="419" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8231.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">These chair cushions have been re-covered numerous times, and I think it's time for me to sew a fresh set. I'm always attracted to the laid back, tropical feel of bamboo, wicker, and rattan furniture. I don't remember what I gave that woman in Panama City Beach for her chairs and tables, but I know they've easily paid for themselves many times over in comfort and versatility.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />I know that each of you will have your own tips to scoring great deals at yard sales. If you liked my bargain-hunting ideas, download my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook</a>, <i>DIY</i> <i>Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar, </i>where you'll find plenty of pointers for <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/04/so-you-think-youre-not-thrift-storetype.html">thrifty buying</a> and decorating, whether you are presently selling a home or not.<br /><a href="http://thenester.com/"><img alt="Nesting Place" border="0" class="button" height="125" src="http://www.thenester.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/nestingplacebutton7.png" title="thenester.com" width="125" /></a><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.handymancraftywoman.com/"><img border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v127/lars72/733blog%20design%20images/WAW_BUTTON.png" /></a></center><br /><br /><center><a href="http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special" border="0" src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b243/signmakergirl/satnitenew150w-1.jpg" /></a></center><a href="http://southernhospitalityblog.com/"><img alt="southern hospitality" height="125" src="http://southernhospitalityblog.com/wp-content/themes/thesis_17/custom/images/shbutton.png" width="125" /></a>

What Every Garage Sale Shopper Needs to Know

I didn't even try to lower the price. Anyone who thrives on buying second hand, and I'm part of that club, has her own bag of tricks. Here are my favorite ways to score bargains at garage sales. The Chit Chat. I always try to immediately befriend the seller. Smile. Small talk about the weather and a…

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