Is Your Bathroom Staged to Impress Buyers?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/fishplusbox.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/fishplusbox.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Bathrooms are so important to buyers that a seductive one can be serious buyer bait, and a loser one can be a deal breaker. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">What’s important about baths is that they look as up-to-date as you can afford, and as luxurious and clean as you can manage. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Here are some do’s and don’ts to get the look. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Buy new towels.</b></span> If you purchase only one thing brand spanking new off the shelf when it’s time to stage your home, make it bath towels. And make them look plush. The white ones get my vote. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">But if the bath is all white, some towels with colored accents or trim will liven things up a tad. I go to places like Tuesday Morning and T.J. Maxx for these kinds of fancy towels. Buy sets, not singles. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Did you know that the five-star hotels donate, or sell to their employees the guest towels as soon as they begin to lose “loft?” Take your cue from these hospitality experts. If you want the luxury look, ya gotta go fluffy.<br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Women are The Deciders in most home purchases. Most women can spot from across the room a towel that’s been around for awhile. Most women are very judgmental and super-sensitive about hygiene. Most woman  work hard and like being pampered. Fluffy towels are a sign of the pampered life. I am giving you permission to splurge on towels, in case you need encouragement. Women buyers will love you for it.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Paint with clear colors. </b></span>Choose pale blues and greens that don’t have any warm or muddy undertones. Tell the paint salesperson you want <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/LRV">a color with a high LRV.</a> These letters stand for light reflective value. The higher the number, the more light that particular color reflects, and the “cleaner” the color looks. Clean is important. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Don’t choose colors that look…how can I say this? …poopy. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></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://img4.myhomeideas.com/i/2010/07/69016-perfect-cottage-r-x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://img4.myhomeideas.com/i/2010/07/69016-perfect-cottage-r-x.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When buyers see light, they think "clean, and "new." Southern Living.</i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hide the ordinary toiletries.</b></span> You know the drill. Ideally, there will be no “signs of life” when prospective buyers tour your home. I know it’s difficult when you live in the home and are human, but the more you can make your bathroom look like it’s part of the suite in a luxury resort, the better. That means only pretty stuff gets displayed, and grooming and medicinal essentials get tucked out of sight.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">You can do it!<br /><br />To keep the bath hotel-spotless and discourage people on tour from using the fancy towels, I like to tie a decorative ribbon around the ones I've artfully arranged on rods. I know that some may find this practice hokey, but I want to be practical. I don't want people using them. If they want to wash their hands, they're on their own.    </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Replace non-white toilets and sinks. </b></span>Most house hunters will think twice about making an offer on a house with green or pink toilets. And they want white sinks. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Neither of these fixtures needs to be expensive. To <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_hVZ3rPzm4">install a toilet </a>is not difficult. The cost, including new seat, tank kit, and wax ring, could be less than $200. You'll also find good, economical options for new bathroom sinks, vanities and vanity tops, or pedestal sinks at home improvement centers. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></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/homestaging/L4625-lg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/L4625-lg1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A single lever faucet is easier to clean. Moen.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Add bling and texture. </b></span>For all the gleam they add, updated faucets give excellent return on your investment. Consider new ones if yours are beyond polishing to newness. If you are marketing your home as a period piece -- an authentic Craftsman or Colonial, for example -- you'll want to follow through with the appropriate metal style in the baths. That could mean oil rubbed bronze or chrome or hammered nickle.<br /><br />Make sure your towel bars match the faucet. If possible all hardware should match, including shower head and spout, door hinges, toilet paper holder, and towel rings. Changing out shower hardware is the tricky one because you'll probably need a plumber. The others are DIY projects.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Since baths can feel sterile, add some soft stuff. Textiles usually do the trick. If your bath has a window, dress it with fabric. A shower curtain is another chance at adding softness. Matellase is a good choice because it's classic and spa-like. The current style for shower curtains is <a href="http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=74007&CatID=74007&Grptyp=PRD&ItemId=1c88a12&sisearchengine=182&siproduct=Pronto&cm_mmc=ShoppingFeed-_-Pronto-_-Kids%20%20%20Teens-_-Park%20B%20Smith%20Dorset%20Grommet%20Apple%20Shower%20Curtain%20by%20JCPenney&srccode=cii_16776730&cpncode=21-144515432-2">oversized grommets threaded on the rod</a>. Or sleek, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Polished-Curtain-RollerRingsTM/dp/B00017UT6W/ref=sr_1_1?s=bedbath&ie=UTF8&qid=1311777386&sr=1-1">polished chrome roller rings</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://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71Pxwn3TiJL._AA1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71Pxwn3TiJL._AA1500_.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>People like hotel-style <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Brass-T64BSLT-Brackets-Stainless/dp/B002RV9484/ref=pd_sbs_hg_4">curved shower rods</a>. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><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://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/bathroom-tub-window-htours0606-de-12001147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.countryliving.com/cm/countryliving/images/bathroom-tub-window-htours0606-de-12001147.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Lightweight shower and window curtains can still have texture. Country Living.  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Don't be incredible.</b></span> The early days of over-the-top staging, where tea lights floated in tinted bath waters, and champagne flutes sat at the tub's edge, are over. People just shook their heads. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />Today's staging needs to be more sophisticated. Keep it simple and tasteful, the way you would actually live if you had a maid!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />Don't burn candles for a showing. Don't leave the house with easy listening instrumental music playing. Don't add <a href="http://blog.nolo.com/realestate/2011/07/24/more-weird-lessons-in-staging/">fake photos as props</a>. So wrong! <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/101614975_ss1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="490" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/101614975_ss1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>More than in any other room, good bathroom lighting is crucial. Traditional Home.</i></span><br />  </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Maintain the room.</b></span> Once your bath is staged, the challenge will be keeping keeping it tidy. Having a container of sanitizing wipes in the vanity is a given for quick sink, toilet, and counter cleanups.<br /><br />Except for the part about you having to be the room service person, you might even begin feeling like you live at a luxury hotel.<br /><br />Plan to take Mr. Clean (Magic Eraser) into the shower with you. That's how I keep our glass shower doors and tile surround from getting dull, just by wiping walls as I rinse. Call me crazy, but the shine speaks for itself.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>There's a book for this!</b></span> Need more bathroom staging tips? 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> You'll get encouragement, solutions, links, advice, and so much more. If you have a home to sell, I'll help you stage it yourself.</div>

Is Your Bathroom Staged to Impress Buyers?

Bathrooms are so important to buyers that a seductive one can be serious buyer bait, and a loser one can be a deal breaker. What’s important about baths is that they look as up-to-date as you can afford, and as luxurious and clean as you can manage. Here are some do’s and don’ts to get the look. Buy…

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My Guidelines to Choosing and Using Yard Art

<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/Largelantern-1.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/Largelantern-1.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An Asian stone lantern is classic garden art.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">So you're selling your home and you want to score points for curb appeal? <br /><br />You want your home to look classy, but colorful? Interesting, but non-tacky? <br /><br />You want to distinguish between good yard art and bad yard art?<br /><br />Fear not. I have gathered all the pointers you need to steer you through the jungle of whirlygigs, gee-gaws, gazing balls, buddha statues, plastic gargoyles, and concrete lions. <br /><br />Like other art forms, good yard art may be difficult to define, but you know it when you see it. To help, here is the Official Pink Overalls List of what good lawn art must be:<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Natural, </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Purposeful, </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Proportional, </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Local, and </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Subtle</b></span><br /><br />That's all you really need to know. But, if you want some 'splaining and illustrations, read on.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lawn art in the front yard </b><span style="font-size: small;">makes a big statement. It's part </span></span>of that all-important first impression on buyers. It could entice them, or not.<br /><br />And in the backyard, on the balcony or porch, or at poolside, yard art is still worthy of staging, because backyards are where Americans live, and where you get another opportunity to woo house hunters with the charms of your home.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">I blogged about</span><b> </b></span><a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/07/make-your-home-gnome-free-zone.html">how not to decorate the yard</a> last week, and how to identify what humorist Jean Shepherd calls Slob Art.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Natural material</span> </b>is one characteristic of worthwhile outside art. Edit your exterior decor down to objects made of stone, metal, wood, ceramics, glass, and sometimes concrete. If you look at the photo above of my neighbor's stone lantern, and the metal Pottery Barn planter below, you'll get a sense of how important natural material can be to the good looks of yard art. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Plastic flower pots and resin fountains have their place, but nothing beats the real thing for a quality look. (Keep reading, to see how I break my own rules.) </div><div style="text-align: left;">  </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.potterybarn.com/pbimgs/ab/images/dp/wcm/201105/0016/img33m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="574" src="http://www.potterybarn.com/pbimgs/ab/images/dp/wcm/201105/0016/img33m.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The slight rusting on this beautiful wire plant stand gives it credibility as a natural material. </i></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><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.mooseyscountrygarden.com/garden-benches-seats/garden-hammock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://images.mooseyscountrygarden.com/garden-benches-seats/garden-hammock.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Yes, a hammock can qualify as garden art. One like this is natural, functional, and subtle. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A reason for being</b></span> makes garden art valuable. Have you seen those uncomfortable-looking, three-piece, Victorian, wrought iron furniture groupings plopped into the middle of an expanse of sunny lawn? Who would want to sit there? There's no purpose to the grouping.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Compare that garden seating to a lovely bench tucked under a shady tree at the edge of your lawn. That's the kind of intended purpose I'm talking about.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">A bench needs to accommodate people. Stepping stones need to be spaced for comfortable walking. An obelisk or trellis should provide support for climbing vines. A birdhouse or birdbath ought to shelter or water wildlife. A fence needs to enclose an area. A sculpture provides an anchoring focal point.<br /><br />This guideline eliminates fake wishing wells, plywood ladies sitting in pretend swings, dry birdbaths, and rows of birdhouses painted in cartoon colors that would scare off any bird.   <br /><br /></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.mooseyscountrygarden.com/garden-benches-seats/wooden-beth-chatto-garden-bench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://images.mooseyscountrygarden.com/garden-benches-seats/wooden-beth-chatto-garden-bench.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">This weathered bench would be perfect in a staged yard because it looks welcoming.</span></i><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><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/Forsythia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/Forsythia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A garden path's purpose will be a destination spot or a loop through the landscape. </i></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><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/mirror4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/mirror4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I placed a mirror as a focal point behind my hydrangea shrub, where it adds depth and shine. </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/clematistower-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="586" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/clematistower-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Mr. Lucky built this teteur from leftover lattice panels, for clematis to climb on. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Good proportions. </b><span style="font-size: small;">Just like interior staging, garden staging demands grand scale. Pack up the tiny cherubs that sit in little potted plants. Replace them with one generously sized planter box. You don't need to break the bank. An $8 plastic pot can be <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-faux-finish-plastic-flower-pot.html">made to look like concrete or stone</a>. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Art looks best when it's in proportion to the home. A country cottage is scaled just right for some cute garden art, but most homes deserve more mass.  </span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><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_9069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_9069.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This giant metal moose lives in a neighbor's yard. I love that he is bigger than life!</i></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><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_9072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="314" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_9072.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Perfectly scaled to the landscape and the house, these terra cotta pots are over two feet tall. </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/rabbit1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/rabbit1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>In a less grand landscape, a small concrete rabbit looks just right in the garden!</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">   </span><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Suitable to the locale.</b></span> Real estate is all about location. Using indigenous material in your garden helps your house nestle into its surroundings. Garden art that's local has integrity, and looks like it belongs, unlike objects made from unusual materials from a different climate or culture. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>If you are edging your flower beds and borders with stone to improve curb appeal, use stone that is native to your area. Even if you buy faux rocks (which can be very convincing), make the rock look like it belongs by selecting familiar types. For example, slate and flagstone predominate in some states, and granite and quartz, or sandstone, or marl, or lava rock, or river rock in others.<br /><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://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/rockwall2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/rockwall2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Using native stone is economical, ecological, and beautiful, like this rock wall.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><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.peaklandscapeinc.com/images/split_rail_fence-s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="334" src="http://www.peaklandscapeinc.com/images/split_rail_fence-s.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>f cedar split rail fences are the style where you live, make that your style, too. Look local!  </i></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><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/flowerbedandedging2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="608" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/flowerbedandedging2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Bricks are produced in the South, so using them for our walls, paths and edging makes sense. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Colors that speak softly. </b></span>Step away from the garish! In the same way that interior home staging prefers a color palette that is relaxing, yard art that's appropriate for a home on the market should not call attention to itself with loud colors. Subtlety rules. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><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/porchswing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/porchswing.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The soft colors of the porch swing and cushion are relaxing and non-distracting. </i></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></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/Debbiebirdhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/Debbiebirdhouse.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>My grey birdhouse, where birds actually live, is painted to blend with its surroundings.</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://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/37-2961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/37-2961.jpg" width="507" /></a></td></tr><tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>     Although it's made of resin, this heron fountain looks like antiqued bronze.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hammock and bench photos: Mooseys Country Garden. Split rail fence photo: Peak Landscape.  </span><br /><div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Order my eBook now</b><b>, and start staging today!</b></span> In 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>, you'll learn more landscaping and curb appeal tips to help sell your home on the market. Better lawn art is just part of the picture.<br /><br /></div><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>

My Guidelines to Choosing and Using Yard Art

An Asian stone lantern is classic garden art.So you're selling your home and you want to score points for curb appeal? You want your home to look classy, but colorful? Interesting, but non-tacky? You want to distinguish between good yard art and bad yard art?Fear not. I have gathered all the pointer…

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A Well-Staged Home Is Like a ...

<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/bunkmermaid-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" 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/bunkmermaid-1.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A mermaid swims on a string over my bunk. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>I know that there will always be another woman in Mr. Lucky's life. It's always been that way.<br /><br />Even though he visits his current love almost every day, showering her with attention and buying her expensive gifts, I'm not jealous.<br /><br />Heck, I'm partly responsible for how attractive she looks! If you guessed that the other woman is our boat, you guessed right. <br /><br />Many of the features that make a boat a pleasure to visit, are the same things that make a home one that buyers want. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Clean.</b></span> Nothing's nastier than a boat that's a mess. You just expect something that floats on water to be well-washed and smelling good.<br /><br />Fortunately, Mr. Lucky is scrupulous about marine maintenance. Like I said, he showers her with attention...and fresh water. <br /><br />A boat that's not kept clean is a smelly boat. Mustiness, mold, and the debris from ordinary usage, not to mention holding tanks and bilge water, have to be attended to. Just like a staged home. Minus the holding tanks. Does your home shine with cleanliness, and smell good, too? <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ventilated.</b></span> Fresh air is a must in a boat if you want to make boating enjoyable. We installed two, small, solar-powered ventilating fans that bring fresh air into our boat continuously. I talked about the advantages of ceiling fans <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/06/ceiling-fans-good-or-bad-for-bedroom.html">here</a>. If your home has ceiling fans, and they are on switches separate from the lights, use them when you are expecting a showing. It adds a valuable certain sense of liveliness to a home.  <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Repaired.</b></span> A boat, like a house, must be kept ship shape if it's going to be safe, comfortable and good looking. Do you have rusty hinges, leaks under the sink, malfunctioning appliances, worn flooring, or other <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/04/checklist-for-maintenance-problems.html">signs of neglect</a>? If you don't have the skills or tools or time for home repairs, make a list and hire handyman who can help you batten down the hatches. Sometimes a captain needs a deckhand to help bring the ship into the harbor. <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/eveningdockside2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="484" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/eveningdockside2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Our 34-foot Mainship takes almost as much maintenance as a house, without the lawn.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Attractive.</b></span> We like our vessel to look good on the water, and at the dock. That means stowing away anything that's superfluous. Does your home look as good as it can from the curb? Do you need to stow some of your gear off-site? <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/dinnerwithcrabnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="446" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/dinnerwithcrabnet.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>You don't need to set the table, but a home on the market should look comfy and friendly. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Comfortable.</b></span> Does the first room house hunters see when entering your home say, "Welcome aboard?" Does the living room appear comfortable and <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2010/12/furniture-that-makes-rooms-look-larger.html">spacious</a>? Or does it feel crowded? Remove a chair or end table, and see how it feels. Is the purpose of the room clear, or is it adrift? <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/showercurtainagain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/showercurtainagain.jpg" width="468" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I made a shower curtain in the colors I chose for the boat, blues and creamy white.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Color Coordinated.</b></span> Forget "pops of color" and go for a seamless color scheme that makes your whole home flow. Choose colors that aren't dark or vibrant, colors anyone could love. Forget your personal favorites, and limit yourself to neutral and classic combinations that anchor the decor. <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/headcurtain1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/headcurtain1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Where the port holes are, I sewed curtains for privacy. But they let plenty of light shine through.  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Well Lighted.</b></span> A boat can be dark and dreary below decks, or filled with natural light. I vote for white curtains and drapes. They bring in more light and increase the apparent size of spaces. Supplement your own portholes (which are actually called portlights in nautical jargon) with lamps and overhead lights that show off your property. Buyers equate light with clean, new, and happy.  <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/dishes9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/dishes9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I love my galley. Nothing is complicated or awkward. I stocked it with blue and white ware.  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Organized.</b></span> Buyers will look into closets and cabinets. Give them the idea that everything has a place, and there is plenty of storage space. I recently blogged about <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/07/eight-thrifty-ideas-to-help-you-stage.html">staging closets</a>. Boaters learn to make do with simple things because there is never extra space. You can do the same. Overhaul, and simplify!   <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/tray2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/tray2-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>My nautically themed tray exemplifies how local color, or specialness, can be part of decor.  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Localized.</b></span> That's the word I choose to use to describe the message a home should give to buyers. Does your home show off what's unique about its location? I've blogged <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/02/if-youve-got-location-flaunt-it-heres.html">here</a> about how to emphasize the specialness of your home town or your part of the country. What's characteristic of your port of call? <br /><br /><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://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/clock3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/clock3.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Our ship's clock isn't exactly an antique. Close enough. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Antiqued.</b></span> I'm going to coin another word, one that means using antiques to make a statement in a home. Someone once said that antiques smell like money. Whatever. You want what antiques add to a home -- some age, some class, some sense of history, some softness. Find some accessories with patina and charm to fit into your decorating, even if everything in your home is new. Especially if everything is new.  <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Refreshed. </b></span>The smell of fresh paint is like buyer-bait. It lures house hunters. They trust that the home is well-taken care.<br /><br />New carpet and paint are sure signs that a home has been refreshed.You needn't go overboard with renovations, but I never heard anyone say, "Boy, am I excited about that carpet allowance!" Do the work that any landlubber is going to swoon over. <br /><br />Anyone that boards our boat senses immediately that we love it. We keep it clean, organized, repaired, fresh, and decorated with care. Does your house show that it is well-loved?<br /><br />Boaters like to say that the happiest days of their lives are the day they buy a boat and the day they sell one. I hope you'll be able to celebrate a happy day soon.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Smooth Sailing!</span></b> If you want more tips on staging your home for the real estate market, 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>, is the answer. You can download it now, and start staging your own property today.

A Well-Staged Home Is Like a ...

A mermaid swims on a string over my bunk. I know that there will always be another woman in Mr. Lucky's life. It's always been that way.Even though he visits his current love almost every day, showering her with attention and buying her expensive gifts, I'm not jealous.Heck, I'm partly responsible f…

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Make Your Home a Gnome-Free Zone

<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;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1-Gnomes_zpsd2740150.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/1-Gnomes_zpsd2740150.jpg" width="352" /></a></div>Is your yard home to families of little gnomes made of resin, colorful crops of concrete mushrooms, or flocks of plastic flamingos?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Worse yet, have you decorated your flower bed with a two-foot tall, plywood cut-out of a woman bending over to reveal her polka dot bloomers? </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">If you answered yes, you are guilty of displaying slob art. Slob Art is art designed to impress, but ironically has the opposite effect. <br /><br />Slob Art can also be chosen to flaunt one's person artistic preferences in the face of what is generally considered good taste.  <br /><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It was Jean Shepard who coined the phrase Slob Art. Jean Shepherd is the man who wrote the story that became the classic movie, A Christmas Story. He has always been one of my favorite humorists. I can’t imagine anyone not being delighted with his tales of small town, American 1940’s life, peopled with the likes of Flick, Schwartz, Scut Farcus, and his own semi-autobiographical self, Shep.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://img.ehowcdn.com/article-page-main/ehow/images/a04/9q/4v/make-drink-holders-from-flamingo-800x800.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="391" src="http://img.ehowcdn.com/article-page-main/ehow/images/a04/9q/4v/make-drink-holders-from-flamingo-800x800.jpg" width="400" /></a>Shepherd loved to poke fun of middle class tastes. Think of that lamp "my old man" wins in the movie – the leg covered in fish net stockings topped with a fringed lamp shade.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Tacky lawn art is fun and campy in a tongue-in-cheek way. But everyone's taste is different, so it's probably time to pack up your cute garden signs, concrete jockeys, and other personal decorations, once your home is for sale. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Don't get me started on toilets recycled as planters.   </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">If your home is on the market, look closely at what distractions are part of your curb appeal. One birdbath is probably all you'll need for lawn art. The focus should be on the front door, and the message should be, “Come in. Normal people live here.”<br /><br />If you need more clarification (and entertainment) about Slob Art, here is Jean Shepherd's narrative: </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oQLg3rcV-Is?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div>

Make Your Home a Gnome-Free Zone

Is your yard home to families of little gnomes made of resin, colorful crops of concrete mushrooms, or flocks of plastic flamingos?Worse yet, have you decorated your flower bed with a two-foot tall, plywood cut-out of a woman bending over to reveal her polka dot bloomers? If you answered yes, you a…

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Flipping a House? Here's the Good News and the Bad News

<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/_92p7G3ndL9g/S37YqeJ06uI/AAAAAAAAA14/_UmSMacgtC8/s400/white+couch+apt+therapy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_92p7G3ndL9g/S37YqeJ06uI/AAAAAAAAA14/_UmSMacgtC8/s400/white+couch+apt+therapy.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An empty home is easier to keep clean. </i><i>Aptartment Therapy</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>If you are staging a home to flip it, chances are that the <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/02/stategies-for-staging-vacant-house.html">property is vacant</a>. When no one lives in a house for sale, the situation can work for and against you.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Advantages of Unoccupied Property</b></span><br /><ul><li>No one is messing up the place on a daily basis. There's no cooking, sleeping, showering, coming and going, or hanging out. The house stays clean, except for whatever dirt a house tour creates, and some dust, fingerprints, or cobwebs. </li></ul><ul><li>Scheduling a showing is easy. There's no <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-you-have-pre-showing-checklist.html">last minute checklist</a> to go over, no <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2010/08/what-to-do-with-your-pet.html">pets</a> to ferry around the neighborhood in the family car, no fluffing pillows, polishing faucets, and stashing the toiletries.</li></ul><ul><li>Staging can be done with an eye towards maximizing aesthetics. Since the model home look isn't the way most people actually live, you're free to concentrate on pretty first and practical second. Within reason.  </li></ul><br /> <b><span style="font-size: large;">The Disadvantages of Unoccupied Property</span></b><br /><ul><li>You'll need to find ways to furnish the home and still stay within budget. Renting furniture can get expensive, and buying furniture is impractical as well.   </li><li>can be problems.</li><li>Break-ins and vandalism can be a problem. </li><li>The home can have a sterile and empty feeling, an extra challenge to your staging skills.</li><li>You're never sure if the property is show-ready. The last home tour may have left pillows scrunched, toilet seats up, dirty footprints through the living room, rugs wrinkled, glass doors smeared with hand prints, bulbs burned out, and cabinet doors open wide. You can't expect a realtor to be your tidy-up person. </li><li>Landscaping can get messy if you don't have a routine system -- either yourself or a lawn service -- to take care of the home's exterior.</li><li>Utilities need to be kept up, which adds to the ongoing costs of maintaining the property until it sells. Electricity is a must for showing a home. Running water and some degree of heating and cooling are usually a necessity as well.    </li></ul><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/coraldoor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/coraldoor.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Does your front door look inviting? Does it look like someone lives there, even if no one does? </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>When I began this blog, Mr. Lucky and I had just decided to purchase another home for the purpose of fixing and selling it for a profit. We worked on the property for six weeks, staged it to look lived-in, turned it over to a realtor, and sold it in 145 days.<br /><br />Flipping a home isn't always profitable. When we first <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8919423189147062938#editor/target=post;postID=6032851303183343277">considered buying the property</a>, we had to determine what we could do and what we would pay others to do. Then, we <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2010/02/wearing-down-our-pencils.html">did our homework</a> to calculate if our time and efforts would be well spent. Like any business, there are risks, and your job is to minimize them. <br /><br />I hope these links to previous posts can help you when you are flipping a house. For more advice on putting a home on the market, 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> You'll be able to minimize those risks.<i><br /></i><br /> 

Flipping a House? Here's the Good News and the Bad News

An empty home is easier to keep clean. Aptartment TherapyIf you are staging a home to flip it, chances are that the property is vacant. When no one lives in a house for sale, the situation can work for and against you.The Advantages of Unoccupied PropertyNo one is messing up the place on a daily bas…

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How I Would Run My Own Television Show

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.earlymoments.com/upload/EarlyMoments/drseuss/if-i-ran-the-zoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.earlymoments.com/upload/EarlyMoments/drseuss/if-i-ran-the-zoo.jpg" width="341" /></a></div>Today the new season of Design Star begins on HGTV. I haven't decided if I will follow it. I've almost stopped watching the home rehab and staging shows on television.<br /><br />It's all about my sanity. I need to preserve what's left of it, and I have too many opinions that get in the way of my just sitting back and enjoying the mayhem.<br /><br />Mayhem it is. As I mentioned two weeks ago, my daughter and her husband were one of the couples who had a <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/06/ceiling-fans-good-or-bad-for-bedroom.html">room makeover on TLC's Trading Spaces</a>. So, I got to see the absurdity behind the scenes. The guests are encouraged to get a little zany and emotional. Worker bees do the details that designers get credit for. Workmanship is shoddy.  <br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">To be honest, I am posting this to rant. But at the same time, I hope I can point out some solutions to common remodeling misconceptions and mistakes. Mr. Lucky and I have worked over 20 years in the building trade, and rehabbed enough houses to have learned a few tricks. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I always joke, "I want a show of my own!" Here's what I would do if I won on Design Star. Which won't happen. I'm not weird enough, young enough, or good-looking enough.   </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">  </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hyped Schedule.</b></span> I wouldn't pretend that good work could be done in a rush. I know producers need to inject the drama that the work needs to be finished for the open house that's just a day away. But, seriously? I would tell my viewers to make a realistic schedule and to be flexible. But that doesn't make an exciting format. This is only one reason I don't have a show!</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><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/blueoverallsladder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/blueoverallsladder.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>My reality tv calls for gloves and a hat. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Wacky Outfits.</span></b> I would wear clothes that are appropriate to the tasks. Why are hosts wearing high heels when they replace light fixtures and hang draperies? Why are they painting walls in halter tops and flip flops? The answer is, of course, that it looks sexy. Well, there goes my contract, because I'd be wearing my paint-stained overalls, cotton work gloves, and clunky work shoes that protect my toes. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dramatic Demolition.</b></span> We've all seen it. The host hands the homeowner a sledgehammer and the "fun" starts. Wood cabinets that could be taken to <a href="http://www.habitat.org/restores/default.aspx?tgs=Ny8xMS8yMDExIDEwOjA0OjE1IEFN">ReStore</a> or elsewhere, get smashed to splinters and hauled to the dumpster. It's just too boring to remove things with a pry bar.  On my show, we'd recycle as much as practical.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Carpet Craziness. </b></span>It's also very dramatic to show hunky carpenters rolling up an entire room of carpeting in one piece. On my show, the hunky carpenter (my co-host) would use a utility knife to slice the carpet and padding into 3- or 4-foot wide strips. It's a whole lot easier to roll these and carry them out. One person can do it alone, and the woodwork doesn't get scratched from that stiff carpet backing. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Goofy Painting.</b></span> Since I paint for a living, I'm especially opinionated about painting techniques. On my show, my hunky assistants and I would always cut in before we roll walls. We'd use a 5-gallon bucket and a grid instead of a dippy little roller pan. We'd use a handle on the roller so our wrists wouldn't take the abuse, and we so we could paint comfortably all day. We'd use a two-step ladder to minimize stretching and over-reaching.   <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Phony Budgets.</b></span> On my show, I'd be realistic about what the materials honestly, actually cost. Retail. And I'd elaborate on what labor would cost if you had to pay for all the electricians, plumbers, drywall guys, landscapers, tile layers, painters, and carpenters.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shoddy Materials. </b><span style="font-size: small;">Okay, I've been known to make furniture out of paper mache, <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/05/make-your-own-decorative-vases-for-free.html">cover oatmeal boxes with wallpaper</a>, glue ribbon onto beach mats for <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2010/12/diy-no-sew-cafe-curtains.html">no-sew curtains</a>, and <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/06/99-centtray-makeover.html">cover a plastic serving tray with an old map</a>, but on my show, I'd never throw a yard of muslin over a curtain rod and call it a valance. I wouldn't bring in a bunch of Walmart metal-leg furniture and call it luxurious. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Your Turn.</b></span> Do you have some pet peeves that make you want to scream when you're watching the home makeover shows? What will your show be like when <i>you</i> win on Design Star?</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Are you staging a home for sale? 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> I won't send you down a primrose path. I know the realities of selling a home.  </span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://hgtv.sndimg.com/HGTV/2011/06/01/HSTAR6_Designer-Group-Shot_s4x3_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://hgtv.sndimg.com/HGTV/2011/06/01/HSTAR6_Designer-Group-Shot_s4x3_lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">  <i>I need some high heeled sneakers and cosmetic surgery to join the group! How about you? </i></div>

How I Would Run My Own Television Show

Today the new season of Design Star begins on HGTV. I haven't decided if I will follow it. I've almost stopped watching the home rehab and staging shows on television.It's all about my sanity. I need to preserve what's left of it, and I have too many opinions that get in the way of my just sitting b…

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Make Your Closets Memorable to Buyers with These Custom Hangers

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8486.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/IMG_8486.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>Closets are so important to home buyers that you can't ignore them if you're serious about selling your home. You've heard all the basics -- <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2010/10/tips-for-cleaning-and-organizing-closet.html">declutter them, clean them, organize them.</a><br /><br />How about making them look so stinkin' pretty, that buyers want to just move in? <br /><br />I know padded hangers conjure up images of pink crocheted covers for sale at the annual church bazaar. But hear me out!<br /><br />I'm talking about some padded hangers you make from remnants and scraps of funky fabrics. These fabrics could be designer samples you've purchased from the fabric store's discount bin. Or leftovers from sewing projects you finished. Or didn't finish. They could even be a skirt or shirt or pillowcase you want to recycle.<br /><br />These hangers will surely jazz up that tidy closet of yours, making your home the one buyers remember when they go home to compare notes after a day of home tours.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Find a Fun Fabric.</b></span> Here's a chance to inject something trendy, or something extra girly or masculine. Or just colorful. You need less than 1/4 yard for each hanger. A remnant as small as 24 inches by 7 inches will usually do.<br /><br />As for the hangers, I often find these wooden hangers at second hand stores. Or you may already have some. It seems like fancier hangers have replaced this simple style, but 10-inch long ones can be purchased as <a href="http://www.onlyhangers.com/Prod-31-1-33-25/Natural_10_Top_Hanger.htm">children's hangers</a>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/bluegeo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/bluegeo2.jpg" width="358" /></a></div><br />The hanger I used for my tutorial was about 17 inches long. But I have made smaller ones that look pretty in a closet or even hung in a bedroom, bathroom, guest room, coat closet, or laundry room.<br /><br />You may leave these hangers empty, or actually use them. You can hang mundane things like tank tops, or lovely little things like lingerie.<br /><br />They are ideal for staging an empty closet, where you might want to accompany them with other props like staged shopping bags from status stores on a high shelf, or pretty hat boxes that hold mysterious treasure (or nothing!). <br /><br />You can also use these hangers as a discrete way to add fragrance to a closet. Add fragrant herbs like lavender or rose petals to the filling or tied to the hook as a sachet.<br /><br />They also make fabulous gifts for the person who has everything. And the best part is that they are made practically from cast-offs. <br /><br />Quilters can use a "fat quarter" to make these  padded coat hangers. I've made covers from dish towels, silk scarves, and even a silk necktie.  <br /><br />I use plastic grocery-store bags for stuffing, but most crafters like to use cotton batting or polyester filling, the kind used for stuffing pillows or for quilting. Your choice. I always take the frugal, up-cycle route.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Here Are the Directions. </b></span>Lay your fabric out on a flat surface, and place your hanger on it to judge the lengths of fabric you need to cut. You'll be cutting one piece to cover the top of the hanger, and one for the bottom. The top piece gathers, so it needs to be longer.<br /><br />I like to allow at least 4 inches on either side of the hanger's end, but 3 1/2 inches will do. The bottom piece of fabric needs to be an inch longer on each end, to allow for seam allowances. <br /><br />Both top and bottom pieces should measure 3 1/2 inches wide. The photo says it all. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8446.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I chose scraps from a bed sheet that I had already cut up to make a round tablecloth.    </i></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8454.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>After cutting the strips, cut each one in half so you'll be able to slide them over the padding.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8456.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Run a row of basting stitches along both edges of the longer strips. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8462.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8462.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Gather the stitches so the longer strips are the same length as the shorter ones.  </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8466-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8466-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Pin and then stitch the top and bottom pieces together, leaving one end open on each set, </i><br /><i>and the other end rounded.  </i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8468.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>This is how the rounded end looks. You can remove the basting stitches now.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>  </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8474.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Wrap the wooden hanger with three plastic grocery bags. Make sure the end </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>of the hanger is well-padded and smooth.  And, yes, I know this looks obscene. </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_8476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8476.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>Turn the stitched covers inside out, and slide one over the padding. Is this any less pornographic? </i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8478.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Slide the second half of the cover onto the hanger, and stitch the two together.  </i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8480.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>Add a bow to cover the hand-stitched seam and to decorate your padded hanger. </i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8424.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A set of padded hangers like this made from a sheer fabric over cotton batting would make an ideal wedding shower or baby shower gift. </i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8419.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tulle makes an easy decoration for padded hangers. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/silk4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/silk4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>  </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Here is the hanger I made from a men's silk tie. I can visualize this in Don Draper's closet! </i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8440.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Remember to leave some space in your closets. Space for the imagination of buyers. </i></div><br />If you want to learn more decorating and staging tips, you can find them in 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>. I give advice on closet cleaning, closet organizing, and closet staging as well as advice on staging every room of your home. <br /><br />You can receive a tip of the day about home staging when you join my Facebook Group. Just click on the Facebook button in the sidebar. This week I'll be giving tips all about staging closets.<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>

Make Your Closets Memorable to Buyers with These Custom Hangers

Closets are so important to home buyers that you can't ignore them if you're serious about selling your home. You've heard all the basics -- declutter them, clean them, organize them.How about making them look so stinkin' pretty, that buyers want to just move in? I know padded hangers conjure up ima…

Read more »