Homestaging Wall Art: It's Day 31!

<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDForv3e7z7JSkdKok8ONuUMfyOonsrBoElqY1iL5FHmKPfucvVqIEY6QsewumlQEB_X1AzRnukHU0HmEkFSfowKo6ObCcwOZqJjKUJbb76nhdd1-xHNXrFV3QGj1YRJk3n4NsPhfctk/s1600/1-P1100600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDForv3e7z7JSkdKok8ONuUMfyOonsrBoElqY1iL5FHmKPfucvVqIEY6QsewumlQEB_X1AzRnukHU0HmEkFSfowKo6ObCcwOZqJjKUJbb76nhdd1-xHNXrFV3QGj1YRJk3n4NsPhfctk/s1600/1-P1100600.JPG" width="318" /></a></div>A month doesn’t seem like a long time. But it is when you commit to doing something every one of those days, whether you want to or not.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I never ran a marathon, I’ve never been called an overachieving type A, and I’m about as competitive as a jellyfish, so pushing myself to create a new blog post for 31 consecutive days didn’t come naturally.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In one way I enjoyed the test to come up with fresh content under pressure. I was almost glad that the self-imposed deadlines came at me fast and furious.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">But I missed the satisfaction that I was posting the best tutorials, photos and writing that I could – if only I had more time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I’m Hanging It Up</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2014/10/what-i-learned-in-two-weeks.html" target="_blank">I learned a lot</a> by researching, dreaming, experimenting and writing about wall art for homestaging in the past month.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I hope you’ve learned along with me. I hope you’ve picked up some tips about decorating your walls.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Whether you are staging your own home, staging other people’s homes, or just having fun with art, I like to think I helped. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Everyone needs a creative outlet. Blogging is mine. Maybe you’ll find a new creative outlet or art form in the tutorials I’ve posted.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Here’s my summary of what an effective home stager should know when choosing wall art.</div><ul><li>Art for staging should never be offensive or controversial</li><li>Big is best.</li><li>There are economical and easy ways to create your own art.</li><li>A variety of media are suitable for staging art -- paintings, textiles, collages, photos and combinations of these forms.</li><li>Framing and matting can make all the difference.</li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">As your high school teacher might have said, “If you forget everything else I’ve said this semester, remember those points.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Be sure to download my $5 <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBooks for home staging</a>. You’ll find more ways to increase the value of your home.<br /><br /></div>

Homestaging Wall Art: It's Day 31!

A month doesn’t seem like a long time. But it is when you commit to doing something every one of those days, whether you want to or not. I n...

Read more »

How to Stay Motivated and Accomplish More

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/backyardwtext.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/backyardwtext.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->Lately I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by too many details and too many unfinished projects. I love being busy, but sometimes busy becomes crazy. <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Sound familiar? You too?</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I knew I had to stop, get a better grip on things, and move ahead. so I revisited what has worked for me in the past, and what the organization experts and time management gurus tell us. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Here are my easy guidelines for getting lots done without going bonkers. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Focus on the Goal</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">When I’m losing momentum on a project I find that if I remind myself of my original intent, I can usually reclaim enthusiasm and clarity. Decisions are easier to make, and I can move along. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Right now I am in the middle of reorganizing my landscaping so that in the future it demands less grunt work. I want to minimize weeding, watering, deadheading, pruning, fertilizing, edging, and mowing. So from now on, when I’m making decisions about changes in the garden, I'll have a reference point: how does it fit with the grand scheme? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">When you feel like maybe you’ve taken on too much, revisit your original goals. Be as specific as possible when defining a project’s purpose. When you remind yourself why you’ve chosen this assignment, or why you have to do this chore, it can become less objectionable.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Visualizing the outcome usually smooths the way to the finish line on a complex project. I’m picturing more leisure time in the yard instead of more yard work. Sometimes a pep talk to yourself is in order. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If staging your home to sell it is taking its toll on you, remind yourself of the benefits of home staging. Staged homes sell faster and for more money. Visualize yourself signing that purchase offer and moving on to your next home. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Forget About It</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1-KnittedApple.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1-KnittedApple.jpg" width="368" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>You don't need to </i><i>attempt anything complicated like this</i><i>. </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Just cast on. Photo: </i><a href="http://www.naturalsuburbia.com/2011/07/apple-knitting-pattern-tutorial.html" target="_blank"><i>Natural Suburbia</i></a></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal">A few years ago I read about a company that was teaching its executives to knit. <br /><br />The premise was that problem-solving skills are enhanced by taking a break from mental work and engaging in a quiet activity that absorbed the mind in a creative way. <br /><br />According to <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/25/health/brain-crafting-benefits/" target="_blank">this article from CNN on the value of doing crafts</a>, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/25/health/brain-crafting-benefits/" target="_blank"></a>“the repetitive motions of knitting, for example, activate the parasympathetic nervous system,” which calms the mind and body. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />The lesson here is that you can prevent or circumvent those feelings of I’ll-never-get-everything-done by stepping aside and doing something briefly that demands all your attention in a pleasurable way. <br /><br />You may have experienced breakthrough moments of your own while running or after meditating, or other times when your mind was open to new possibilities, having taken a vacation from its analytical busy-ness.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So, if you are stumped about <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-to-arrange-furniture-most-common.html" target="_blank">furniture arrangement</a>, where to store your excess household belongings while staging, <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-not-to-hire-realtor.html" target="_blank">which real estate agency</a> to list with, how to calculate the logistics of a move, when to list your home, whether to accept a<a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/03/negotiating-101-how-to-get-what-you-want.html" target="_blank"> low ball offer</a>, my advice is to find an absorbing craft or activity that requires repetition. It will help you find answers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Verbalize Your Intention</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This strategy </span></span>is based on the rationale behind programs like Weight Watchers and the 30-day challenges that bloggers often organize.<br /><br />It's effective for all kinds of campaigns -- to change habits, kill procrastination, or reach goals. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal">You can put this strategy to work by simply telling a friend your objective and how you aim to get there. Once you’ve shared your plans, you’re more likely to accomplish them, whether it’s a trip you’re dreaming of, a habit you want to break, or a new deadline you’ve set for yourself. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">My confident is Mr. Lucky, and I will tell him, “I’m not going to bed tonight until I’ve balanced the checkbook,” or “I’m not having any more ice cream until I lose five pounds.”<br /><br />It doesn’t always work perfectly, but it does increase your chances for success when you feel even mildly accountable to someone else.<br /><br />If you are a more private person, a journal can stand in for a person to confide in. The written word can be powerful.   </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you have listed your home with a real estate agent, share your goals. If you are going to paint the bedrooms this weekend, tell her. If you plan to buy new<a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/04/how-container-plantings-can-help-you.html" target="_blank"> container plants</a> before photos are taken, share that with her. If you want to tidy the garage before the next showing, promise her that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><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/GeralinQuote-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/GeralinQuote-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>My friend, the professional organizer Geralin Thomas and owner of Metropolitan Organizing</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>offers <a href="http://metropolitanorganizing.com/31-days-of-organizing-quotes/31-days-of-organizing-quotes-get-it-done/" target="_blank">31 days of quotes to inspire you</a> on her organizing website. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Outline the Steps </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I have lots of energy when it comes to starting projects, but often I run out of steam when a project becomes too complicated. That’s when making a list of steps needed to keep going gets me out of a slump. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I love lists. Lists make any chore less ugly. I recently created a blog content calendar for the remainder of this year. Now I have a schedule to be responsible to, and I feel like the blog isn’t spinning out of control. I have a variety of topics spaced through the months ahead. This post and others will be extras. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Breaking down a project into small parts is also a good way to re-evaluate how necessary a project is. If I add up the costs on a list of the materials needed for a DIY makeover or hack, I might decide it’s not economically worth doing. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If the list is a sequence of actions, you can attach it to a schedule. “I’ll have all the materials purchased before the weekend.” Planning an open house or a kitchen cabinet repaint goes a whole lot smoother when you have it broken down into sequential steps. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Start Small</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><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/flylady_cartoon2.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/flylady_cartoon2.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/" target="_blank">FlyLady</a> tells you how to regain control. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />Begin your day with baby steps that empower you. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">A recent study I read about showed that <a href="http://qz.com/240056/powerful-people-have-a-distorted-perception-of-time/" target="_blank">powerful people have a sense that time is on their side</a>, that they are in control. Consequently they make better decisions than people who feel stressed, rushed and powerless. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">That’s why one of my favorite household management sites, <a href="http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/" target="_blank">FlyLady</a>, recommends keeping your sink spotless. Seems silly, I know, but the many FlyLady adherents swear by it because they are discovering how one small success and act of empowerment leads to another. And then another.  <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />In other words, don’t start your day by jumping into a difficult or major project. Think baby steps. Organize one closet shelf or your junk drawer. Do your yoga routine. Make your bed <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/07/what-your-bedroom-says-about-you.html" target="_blank"></a>and put away laundry. You’re giving yourself the opportunity to kickstart your day with a pat on the back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Carpe diem! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Track Yourself</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal">We all have tasks we must do on a regular basis – preparing lunches, cleaning a bathroom, hanging up clothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you know how long it takes to do it once, challenge yourself to do it more quickly next time. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">When I was a full time housepainter, I knew how long it took me to paint the trim around one doorway. In a new home, I might have 20 doorways. If I could save 10 minutes on each of them, I saved almost half a day of labor, which is like giving yourself a raise when you are a self-employed contractor. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Think you don’t have time to sweep the front steps every other day? Or open, sort, file, and shred mail every day? Time yourself and you may be surprised that the tasks you don’t enjoy may be taking up more room in your head than they do on your clock.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Athletes use this technique to achieve their personal best. You can, too. Once you have a base line, it can be a fun contest to whittle it down. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Edit Your List</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><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-eddie-ross-StyleatHome.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-eddie-ross-StyleatHome.jpg" width="468" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I'm sure that Eddie is a well organized man. Photo: StyleAtHome.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>When I’m planning a dinner party, I’ll start with the menu plan. Then, I’ll stop pretending I’m Eddie Ross and ask myself how practical -- and necessary -- every dish is. Must I prepare four appetizers? A knock-em-dead centerpiece? Favors for everyone? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">One of the easiest ways to boot stress from your life is simply to do less. Sounds simple, and it can be if you start with that to-do list but then edit it with a rational and methodical mind. Set priorities. <br /><br />Do you really need to paint the nursery before your mother-in-law visits? Be kind to yourself, so you can feel good about what you actually do accomplish. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Another favorite advice source of mine is Zen Habits. <a href="http://zenhabits.net/declutter-guide/" target="_blank">His approach to decluttering</a> is a super example of how to approach a project any home stager needs to tackle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Home staging can feel daunting. Once you’ve decluttered and cleaned and made your home enviable with staging, keeping it show-ready can demand more attention that you like. <br /><br />I hope you’ll find practical advice here and in <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">my eBooks</a> to successfully stage and maintain your own home no matter how hectic your life is. Helping you do that is my goal. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div>

How to Stay Motivated and Accomplish More

Lately I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by too many details and too many unfinished projects. I love being busy, but sometimes busy becomes cra...

Read more »

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...

Read more »

Thanksgiving Is the Time for ... Haiku. Huh?

<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-P1020531-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1-P1020531-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">I am thankful for my three children. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal">I have so much to be thankful for that if I began listing all the sweet things in my life, I'd bore you.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Instead, I scribbled a list of what I appreciate, and then squeezed it all into a haiku. You know, that traditional form of Japanese poetry.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">When it comes to regular poetry, I’m all thumbs, but haiku is different. Try it yourself. Here are some steps to make it easy.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Four Step Process </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>1.</b> Write two sentences about something beautiful</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>2.</b> Write a third sentence about something else you like or notice </div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>3.</b> Study the three sentences for a relationship between them all.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>4.</b> Write the poem in traditional haiku format, which is three lines. The first line must have just five syllables, the second line seven syllables, and the third line five syllables. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Some Tips to Make it Even Easier</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Focus on nature, especially a season or time of year. Look for important details that capture the essence of what you appreciate or notice. Think in terms of the senses – sight, sound, scent, taste and touch. Finally, try to create a surprise in the third line, something that seems odd or different, but is actually related.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Now, Savor These Famous Samples  </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">An old silent pond...</span></div><div style="background: white;">A frog jumps into the pond,<o:p></o:p></div><div style="background: white;">splash! Silence again.<o:p></o:p></div><div style="background: white;">     by Basho Matsuo (1644-1694)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Over the wintry</span></div><div style="background: white;">forest, winds howl in rage<o:p></o:p></div><div style="background: white;">with no leaves to blow.<o:p></o:p></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">    </span>By Natsume Soseki <span style="background-color: #f0f0ff; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">(</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1275-1351)</span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></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/1-P1020863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1-P1020863.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">I am thankful for blue skies and a husband who takes me shelling.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;"><b style="line-height: 13.25pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's My Attempt. Don't Laugh.</span></b></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;"><br /></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">Fire crackles now.</div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">Heat draws family inside.   </div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">Birds fly south instead.</div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;"><br /></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Whadda Ya Got?</span></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;"><br /></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">I would love to see what you create for a Thanksgiving haiku. Crafting such a concise poem is a wonderful way to take inventory of your blessings. </div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;"><br /></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">Happy Thanksgiving to you, my reader, one of my many blessings!<br /><br /></div>

Thanksgiving Is the Time for ... Haiku. Huh?

I am thankful for my three children.  I have so much to be thankful for that if I began listing all the sweet things in my life, I'd bor...

Read more »

Selling Your Home with Words: Writing A Real Estate Ad

<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHQRKAvgGMa5xA6rclff5lqYX_OlO4ImI4exOjik-Ji5N8iKOfaDaYVSkbc9zc_o7Tad2izNbepdb0joJrlQpaidRJndVfjPeDhWXEQ4cuPUU4I41Q0nTwp3y1ICIS5CFV4US2mwobas/s400/smith+hawken+alpine+pine+garland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHQRKAvgGMa5xA6rclff5lqYX_OlO4ImI4exOjik-Ji5N8iKOfaDaYVSkbc9zc_o7Tad2izNbepdb0joJrlQpaidRJndVfjPeDhWXEQ4cuPUU4I41Q0nTwp3y1ICIS5CFV4US2mwobas/s400/smith+hawken+alpine+pine+garland.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">These are the kind of evocative images a Smith and <br />Hawken catalog featured, along with compelling copy.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Three very different men taught me about advertising and selling.<br /><br />The first was Joe McKertich.<br /><br />He owned an advertising agency and hired me when I was fresh out of college. It was way back in 1964, so think Peggy Olson. But instead of Don Draper, Joe was a paunchy, balding teetotaler who worked long days and expected me to do the same.<br /><br />But he was an excellent teacher.<br /><br />From Joe I learned the importance of mistake-free printed matter.<br /><br />Part of my job was to make sure every word in the catalogs and ads we produced was spelled correctly, spacing was consistent, and every number was correct. Tedious!<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Guy Number Two </span></b><br /><br />My next copywriting teacher was Paul Hawken.<br /><br />I knew Paul when he was president of Erewhon Natural Foods in Boston in 1970, before he went to California with another friend, Ty Smith, and started the company called Smith and Hawken. These guys revolutionized American gardening with their mail order catalog, originally written entirely by Paul, a really savvy entrepreneur.<br /><br />The Smith and Hawken catalog pre-dated and was more genuine that the J. Peterman catalog that premiered a few years later. Paul's catalogs transported you to a dreamy world where you tended your heirloom flowers growing in glazed pots, using your hand-crafted tools and wearing your French farmers hat. Up until that time, gardening was a hobby for penny-pinching oldsters and unwashed hippies.<br /><br />Paul's catalogs made gardening stylish, classy, hip, fun. His company was grossing $50 million annually by the early 1990's. He cashed out, and after a number of post-Hawken owners, it was bought by Scotts the chemical gardening people, who ran the company into the ground. But that's <a href="http://gardenrant.com/2009/07/xxa-loving-homage-to-the-beauty-of-functional-well-made-garden-tools-the-smith-hawke" target="_blank">another story</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/homestaging/P1010253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1010253.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Like home ownership, boat ownership is a dream for many people, and the same <br />selling techniques apply. Capture the imagination, be honest, and be specific.  </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Selling Yachts</span></b><br /><br />The third person who taught me about selling was Kevin Bush.<br /><br />Kevin was the owner of a yacht brokerage company where I worked as a yacht broker eight years ago. The most important thing Kevin taught me was to ignore the negatives. If a client touring a boat wondered aloud why some cushions were missing, or remarked that the galley was small, the best response was no response. Any comment from me would reinforce the fact that the boat had liabilities.<br /><br />At first I thought Kevin was hard of hearing, but I came to realize that his selling technique was a practiced  one, and an effective one.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Advertising and Real Estate</span></b><br /><br />Are you wondering what these men in my life have to do with selling your home?<br /><br />Let's say you have <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/10/guest-post-going-beyond-curb-appeal-to.html" target="_blank">fabulous curb appeal.</a> You've <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/01/dozen-rules-for-organizing-your-home.html" target="_blank">decluttered </a>and <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-clean-like-professional.html" target="_blank">cleaned</a> every square inch. You've <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-dos-and-donts-of-whiz-bang-home.html" target="_blank">staged your rooms</a> beautifully. Your property is well-maintained, and priced right.<br /><br />But unless buyers know about your home, you're sunk. Whether you list with a licensed real estate agency, or decide to sell your home FSBO, advertising is essential if you want buyers to come and see for themselves. Advertising is what drives almost every American business.<br /><br />And if you are selling your home, you are in a business. <br /><br />You may think that an MLS listing is all formula, but just like a Facebook page or a <a href="http://www.rtpresumes.com/" target="_blank">LinkedIn profile</a>, there's plenty you can do to make your listing more interesting. You can turn it into a strong selling tool instead of just a list of specifications.<br /><br />Of course, photos of your home are what catch buyers' attention. Today, I'm concentrating on just the words you use to sell your home, because that's what buyers look at next.<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/homestaging/P1010949.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/homestaging/P1010949.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Yours truly as NYC copywriter in the mid 60's. <br />Where was Don Draper then? </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Be Correct</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span>Work with your realtor to make sure your specs are correct in your listing. Your online data and your printed material need to be accurate.<br /><br />Is the square footage right? The age of the home? The types of flooring? The number of baths, the size of the garage, the school district. Humans make mistakes, and realtors are human. Double check the info because this is how buyers judge your home before they decide whether to visit it.<br /><br />Don't get sloppy about grammar, punctuation, consistency of style and spelling. Your advertising should look professional. By showing respect for your potential buyer in this way, you earn respect from your potential buyer.  <br /><br />That's the way Joe would have wanted it. (May he rest in peace.)<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Be Specific</span></b><br /><br />When Paul Hawken wrote about a shovel, he didn't tell you that it had a wooden handle. He told you it had a kiln dried ash handle from trees grown in Sweden specifically for shovel handles, and that it was attached using a method that had been perfected over the centuries by farmers.<br /><br />If your home has a new heating system, give the date, the manufacturer, and the capacity. If you installed new carpeting, specify Dupont Stainmaster or whatever. If your home is near restaurants and shops, name the big businesses and the number of restaurants.<br /><br />And this is important: Even if the brand name and the measurements aren't actually impressive or top of the line, the fact that you are citing them indicates transparency and even pride. Advertising is bragging. But you can't brag unless you're specific.<br /><br />Photos are a subtle way of bragging. The tantalizing photos in a Smith and Hawken catalog did their job of seducing mail order customers. Taking great photos of your home on the market is very important, and a subject for another post, one about <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-not-to-photograph-your-home.html" target="_blank">photographing your home</a>.<br /><br />Being specific is one way to interest buyers in your property without reverting to annoying "fluff" phrases such as, "Just bring your rocking chairs and enjoy the view." A smarter way to merchandise your porch would be with specifics: "Enjoy a 4-season view from the 12 x 40-foot front porch." <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://www.louisebeckproperties.com/web/cms/2008/04/mls-listing-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.louisebeckproperties.com/web/cms/2008/04/mls-listing-sm.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">You don't have much space on an<br />MLS listing form, so every word has to be<br />chosen to make your home look good.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Be Positive</b> </span><br /><br />My boating boss Kevin knew that every boat had some things that a buyer didn't love. Your house will have some things that a buyer wishes he could change. Focus on the best qualities, and you'll encourage him to do the same.<br /><br />If you are FSBO and showing your home, never call attention to unfinished projects, problem areas, or any shortcomings. Showcase what you love about your home.<br /><br />If you have a realtor, make sure she knows exactly what's special and unique about your property -- that the fireplace works, that the utilities are very low, that the windows are extra thick, that the roof is brand new...all that nitty gritty stuff.<br /><br />These are the qualities a buyer needs to focus on so that he's comfortable with the trade-offs, those things that are less than perfect in his mind.<br /><br />Don't think you are being deceptive by being positive. Anyone buying a home will need a home inspection, just the way people buying boats through me bought a marine survey of the vessel. There are no secrets.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Takeaway</span></b><br /><br />Staging your home to sell it is the beginning of the selling process. Getting the word out is the next step. Listen to the lessons I learned from my teachers and you'll have better success with advertising your home on the market.<br /><br />If you are selling your home, whether you have staged it already or not, 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>, will teach you new tricks and techniques to make it inviting to buyers.<br /><br /><br /><br />

Selling Your Home with Words: Writing A Real Estate Ad

These are the kind of evocative images a Smith and Hawken catalog featured, along with compelling copy. Three very different men taught me a...

Read more »

Say Hello to My Read of the Week

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1010281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1010281.jpg" width="368" /></a></div>Ordinarily I don’t like being called a stickler, a vigilante, or an obsessive. But when the accusation puts me in the company of Ms Lynne Truss, I consider it a compliment.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Also ordinarily, I do not write book reviews, but <a href="http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2012/07/great-books-link-party/" target="_blank">Centsational Girl is hosting a linky</a> asking for book recommendations, so I am adding this post to the party. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Lynne Truss is the British author of a book with the improbable title of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eats-Shoots-Leaves-Tolerance-Punctuation/dp/1592402038/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343833846&sr=8-1&keywords=eats+shoots+and+leaves" target="_blank">Eats, Shoots & Leaves</a></i>. If it sounds familiar, that’s because the book’s been around since 2002. She's a self-professed stickler for proper punctuation, who obsesses over misplaced commas, and toys with the idea of forming a party of vigilantes to remove superfluous apostrophes from green grocers' signs and movie marquees.    </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Who would have guessed</span></b> then -- or even now -- that a book whose subject is punctuation and the abuses it suffers in contemporary <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">England</st1:country> would be so entertaining? Not most of us, and not the author either. But it’s become a best seller with over three million copies in print.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Does a book that reviews the when and where of placing dashes, hyphens, colons, apostrophes and semicolons, sound boring? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Trust me, it’s not. I hung on every word and re-read some sentences for the sheer pleasure of savoring the style and content. Call me crazy, but first listen to Ms Truss talking about the exclamation mark.  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">Ever since it came along, grammarians have warned us to be wary of the exclamation mark, mainly because even when we try to muffle it with brackets (!), it still shouts, flashes like neon, and jumps up and down. In the family of punctuation, where the full stop (what we call the period in this country) is daddy and the comma is mummy, and the semicolon quietly practices the piano with crossed hands, the exclamation mark is the big attention-deficit brother who gets over-excited and breaks things and laughs too loudly. </blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Or what she has to say about the two ways a Biblical quote is punctuated:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">Now, huge doctrinal differences hang on the placing of this comma. The first version, which is how Protestants interpret the passage (Luke xxiii, 43) lightly skips over the whole business of Purgatory and takes the crucified thief straight to heaven with Our Lord. The second promises <st1:place w:st="on">Paradise</st1:place> at some later date (to be confirmed, as it were) and leaves Purgatory nicely in the picture for the Catholics, who believe in it. </blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In this sample, she provides proof of the power that punctuation holds, and how it can change the meaning of a simple sentence:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">A woman, without her man, is nothing.<br />A woman: without her, man is nothing. </blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">While Ms Truss</span></b> is a stickler for punctuation, she is not a strict grammar snob. She’s not averse to breaking the rules of good writing for the sake of clarity. So, relax. She’s not going to hound you about using the Queen’s English, or sticking to obsolete restrictions from the last century.   </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Although I learned some new rules and tips about how punctuating properly can enhance the clarity and rhythm of my writing, there’s not much I can do about my envy of Ms Truss’s writing talent. There is no way I could train myself to write with such acerbic wit, such frisky spirit, such off-the-wall vocabulary.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Wrap:</span></b> <i>Eats, Shoots & Leaves</i> is a brisk read, casual, personal, funny, and spiced with just enough historical trivia and literary quotes to make it meaty. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you are a writer (and if you blog, you are) and you haven’t put your hands on <i>Eats, Shoots & Leaves </i>yet, please add it to your must-read list. My local library had two copies of it -– always a good sign that it’s a book worth reading. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Even if it doesn’t change the way you punctuate, you’ll have spent a few hours (it’s only 200 cute pages) in the company of a delightful individual.    </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Say Hello to My Read of the Week

Ordinarily I don’t like being called a stickler, a vigilante, or an obsessive. But when the accusation puts me in the company of Ms Lynne Tr...

Read more »

Mother Knows Best. I Know Because She Told Me So.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000329.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/homestaging/P1000329.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Mom at age 70. She lived to be 85.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">In honor of Mothers’ Day, I’ve collected a sampling of photos of my mom, plus some of her oft-repeated phrases that shaped the person I am today.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"A little dirt never hurt anyone."</span> My mom was an immaculate housekeeper, but she never made her family nervous about getting dirty. I am thankful she passed along a respect for nature and even chaos instead of a fear of disorder. These qualities have helped me live a more adventuresome and carefree life, to pursue absorbing hobbies and interests, and to not waste time and attention with things that don’t matter. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"Never leave the house with dishes in the sink."</span> This was one of my mother’s strictest commandments, and I still adhere to it in my own home. Coming home is never disappointing or overwhelming. Just like <a href="http://flylady.net/" target="_blank">FlyLady</a> teaches, a clean sink builds a feeling of optimism and power. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"Money is the root of all evil." </span>Mom was fond of quoting scripture, and this was one of her favorites. I suspect she used it as a compass to make life decisions, as well as a reminder to herself when it appeared that other people had more money than she did.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"It’s just a phase."</span> I have an older brother. As adults we're pals, but as children, he teased me. If I complained, my mother reminded me that he’d grow out of it. Her response wasn’t much of a consolation at the time, but the phrase subtly taught me that everything changes with time.  <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://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="529" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000338.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">In the early 1930's she took the ferry weekdays with friends to work in New York City. They were all   stenographers and bookkeepers. They all carried books to read. Mom is second from the right. </span></i></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">     </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">'"When you’re young, anything looks good on you."</span> I never believed this one when I was young, but now that I’m old, I do. Complaining about how you look when you are young wastes youth. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"An education is something that no one can take away from you."</span> It was a given in my childhood household that my brother, sister, and I would go to college, even though my parents did not. Although I was raised in a comfortable, middle class family, I realize now that my parents made sacrifices to educate us beyond high school. I wish I could tell them now how much I appreciate the education they paid for and the emphasis they placed on the value of learning.</div><div class="MsoNormal">   </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"Never contradict your parents in public. No matter what." </span>The worst thing you could do to my mother was to act like a smart ass or loudmouth, especially in public and especially if you made her look wrong or bad. It was a simple lesson in being polite that I still try to live by. Everyone likes people who make them look better. <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://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="479" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000324.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">My parents on their honeymoon, in a motorized carriage on the boardwalk in <br />Atlantic City, New Jersey. She was almost 30 when she married.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><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://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="442" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000331.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">My sister, me, and Mom. It was 1951. They had been married <br />only eight years before my parents bought their first house.  </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><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://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000340.jpg" width="432" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">In the early 1950's they flew to California for a vacation. <br />The palm behind my mom only looks like her hat, and <br />my dad looks like a character from Mad Men.  </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></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/homestaging/P1000326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000326.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Early in 1970 they bought a VW camper and toured the United States </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">for a year. They were hip before it was cool to be a hippie. </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">They just don't look that groovey!</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></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/homestaging/P1000334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="594" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000334.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">My parents often traveled with my aunt and uncle. Here they are <br />on the beach in Waikiki, Hawaii, in the 1970's. They also traveled to </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Middle East, and Europe.  </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><table 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/P1000339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000339.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> While visiting me in California, Grandma read to my son, then two years old. My mother loved </span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">reading and belonged to a book club when she was a young bride until she was 80-plus years old.   </span></i></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></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/homestaging/P1000333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000333.jpg" width="542" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">During the same California trip, my mom, my younger son, and me.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></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/homestaging/P1000327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="620" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/P1000327.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Shelling peas from the garden on the back porch. I learned my love for cooking <br />from my mother. We grew lots of our own organic vegetables and <br />even raised some of our own meat and had chickens for fresh eggs. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></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/P1000328.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/homestaging/P1000328.jpg" width="352" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Mom had four brothers and this is the <br />youngest one with her at the beach in 1933.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"You’re smart. You’ll do fine."</span> My parents were not overly demonstrative. They did not pump up my siblings and me with self confidence. But neither did they make unreasonable demands or belittle us. The simple message we lived with was that intelligence was what mattered and that we had sufficient amounts. It would have been nice to believe I was talented, beautiful, and special as well, but lacking confidence in these areas made me work hard to earn the respect of people. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"You never know who you’ll meet."</span> If I ever ventured out of the house looking a little rag-tag, Mom would remind me that people judge you by how you look and treat you accordingly. Even though standards have relaxed since the days when she wouldn’t go shopping downtown without wearing a hat and white gloves, her reminder haunts me. I have seen the truth of it repeatedly over the years. She’s the reason I dress business casual on an airline flight and change out of messy painting clothes just to walk the dog around the block. You never know. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"Everything works out for the best." </span>Honestly, I don’t remember when or why Mom would say this, but I do know that it’s hardwired into my brain. Have you ever had someone pat you on the arm when things looked bad, and recited some version of this line? It’s all about having faith that Someone is looking after you, and that's a comfort during tough times.  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">"I’m very proud of all my children." </span>Everyone wants to be the favorite child, and I was no exception. But my parents let my siblings and me know that they valued each of us and no one was better than the others. My sister and I were so close that we did everything together and never once had an argument. My brother, well, boys will be boys, and that’s another Mom-quote!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;">"When you have your health, you have everything." </span>I'm so glad that my parents understood the importance of taking good care of one's health. This common phrase of hers carried with it the understanding that when you don't have your health, you have nothing. I grew up in the best of times, when eating healthfully, staying active, and getting plenty of fresh air were common practice.</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">My mother would be 103 years old next month if she were still alive. We share the same birthday, so I feel especially close to her on that day, and on Mother’s Day as well. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.<br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Mother Knows Best. I Know Because She Told Me So.

Mom at age 70. She lived to be 85. In honor of Mothers’ Day, I’ve collected a sampling of photos of my mom, plus some of her oft-repeated ph...

Read more »

Setting Goals -- Six Steps That Get Results

<div style="text-align: left;"><o:p></o:p><br /><o:p></o:p></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/IMG_2547.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/IMG_2547.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I used this silly photo to remind me of the life I wanted.</i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><o:p>Is selling your home one of the goals you hope to accomplish in 2012?</o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If so, can we talk? I want to share with you what I know about setting goals.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">When I met Mr. Lucky in 1990, both of us were starting over, refugees who had fled failed marriages. He was living in a campground in a $3500 camper, working for someone else for $10 an hour. I was earning even less, and paying $250 a month for my rental apartment, which was basically half a doublewide trailer.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">But both of us had lived in better circumstances and knew we wanted a better life again. Even before we married, we set mutual goals and together we have created a satisfying lifestyle, more comfortable and more interesting than we ever imagined.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We decided that our path to financial freedom would be through real estate investments. We had the skills and determination, so we set specific goals. We wrote these goals down and read them aloud to each other each evening. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We quit our jobs and went into business as painting contractors, something Mr. Lucky had been doing for 10 years. He trained me, and soon we were employing others and handling large accounts. Evenings we studied how to buy and sell properties, how to negotiate prices, how to calculate fix-up costs and interest rates, and how to find and keep good tenants. Midday we listened to audio tapes about real estate investment as we ate brown bag lunches in our work van. We joined a real estate investors club and listened to speakers, borrowed books, and attended seminars. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><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/IMG_2573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/IMG_2573.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>On some jobs, the lunch break gave us a distant view. These are mountains near Asheville, NC.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal">In a year’s time, we had enough savings and education to start buying houses, fixing them, staging them, and selling or renting them. Today, we are completely debt-free, and depend on our rental properties to support us. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m not an authority on how to set and reach goals, but I know what has worked for us, and I also did my homework for this post. Here’s what the experts say.   </div><div class="MsoNormal">    </div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 1.  Look at the Big Picture. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Double-check that your goal -- <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/05/are-you-reason-your-home-isnt-selling.html">selling your home -- is really what you want.</a> If you’re not on board with the idea, or if your entire household isn’t supportive, the path will be uphill. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Make sure your goal doesn’t contradict other goals you have. I knew that investing in real estate did not compromise my ethics or my dedication to my family or health. Will the sale of your home support or undermine the other important expectations you have in your life right now?<br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><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/IMG_2559.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/homestaging/IMG_2559.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This is our notebook we reviewed daily.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">STEP 2. Write and Recite Your Goals</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">When you see what you want spelled out on paper, your subconscious begins believing! You can carry this visualization even further by describing in detail what you want, and even collecting pictures of your goals. <a href="http://pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a> is terrific for doing this. Twenty years ago, I chose clippings from magazines to represent what we were working for, and put them in a cheap photo album, photos of dreams that are reality today.<br />         </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Be positive rather than negative when defining your goals and new year’s resolutions. Instead of writing, “I will not sleep late on Saturdays,” write, “I will use each Saturday morning to deep clean a different room.” If you have low expectations of yourself, recite positive affirmations such as, “I will be happy with less clutter in my life.” A proactive state of mind is indispensable to achieving success.    </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Be realistic. Educate yourself about how quickly homes are selling and at what prices where you live. Work with your realtor to establish fair market value, based on proven formulas and statistics. Mr. Lucky and I knew we couldn’t buy spacious four-bedroom homes as investments. Our first property was a one-bedroom home. But it came with enough land that we were able to subdivide the lot, and have a new house built on the property, which we sold for a handsome profit. Life is full of happy surprises when you begin with realistic expectations. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><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/IMG_2572.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/IMG_2572.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Mr. Lucky painting a home under construction.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 3. Define What Needs to be Done</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><br />List the steps to reach your goals. Mr. Lucky and I knew we had to have a certain amount of money for a down payment on our first property. We knew we had to cultivate a relationship with a bank. We knew we had to build a good credit history so we could qualify for a mortgage.<br /><br />List whatever you need to do to get your property sold.  This list might include:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><ul><li><a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-not-to-hire-realtor.html">Call a realtor.</a></li><li>Write down what is especially desirable about your home, and what doesn’t work for you. Then, determine if any of these problems can be fixed.</li><li>Start your cleaning and de-cluttering process.</li><li>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>, to learn all the ways staging can help sell your home, and the easy steps to staging frugally and effectively.</li><li>Let friends and family know you plan to sell.</li><li>Study the area you plan to relocate to, whether across town or to the other side of the globe. You’ll have a better handle on what’s ahead and what you need to bring from your present home.</li><li>Examine <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/01/staging-uses-many-skills.html">the skills you have</a> and consider how you can use the tools and knowledge you have at your fingertips.</li></ul></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 4. Divide Your Goals into Smaller Goals.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Break larger tasks down into smaller steps. Be specific. Logically organize the things you need to do in order to be efficient. For example, if you plan to replace the doorknobs and hinges in your house, first get prices online, then read how to do it, then purchase what you’ll need, then set aside one morning to do it.<br /><br />Small steps make even the overwhelming jobs doable. Once underway, many tasks take on a life of their own. Often you will amaze yourself by what you are capable of doing if you just take the first step, then the next one, then the next one… </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If any one told me, shy and easily intimidated me, 20 years ago that I would be able to manage my own rental properties, I would have laughed at them. Now, being a landlady is easy and enjoyable! Baby steps.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Step 5. Set Deadlines for Your Goals.</b></span><br /><br />Make a schedule for all your goals and tasks. Review similar projects you’ve tackled in the past so you can give yourself deadlines that make sense. Deadlines keep you focused, and on schedule. And they provide a sense of accomplishment. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Be realistic about deadlines. If you know you hate yardwork, find someone who can do this for you. Mr. Lucky and I knew we didn’t have skills to do finished carpentry, so we hired the best carpenter we knew. In business, time is money, and selling a home is a business proposition.   </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Step 6. Track yourself.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><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/IMG_2571.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/homestaging/IMG_2571.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>One client wanted every door a different color!</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>If you don’t track results you won’t know if and when you’ve reached your goals. You wouldn’t start a diet without either weighing yourself along the way, or watching how your clothes are fitting you. Small successes build confidence and point the way. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Knowing that you’ve reached a goal lets you know you can move on to another project, or just relax!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: right;"></div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Tracking calls for adjusting your goals as you progress. You’ll need to be flexible. Consider alternatives if your top choices seem impossible or impractical.<br /><br />Are you able to rent your home and still move?<br /><br />Would it be smarter to remodel your home and remain in it?<br /><br />Are you able to owner finance your home to a buyer who doesn’t qualify for a conventional loan?     </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you are serious about selling your home, make more than a new year’s resolution about it. Set it as a goal, and start walking towards it!<br /><br />Happy New Year! May all your goals be reached.<br /><br /><br /></div></div>

Setting Goals -- Six Steps That Get Results

I used this silly photo to remind me of the life I wanted. Is selling your home one of the goals you hope to accomplish in 2012? If so, can ...

Read more »

My Favorite Tips and Tools for a Professional Paint Job

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1404.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I love to paint! It's easy when you have the right equipment.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="goog_1484746153"></span><span id="goog_1484746154"></span>Is your home for sale? Do some rooms need refreshing? Are some wall colors dark or dated? Have you given up trying to scrub away some persistent marks? Does your realtor suggest removing wallpaper? Is your master bedroom dark purple with a lemon accent wall?<br /><br />If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it's time to paint.<br /><br />Compared to other home improvement projects and home staging techniques, paint returns excellent equity value for your dollar, about 148%.   <br /><br />My blogger friend, Stacey at Spiffed Up Spaces asked me to <a href="http://spiffedupspaces.com/guest-post-secrets-of-a-professional-painter/">guest post on her blog</a> last week. I decided to write about painting, and give my favorite tips that save you precious time, tips that give your next painting project the professional edge.<br /><br />Jump on over to <a href="http://spiffedupspaces.com/">Stacey's site</a> and read my suggestions, as well as her own advice. Stacey is a trained color consultant, and redesigner. Whether you are selling your home or just looking for some savvy makeover magic, she can help you revive, renew and redo your spaces.    <br /><br />   <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

My Favorite Tips and Tools for a Professional Paint Job

I love to paint! It's easy when you have the right equipment. Is your home for sale? Do some rooms need refreshing? Are some wall colors...

Read more »

Home for Sale? Pretend You Are a Tourist in Your Town

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1296-1.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/IMG_1296-1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Every home needs a welcome sign.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>If you are looking for ways to make your home on the market stand out, try looking at it with fresh eyes. The eyes of a tourist to your town.   <br /><br />I checked the stats, and can report to you that according to a 2010 survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 12% of the people who moved, moved to a different state. Almost 17% moved to a different county in the same state.<br /><br />Even if prospective buyers for your home are from another neighborhood, staging your home to accentuate what's special about your neighborhood, your town or county or state is just plain smart.<br /><br />I've blogged already about the value of knowing <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/02/if-youve-got-location-flaunt-it-heres.html">the specialness of your part of the country</a> and your own <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/08/real-estate-is-about-location-even-more.html">location. </a><br /><br />Last week I spent a few days in another place, a part of my state that is worlds away. Getting there takes just 2 hours by car and then 2.5 hours by ferry.  Yes, ferry. We went to Ocracoke Island, off the North Carolina coast.  <br /><br />Once on this small strip of sand, surrounded by the sea, life slows down and you can't help but savor the simple things. Fresh, salty air and bright blue skies that reach to the level horizon in all directions. Friendly, honest people who still sprinkle their thick brogue with words that no one has used since Shakespeare's time. Seafood prepared with attention to its real flavors. An appreciation for the way life used to be, when a boat brought mail to you once a week.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1317.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We chose the perfect season to visit. Weather was ideal, and beaches were uncrowded.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>I did not take pictures of people's homes, but I did take photographs of signs, because I think words painted on wood and words printed onto museum labels tell interesting stories. I hope you'll enjoy the photos I brought home. And I hope you can see the beauty of your own location, if only to help you merchandise your own home on the market.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1337.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When you live on sandy shores, and going barefoot is the order of the day, you need this.</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/IMG_1383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1383.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>From Ocracoke you can go kayaking or go fishing, or just let someone else take you cruising.</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/IMG_1284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1284.jpg" width="404" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The sign gives you the idea of just how small the inhabited section of the island is.</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/IMG_1330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="418" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1330.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>It's a short walk to the lighthouse, still working to signal boats at sea.</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/IMG_1289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="546" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1289.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>In 1942 British soldiers died at sea helping America defend our shores. Locals still honor them.   </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/IMG_1368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1368.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Part of a display at one of the small, local museums.</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/IMG_1371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1371.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>More signage from the museum.</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/IMG_1304-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="502" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1304-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I love any hand painted sign, especially when a skeleton becomes an arrow!</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/IMG_1327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_1327.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I had the curried (local) shrimp with baby eggplant. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Remember to look at your home not as someone who wants to move, but as someone who appreciates the best of what your location has to offer. Then, be sure that your home staging, as well as any literature emphasizes what's unique and remarkable about where you live. <br /><br />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>, helps you stage your home yourself, no matter where you live. You can download it now and start staging today to make your home that one that stands out from the competition.  <br /><br />

Home for Sale? Pretend You Are a Tourist in Your Town

Every home needs a welcome sign. If you are looking for ways to make your home on the market stand out, try looking at it with fresh eyes. T...

Read more »