Year in Review: Helping You Look Ahead

Now that all the ho-ho-hoing is behind us, it's time to jump into 2014 with fresh goals and sweet expectations. A popular inspirational quote on Pinterest now advises: "Don't follow your dreams, chase them!"  Maybe you have dreams of selling your home. <br /><br /><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/1-1-P1040264_zpsdc1f0bf2.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/1-1-P1040264_zpsdc1f0bf2.jpg" width="347" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">My blog is supposed to help you stage your home.<br />It's 2014. How am I doing?  </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>With that possibility in mind, I've gathered the posts from this blog that more people read in 2013, the posts they liked and shared on Facebook, commented on, and pinned on Pinterest.<br /><br />To this list, I've added the posts I personally think will help you the most when you are staging a home for sale. <br /><br />To kick things off, in January I blogged about assessing your own staging efforts. Most people have difficulty judging their own work. I devised a simple test to see if your <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/01/can-your-home-pass-this-staging-quiz.html" target="_blank">home staging tricks</a> are all that they can be. Just answer the questions and you'll know if what you've done to get your home sold is on track.<br /><br />Some readers and Facebook friends told me I was giving away too many secrets when I wrote about the pros and cons of tackling DIY staging, but I like readers to make their own choices. Here's what to read if you are wondering if you should <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/03/should-you-stage-your-own-home-or-hire.html" target="_blank">stage your own home or hire a stager</a>.<br /><br />In May I waxed all nostalgic about my love affair with porches. Porches add value to a home, but even if your house doesn't have a real porch, decks and patios can be just as charming to buyers. Learn how to stage a front porch and your curb appeal can skyrocket. <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/05/best-tips-for-staging-your-porch.html" target="_blank">Stage any porch</a> and you've added usable square footage to your home.   <br /><br />I recently viewed a home and was asked what to change about the decor. The single mistake that stood out was a lack of pattern. All walls, all draperies, all upholstery and all flooring were solid colors. If you are afraid of adding pattern, you need to get over it! Please read this post to learn <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/08/how-to-make-patterns-work-for-your-home.html" target="_blank">how to mix patterns.</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://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/decorpadtwinbeds_zps2aee0b27.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/decorpadtwinbeds_zps2aee0b27.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Bedroom and living room furniture define the lifestyle a home portrays. Find out why<br />mid century modern furniture is ideal for staging. Photo: Bryght Modern Furniture.    </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Since I think <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/03/what-you-should-know-about-mid-century.html" target="_blank">mid century modern furniture</a> is beautiful, I'm glad many readers agreed. You don't need to live in a 1950's ranch house to make the most of this style's clean lines and classic textiles. Discover all the reasons why MCM designs are safe choices for effective home staging. <br /><br />Who doesn't love a makeover? I kept the chair my friend Rhys wanted to throw out because I knew I wanted to experiment with painting fabric. It was one DIY project that received a good number of Pins, and a makeover I really had some fun with. Go visit my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-beautify-ugly-microfiber-chair.html" target="_blank">microfiber chair repaint</a>.<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/1-P1040958_zps586f18af.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/1-P1040958_zps586f18af.jpg" width="324" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">My husband is a rock star to my mind. <br />He taught me all his professional <br />painting secrets. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>But this tutorial on <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/04/diy-project-overhead-garage-door-re.html" target="_blank">painting an overhead garage door</a> received even more views and Pins. If you are not a blogger yourself, you may not realize all the planning and details that go into making a good tutorial. When someone else is doing the work -- my own Mr. Lucky in this case -- and I am the photographer and note-taker, a tutorial is a whole lot easier to put together.<br /><br />I wrote a few posts about <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/09/five-rules-for-staging-mantel.html" target="_blank">how to stage a mantel</a>, but this one seems to have the best advice, all in a nutshell. Learning how to put together a pretty mantel is an excellent exercise to hone your skills for tablescaping and accessorizing any room. The same rules apply. Check 'em out.<br /><br />People who know me know I am happiest when I'm fooling around with plants. Whether you are a gardener or not, your home will benefit from a few strategically placed potted plants. Here's the skinny on <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/06/quick-and-dirty-tips-for-plant.html" target="_blank">how to choose containers for container plants. </a><br /><br />It's common knowledge that <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/08/dont-be-tv-diva-when-you-paint-walls.html" target="_blank">painting a room</a> is one of the best ways to spend time and money when you're selling a house. As a professional housepainter, it drives me a little batsy to see people do it wrong, wasting energy or getting poor results. Please don't let that be you. Do yourself a favor and follow my simple room-painting pointers.<br /><br />Those are my Top Ten. If putting your home on the market is part of the plans you have for 2014, I sincerely hope that these posts and my blog and <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook</a>s help you reach your goals.<br /><br />I am looking forward to an exciting year ahead as my blog continues to grow, thanks to readers like you. I value each one of you, and hope you'll continue following my home staging adventures in the coming months. I have so many ideas and projects to share with you!<br /><br /><br />

Year in Review: Helping You Look Ahead

Now that all the ho-ho-hoing is behind us, it's time to jump into 2014 with fresh goals and sweet expectations. A popular inspirational ...

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Why I Blog

<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/1-P1050118_zps48cacea4.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/1-P1050118_zps48cacea4.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">I love what I do. DIY home improvement <br />and blogging are more than hobbies to me. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />“You have me mixed up with someone else.” <br /><br />That’s what I would have said if you told me four years ago that I would be writing a blog and books.<br /><br />Three years and 254 blog posts later, I think of myself as a blogger who publishes her own eBooks. I love researching home décor topics, drafting and editing my blog posts, interacting with my readers, creating unique DIY projects for home staging, and photographing whatever I think will interest people staging their own homes.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">This whole blogging idea wasn’t my own. It was my adult daughter who suggested it. “Mom,” she said, “You really ought to write a book about home staging. I’ll help you get a blog up and running to sell it.” It sounded so simple. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I did not know blogging would grow to consume so much of my attention and time. Any blogger knows what I am talking about. Most bloggers work hard. The truth about blogging is that, as my hairstylist from years ago, Mister Charles, told me about my hair, “Honey, the more attention you give it, the better it’s going to look.” Life lesson.  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">My daughter knows me well. She knew I would embrace the challenge of self-imposed deadlines, and of creating original copy and images. She knew how I always loved making a home more livable, more beautiful. Every house we lived in was always being re-arranged and tweaked. On a shoestring. When I began investing in real estate, she watched how I turned properties no one else wanted into hot sellers. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I always looked forward to the next flip. And I always made money. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Writing the eBooks—<a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your HomeFast and for Top Dollar and No Sew Curtains and Draperies to Stage Your Home</a>—was fun. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><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/P1050155_zps6402554a.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/P1050155_zps6402554a.jpg" width="444" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">I'm always on the lookout for ideas that will work for sellers.  </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The way that hard work is fun. Although I had plenty of my own ideas, I also researched what home stagers, designers, decorators, color consultants, organizers, and remodelers had taught, and I put a more practical spin on all of that.<br /><br />I added what I had learned in the construction industry, in the real estate field, in advertising and magazine editing, and in a lifetime of crafting, decorating, painting, gardening, and sewing. I didn’t pick this stuff up in a weekend seminar or online course.  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Talk about life lessons! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">My home staging book isn’t a glossy, full color, hardcover book of eye candy. It’s an eBook, so that means you can access it immediately as soon as you download it. You can read it on your computer.<br /><br />You don’t need a Kindle or a tablet. You can print it if you wish, but it is over 150 pages, so you probably won’t.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">My book is nuts and bolts advice. Maybe some of it will be familiar to you. I give you all the professional shortcuts to effective cleaning and organizing. I give you foolproof formulas for furniture arrangements. I give you ideas for filling wall space, making no-sew pillows, and creating the features that buyers want and need, that unlock your home’s hidden assets, no matter what your budget or decorating skills.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">All for just $5!  That’s the price of each eBook. Talk about return on your investment! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And for the record, I don’t ask you to buy power tools or have exceptional DIY experience. I don’t send you to Target and IKEA with a long shopping list of cute and trendy accessories. What I do give you is tips you don’t find elsewhere.  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Maybe you don’t need to read the pointers on hosting a profitable garage sale. Maybe you don’t need to know tips for selling an historic home, a mobile home, or a home on the water. Well, you can just skip those sections. The table of contents is hyperlinked to every section; jumping around in this book is easy!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Here's What Others Have Told Me</span></b><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: lime;">"Just wanted you to know that we sold after 12 days on the market. Buyers wanted our house so much they didn’t quibble about the price or terms. What a blessing and a big relief. Thank you for putting us 'in the driver’s seat.'" – Harvey and Alicia B.</span><span style="color: purple;"></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="color: purple;">"I’m so glad I went ahead and downloaded your book. Thanks for making the advice you give so clear and well organized.  No wasted words or self-promotion! Love that!"  -- Katherine  S.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="color: #0c343d;">"I thought I knew how to stage my home because I’d watched enough HGTV. LOL. But I ordered the books anyway, because I like what I’ve read on your blog. I have to say, the book’s opened my eyes to what can be done without wasting money. These are really great ideas, ones that are practical and frugal instead of pie in the sky. I can’t hire a team of workers to stage my home. But now I know how to do it myself!" -- Paige Marie A.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: purple;">"Barbara, I used your No Sew Window Treatment Book to make window coverings in three bedrooms, and everyone is really impressed with the difference they make, especially my realtor.  These rooms needed draperies bad, but I didn’t have money for anything fancy. I followed your directions for using fleece to make ones that looked full and luxurious. I didn't spend much money or time!  I’m delighted.  Thank you, thank you!" -- Kim G.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #660000;">"I’ve just done a quick look though the book I ordered, and I can see that I’ll be picking up new ideas on every page... just the kinds of things I can handle on my own to make my home show better… Now, I have a new boost of confidence that I’ll be able to get the price I want!" -- Andrea K.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: red;">"My house sold the first month it was on the market, and similar homes are not selling. I didn’t underprice. What made the difference were the simple changes I made after reading your book – arranging furniture, choosing paint colors, what to hide, what to show off, cheap decor, and too many other small tips that put the house over the top. Buyers were SO happy to have found a move-in ready property." – Shelly L.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #38761d;">"Congrats to you on a successful staging book. I read it cover to cover and learned all I needed to know to transform my condo into something sale-able!  I made more money that I ever made." -- Samuel G.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: blue;">"…Should be required reading for all home sellers. I recommend it to all my (real estate) clients. Makes my job so much easier." Kelly M. </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #222222;">"I was near foreclosure on my townhouse. I was desperate. I didn’t have a staging budget which I was told was needed if I wanted to get out and not lose my shirt. The $5 I spent on this staging book saved me hundreds if not thousands of dollars. I was able to make improvements using your techniques (and I am not a handy or crafty person!) Happy ending, I got a purchase offer at the first open house and we close in three weeks. I can pay off my mortgage and have the money I wanted to move."  – Ari K.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: purple;">"As a real estate broker, I won’t work with a seller who doesn’t buy your DIY home staging book. It fills a real need. I applaud your efforts, and I have seen the results!"  -- Charles P.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: lime;">"I’ve been reading your blog in preparation for selling our home. It’s been an education for me because I’ve never sold a home before. My husband helped me get our house ready to sell, and sell it did after just three weeks. It looked awesome after following your rules. We hated to move, but we now have the money to buy our dream home."  – Crystal and Allen H.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: red;">"I’d recommend your staging book to anyone trying to sell a home. Competition is tough, especially in our area, so we knew we had to outshine the comps…Your book showed us how, and we were able to do it on a tight budget. We were able to put the profits toward fixing our new home the way we want it. We’re even using some of the same ideas there, too!" -- Libby </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="color: #0c343d;">"My home was on the market for seven months without an offer. When I bought your book I found out there were plenty of small things I could do to improve things, just little things that were keeping my house from standing out. I made changes in each room. I painted my front door and updated the bedding. I rearranged some furniture. I boxed some things for storage.  I was able to sell two weeks after I finished staging according to your suggestions. You should charge more than $5!"   A.M.J.</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #20124d;">"I hate to move from my house now that it looks so nice! It's gorgeous, thanks to your book. We are closing next week." -- Melinda   </span></blockquote><div style="background: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">You Could Be Next </span></b></div><br />I am so confident that my eBooks will give you so much understanding of what motivates buyers that I promise to give your money back if you are not happy. Three years and thousands of copies later, no one has asked for a refund.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/barbara_pilcher_home_staging_exp-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/barbara_pilcher_home_staging_exp-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Blogging is a creative challenge, but that's what I  enjoy most about it. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The quotes above are from actual emails when readers took the trouble to write and tell me how much they appreciated the eBooks. They love to tell me when a home is sold!  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Would you like to be signing that purchase offer on your house soon? Would you like to relax, knowing that a buyer has fallen in love with your home? That you can move on to the next chapter of your life? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I know what it’s like to wait for an offer, and I know that if you’ve staged your home with confidence, knowing that your home is all that it can be in a competitive market, the wait is easier. And the sale comes faster! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">You could even leave the closing table with money in your pocket, because the right kind of staging is both frugal and profitable. You home will sell for more money than your competition that isn't staged. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Think about it: every home is already staged, whether it’s intentional or not. If your intent is to sell your home and to stage it yourself, you need my eBook. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I love to text my daughter every time I sell another eBook. She knows how proud I am of both my eBooks. Almost as proud as I am of her. Okay, that’s an exaggeration. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Go <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">here</a> now to instantly download both of my books. And let me know when you sell your home, so I can add my personal congratulations to you on a job well done. That’s why I blog, for you and for myself.<br /></div>

Why I Blog

I love what I do. DIY home improvement and blogging are more than hobbies to me.  “You have me mixed up with someone else.”  That’s what I w...

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Roundup of my Favorite 2012 Posts

<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/Doubledecordoor_zpsa2aef862.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/Doubledecordoor_zpsa2aef862.jpg" width="484" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A front door in Charleston, South Carolina, welcomes the new year. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I chose to feature these posts based on how helpful they would be to you if you have a home for sale. Is that you?<br /><br />Let's start with getting it organized. In January I wrote about the dozen rules that help <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/01/dozen-rules-for-organizing-your-home.html" target="_blank">organize your home.</a><br /><br />In February, just in time for Valentine's Day, the blog featured a post on capturing the hearts of buyers -- <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-get-buyers-to-fall-in-love-with.html" target="_blank">how to win buyers</a>, seduce them, appeal to their senses, and not let them forget you.<br /><br />One of my March posts had to do with window treatments -- <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/03/listen-up-its-easy-to-make-no-sew.html" target="_blank">curtains and drapes that require no sewing, all designed especially for home staging</a>. I wrote a $5 eBook of 15 tutorials for No-Sew Window Treatments. Why let your windows go bare when it's time to stage, and why give your valuable window coverings away to the buyer?<br /><br />During the following month, April, I wrote about the most important <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/04/home-improvements-that-deliver-most.html" target="_blank">things you can do to help sell your home</a>. This story is packed with helpful statistics, experts' advice, and shortcuts. You're bound to get some new ideas for simple home improvements.<br /><br />Since I get more questions about furniture arrangement than any other topic,  May's winning piece has to be Handy Formulas that Make <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/05/handy-formulas-that-make-diy-home.html" target="_blank">DIY Home Staging</a> Easy. You'll find measurements, ratios, formulas and other space and sizing tips to make rooms look and feel more comfortable. Bookmark it!<br /><br /><a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/06/painting-furniture-dont-make-these.html" target="_blank">Painting furniture</a> is another hot button topic around here. I collected my favorite tips in a post for one week in June, and I concentrated on the most common mistakes made when DIYers paint furniture. I'm a professional painter, so I gave you all the insider secrets to get the job done quickly but expertly. The <a href="http://www.thediyadventures.com/2012/12/13/diy-basics-painting-furniture/" target="_blank">DIY Adventurers Blog</a> liked this post so much they featured it on their site.<br /><br />Although it may not be an option for you, many people are considering the pros and cons of <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-pros-and-cons-of-renting-your-home.html" target="_blank">renting their homes until they can sell</a> them. I researched and opined about this topic in July. There's lots to weigh before making a decision.<br /><br />I could have called my August article, The Five Tricks Professional Stagers Use, something like <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/08/five-tricks-professional-stagers-use.html" target="_blank">All You Really Need to Do to Sell You Home</a>. It's that succinct and helpful.<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://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2011/07/08/4c49a0629e47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" src="http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2011/07/08/4c49a0629e47.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The white-on-white color scheme, done by Sarah Richardson. One blog post I didn't feature <br />here but that I suspect may help many DIY stagers decide on <br />paint colors, is <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-all-white-color-palette-is-it.html" target="_blank">my advice on an all-white color palette.</a> </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In September, I attacked another common problem -- mantel staging, and I listed my smartest steps for <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-abcs-of-staging-seasonal-mantel.html" target="_blank">staging a mantel </a>that actually helps sell your home.<br /><br />Does your home have some Wow Factors? That's the question I asked in an October post. Wondering <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/10/does-your-home-have-some-wow-factors.html" target="_blank">what wow factors are</a> and which ones might be do-able for your home, your market and your budget? See my advice and illustrations.<br /><br />My favorite post from November is called Ten Tips to Improve Your Autumn <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/11/ten-tips-to-improve-your-autumn-curb.html" target="_blank">Curb Appeal,</a> but no matter what the season, you'll find pointers here to improve the way your home looks all year long.<br /><br />This past month I concentrated on decorating and protecting your home for the holidays. I so enjoyed making the <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/12/this-seasons-darling-tabletop-christmas.html" target="_blank">tabletop Christmas trees</a> I wrote about, that I am going to call that one my favorite December post. In a home on the market that needs to look festive but not crowded, these adorable tabletop trees fill the bill.<br /><br />Is selling your home and moving on to your next adventure part of your plans for 2013? Then take a moment to 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>. It's over 150 pdf pages of illustrated tips and techniques, checklists and formulas, to take the work out of staging your own home. Kick off the New Year with staging that works! <br /><br /><br />

Roundup of my Favorite 2012 Posts

A front door in Charleston, South Carolina, welcomes the new year.  I chose to feature these posts based on how helpful they would be to you...

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News: This Blog Wins a Spot on the Top 100 List

<br /><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://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/2011/01/550_101414857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/2011/01/550_101414857.jpg" width="474" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Home Decorating and Staging, a site for DIY fanatics, writes about <br />easy ways to declutter, so you can end up with a look like this, <br />from Better Homes and Gardens.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Don’t you love receiving an email that starts out, “We are pleased to inform you …”<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I mean one that’s not from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nigeria</st1:country-region>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I won an award. An organization that’s a clearing house of information for people in the construction management field, named this blog one of the “Top 100 DIY Sites for Home Improvement Fanatics.” <br /><br />Fanatics? Whatever!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It's always a perk to be given some recognition, and in this case, especially so. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m very flattered, because it’s obvious that the association <a href="http://www.constructionmanagementdegree.com/top-100/" target="_blank">Construction Management Degree </a>did exhaustive research for the benefit of their readers. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Not only</span></b> does the published list name the best sites, but it also gives a brief profile of the 100 prize-winners. Some sites will be familiar, but many will be eye-opening ones new to you! You’ll find listed the specialty of each, the author, how to connect through social media, and links to two notable posts. Sweet! Someone did all your homework for you!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/Badge_ATop100DIYSite_small.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/Badge_ATop100DIYSite_small.png" width="301" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">The list is in no particular order, but there are six categories: general remodeling; interior decorating; kitchens and baths; office and work spaces; landscaping and exterior (where I ended up for some reason); and basements, storage and closets.  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What this means</span></b> to you is that by visiting Construction Management Degree.com you can jump to all kinds of really instructive and inspiring sites for DIY projects.  You’ll find nuts-and-bolts-type advice and money-saving tips.   </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The site is designed to guide people towards the best schools offering degrees in construction management. The database includes both campus colleges and online schools. The site also steers folks in the direction of forums, message boards, organizations, websites, and blogs packed with helpful info for anyone in the construction business. I know you’ll find something special that hits the proverbial nail on the proverbial head! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I love a website </span></b>that is loaded with links to fascinating sources, but is still easy to read and navigate. This one does just that. Whether you are a DIYer, a decorator, a renovator or remodeler, a builder or a homeseller, you're bound to found numerous links to bookmark.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Here is a typical blog post about <a href="http://www.home-decorating-and-staging.com/home-organization-tips-declutter-drawers.html" target="_blank">decluttering </a> from a site called Home Decorating and Staging. You'll discover a wealth of posts bound to educate you on Alex Hinst's site. </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Another site that site that stood out for me, about décor and remodeling, is this one about a <a href="http://www.diywithadd.com/2010/07/27/a-bathroom-love-affair/" target="_blank">bath makeover</a>. Plenty of inspiration and ideas on this site.<br /><br />You can easily jump to a video of Danny Lipford showing <a href="http://www.dannylipford.com/video/how-to-remove-mold-on-the-outside-of-a-house/" target="_blank">how to remove mold </a>from a home's exterior. Or learn how to <a href="http://www.ikeahackers.net/" target="_blank">turn affordable IKEA furniture into genuine home improvements </a>that look custom.<br /><br />I'm a big fan of Family Handyman, the magazine, and I'm not surprised that the website made the list. It's a goldmine of well-illustrated step-by-steps that walk you through projects like how to <a href="http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects/Indoor-Projects/Bathrooms/Bathroom-Remodeling/how-to-remodel-your-bathroom-without-destroying-it" target="_blank">remodel a bath on a shoestring</a>, and the right way to <a href="http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects/Lighting/Wall-Lights/how-to-add-a-light" target="_blank">add a wall sconce</a>.<br /><br />You can fill up on eye candy at <a href="http://www.mixandchic.com/" target="_blank">Mix and Chic</a>, learn what to plant where at <a href="http://www.finegardening.com/" target="_blank">Fine Gardening</a>, and research a host of DIY tutorials for stylish decor projects at <a href="http://www.thehouseofsmiths.com/" target="_blank">The House of Smiths.</a>  See, I've done even more of your homework for you!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">You don't have to</span></b> be a fanatic to have as much fun as I did learning about some new places to bring you up to speed on what’s new and clever in the world of DIY home improvement.<br /><br />And you don't have to be a fanatic to download your copy of 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>Just someone who wants to make a home more marketable.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">   </div>

News: This Blog Wins a Spot on the Top 100 List

Home Decorating and Staging, a site for DIY fanatics, writes about easy ways to declutter, so you can end up with a look like this, from Bet...

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Best Blog in a Supporting Role...And The Award Goes To...

<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://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/ca_powell-40_o1.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/homestaging/ca_powell-40_o1.jpg" width="264" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">You want to be friends with her.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>As soon as I heard the blog's title, I was intrigued. Who wouldn't be? And when I read <a href="http://usethegooddishes.blogspot.com/p/why-name-use-good-dishes.html">the story behind the title</a>, I was captivated. And in tears!<br /><br />Of all the blogs I read, <a href="http://usethegooddishes.blogspot.com/">Use the Good Dishes</a> is one of the few I jump right over to as soon as I see a new post. Why is that?<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Experience Counts.</span></b> Carol-Anne, the creator, is helpful. A voracious reader, an ambitious worker (she has three jobs), and a talented designer, she seems to be more than happy to pass along what she knows and what she's learning as she makes mistakes and shares her successes.<br /><br />She'll give you the details for instance, on how she <a href="http://usethegooddishes.blogspot.com/2011/08/just-call-me-furniture-whisperer.html">paints furniture</a>, <a href="http://usethegooddishes.blogspot.com/2012/01/brilliant-trick-i-think.html">revamps her office</a>, or <a href="http://usethegooddishes.blogspot.com/2011/03/power-of-flowers.html">stretches her budget for fresh flowers.</a> And that's just for starters. Check her archives!<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Honesty Rrefreshes</span></b>. Carol-Anne is candid. She never backs down from her true nature, no matter how revealing, embarrassing, or conventionally unflattering.<br /><br />She lets readers know what it's like to live with her <a href="http://usethegooddishes.blogspot.com/2011/07/serious-post-about-obsessive-compulsive.html">obsessive-compulsive disorder</a>, but never in a negative way. Instead, she channels her compulsion into organizing and redecorating.<br /><br />She humbly admits her own shortcomings, details her confusion about choosing a paint color or changing her curtains, and is brave enough to post photos of herself with a haircut gone wrong, or in a bathing suit (and looking good).<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Humor Entertains.</span></b> Carol-Anne is one of those people who sees the light side of everyday events.<br /><br />I always get a smile and some encouragement from the graphics she chooses. Here is an example:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://chrisabraham.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Rosie_The_Blogger1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://chrisabraham.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Rosie_The_Blogger1.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>Or this:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kIfobBrjzVE/TgsQAp7eE4I/AAAAAAAABHk/FbFM_FDAblk/s1600/31072498_JJA9nc8l_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kIfobBrjzVE/TgsQAp7eE4I/AAAAAAAABHk/FbFM_FDAblk/s320/31072498_JJA9nc8l_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />So, if you like being informed, refreshed, and entertained without a lot of gobbly gook to wade through, by a woman who hates doing laundry, can't sew, drinks wine daily, rearranges furniture almost as often, changes all her everyday dishware with the season, is a self-confessed craft-klutz, and never shies away from happy color combinations or gluing feathers on a lampshade, you'll probably love reading Use the Good Dishes as much as I do.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">FLATTERY GETS YOU SOMEWHERE</span></b>. Okay, the last reason I'm giving Carol-Anne my award for Best Blog in a Supporting Role is that she recently reviewed the <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">latest ebook I've written.</a> So, when you're at her blog, please read <a href="http://usethegooddishes.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-favourite-kind-of-window-treatments.html">her comments</a> about my <i>No-S</i><i>ew Window Treatments To Stage Your Home.</i>

Best Blog in a Supporting Role...And The Award Goes To...

You want to be friends with her. As soon as I heard the blog's title, I was intrigued. Who wouldn't be? And when I read the story be...

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