Beautiful Modern Contemporary House Elevation: books

Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

#GirlBoss

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JPXQJ-886DNZ1iCwQLHkGHbTVMsfmB_ng2KzjuxXZIakkQW3cFznDx-hLfrSKalhDotd2fpBAIVzAJrzxzTq-HJjaKXN-secA2r1QJUknbjwOtPwYTVyla-yD7W3bYVVziQh1breMNE/s1600/Untitled-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JPXQJ-886DNZ1iCwQLHkGHbTVMsfmB_ng2KzjuxXZIakkQW3cFznDx-hLfrSKalhDotd2fpBAIVzAJrzxzTq-HJjaKXN-secA2r1QJUknbjwOtPwYTVyla-yD7W3bYVVziQh1breMNE/s1600/Untitled-2.jpg" /></a></div><br />Over the last few months I've been seeing the book <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/039916927X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=039916927X&linkCode=as2&tag=lithoublo-20" target="_blank">#GIRLBOSS</a> all over Instagram. I didn't pay much attention to it all and judged the book by the fact that the title was .... a hashtag.<br /><br />When I was in a book store a month ago, I saw the book in the best sellers section and was intrigued. I picked up the book, read the back cover and realized it looked kind of interesting -  so I bought it. Truthfully - I wasn't expecting much. I had just finished reading two very hyped  up books, and they were <i>awful </i>- so I was expecting this to be the same. I forgot about the purchase until I got up to the cottage and found I had packed it to come up with me. I cracked it open, and .....<br /><br />.......It was amazing.<br /><br />I feel as though this book is a modern day business guide for women. (I also think there are some ridiculously great lessons to be learnt by men too.) I quickly read the book, felt inspired, and am going back on my second read with a notebook in hand to make notes. She's funny. Smart. A great writer. A smart business woman. And inspiring. I'm not the target market of <a href="http://www.nastygal.com/" target="_blank">Nasty Gal,</a> her business - which I worried would be a stumbling block to getting into the book. But it wasn't. Regardless of whether you fall into her demographic for she store or not, the core of the book is applicable to all. So read it. And then if you like it, share it with your daughter if you have one.<br /><br />

#GirlBoss

Over the last few months I've been seeing the book #GIRLBOSS all over Instagram. I didn't pay much attention to it all and judged ...

2:00 AM

"like my mother always said ..." by Erin McHugh

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Q6QayKU8ZoLWP9HPsuUuxMns24RHrKHfl6YVTBoxqFHZ0-dCUgOKnS3n8ZHUen5SS5w01Ij3Ckp7HVs3MfjQniYXFn6xFMqZSLPsTNDenccnDzILUtt5VwzuUs-6KJUxpevRxVF8EwY/s1600/IMG_3465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Q6QayKU8ZoLWP9HPsuUuxMns24RHrKHfl6YVTBoxqFHZ0-dCUgOKnS3n8ZHUen5SS5w01Ij3Ckp7HVs3MfjQniYXFn6xFMqZSLPsTNDenccnDzILUtt5VwzuUs-6KJUxpevRxVF8EwY/s1600/IMG_3465.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9-ytq10LWQwrC_F_W2uxvNjKvTtciaw8EAKf2qAiSZAjnR_eEJnzzX_g4quRzZJSN9PWHrI6vSxq45QrJXqHcJIUSU1q0KfqFjiF637DVSLnl4wdn9bhEj3a6S2HhVmSvYAFCB3U6NY/s1600/IMG_3466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9-ytq10LWQwrC_F_W2uxvNjKvTtciaw8EAKf2qAiSZAjnR_eEJnzzX_g4quRzZJSN9PWHrI6vSxq45QrJXqHcJIUSU1q0KfqFjiF637DVSLnl4wdn9bhEj3a6S2HhVmSvYAFCB3U6NY/s1600/IMG_3466.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUco4enTNkLeKAKoJYClihlLnURbW94J4F7agCH3_sRIDmm7tSDLEZFLUpnKl3nW4E-1BxfaDKokeSiMq7oVXyG7-MnfdEI_GdVynxnz8fGin8boMEpIWbXbuZkJgHdkVR10qC-0RB6Yc/s1600/IMG_3469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUco4enTNkLeKAKoJYClihlLnURbW94J4F7agCH3_sRIDmm7tSDLEZFLUpnKl3nW4E-1BxfaDKokeSiMq7oVXyG7-MnfdEI_GdVynxnz8fGin8boMEpIWbXbuZkJgHdkVR10qC-0RB6Yc/s1600/IMG_3469.jpg" /></a></div><br />I often tell my Mom that she has the most amazing way with words. She has this crazy ability to listen, and come back with thoughtful advice. She has some classic sayings, like my marriage advice "Pick your battles" (which has worked well when becoming a Mom too) and also, "Little Mice Eat Big Holes" when it comes to frivolous spending. So it was with amusement when I saw this book "<a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/like-my-mother-always-said/9781419711732-item.html?ikwid=Like+my+mother+always+said&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0" target="_blank">like my mother always said ...</a>" by Erin McHugh at Chapters a few weeks ago, with a collection of women sharing their Mother's own sayings. I's equal parts heartwarming as it is funny. I loved it so much I picked one up for my Mom and one for myself. It's strangely comforting to have beside my table as it's like this little insight into Mother's advice. Some hilarious, reminiscent of days gone by and Grandmothers and their advice. It's just sweet. Anyhow, I recommend it to have beside your bed. It's really quite fun to pick up and read every so often. xo Lindsay

"like my mother always said ..." by Erin McHugh

I often tell my Mom that she has the most amazing way with words. She has this crazy ability to listen, and come back with thoughtful advice...

5:28 AM

Six of My Favorite Home Staging Props

<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/P1090315.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/P1090315.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>There are a few staging props that really earn their keep.  </i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Home staging that knocks the socks off buyers counts on many things: curb appeal, cleanliness, perceived value, move-in-readiness. <br /><br />But it’s often the details that make a home memorable.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">That’s why I’ve compiled this list of the home decor accessories that ought to be in any home stager’s bag of tricks. Consider them your dependable details that make a difference. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sets of Books</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">While a bunch of books on a bookshelf can look splotchy and distracting, a set of matched volumes looks rich, coordinated and deliberate. <br /><br />Generously-sized books are great, and leather bound ones are especially classy. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/06/stage-your-home-with-books-heres-how.html#.UzRlZKI3Ndg" target="_blank">Books used as a staging accessory</a> let you convey a sense of who lives in the home – interesting, educated people. <br /><br />Buyers on home tours <i><b>do</b></i> browse book spines, so for this reason, stay away from controversial subjects or topics that aren’t mainstream (Chinese erotica, history of the occult…). Also avoid obviously dated sets like 1980’s World Book encyclopedias. But, don’t put out anything valuable or irreplaceable, either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">   </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Best source or stage-worthy volumes is at a local library sale. I recently helped sort books at my library’s annual sale and was surprised at the quality and selection of books – all topics and colors, just what a stager needs.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><b>Bowl of Lemons</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I love seeing a glass bowl of lemons on a kitchen countertop or island. Whether you use a ceramic platter, a wooden bowl or a wicker basket -- the pretty effect is the same. <br /><br />Think of lemons as the default dining room centerpiece, the perfect prop for completing a staged beverage bar of glassware, or the easiest way to dress up a foyer tabletop. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">    </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">There are couple reasons why I rate lemons high for home staging. One is that nobody is tempted to try and eat them the way they would apples or pears. They’re clearly decorative. The other reason is that lemons represent freshness. They’re tangy and fragrant, and even if you’re staging with fake lemons, the message is the same: clean and fresh.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The only thing that adds more life to a room is plants. But I'm keeping my list to six!  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></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/P1090102-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1090102-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>All these lemons are fake. Who's to know? Yellow lemons seem to compliment any color scheme.</i></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>  </i></span> </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Plush Towels</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">New towels are a must for dressing up a bath. Face it -- towels age and although they work just fine for everyday use, when you’re aiming for that luxurious, boutique hotel look, you want fat and fluffy new ones. I always suggest white ones unless the entire bathroom is white. White towels will always work in your next home. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Although not every stager will agree, I don’t have a problem with tying decorative ribbon or cording around a towel, to let people on a home tour know that they aren’t to be used, especially if it is open house day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Large Landscape Paintings</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">This prop might be a tad more difficult to locate and afford, but the results are dynamic. A landscape painting literally opens up a room. The most economical sources are the usual second hand places we all love (eBay, thrift stores, garage sales), but you can also buy budget-friendly new artwork that works fine. Or you can create DIY art suitable for staging. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Your landscape could be a beach, forest, city, mountain or rural scene. Make it match the mood of your home -- abstract watercolor you create yourself, one of your own photos blown up big and framed, a kitschy paint-by-numbers scene, a colorful travel poster, or a sophisticated black and white photograph. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Buy frugally and plan to spend more on the framing than on the art, because the framing is what puts art over the top. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/BonesteelTroutHalllivrm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/BonesteelTroutHalllivrm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A landscape this large becomes the focal point of the room. Nothing wrong with that!</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">Your landscape needn't be complicated, detailed, professionally done, expensive, or even </span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">include images of land. Seascapes are "landscapes."</span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;">Photo: Bonesteel Taylor Hall.</span></i> </td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Matched Table Lamps</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/TwolampsTobiFarley-1.png" 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/TwolampsTobiFarley-1.png" width="432" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">This beautiful bedroom by Tobi Farley demonstrates</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;">how important a set of tables lamps are for a balanced look.   </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>If you tour showhouses and study photos of professionally designed rooms, you’ll notice how often the savvy decorators who plan these rooms use pairs of lamps. <br /><br />Anytime a pair of anything is used as a decorating prop, there’s a sense of order and quality. Rooms done on a shoestring from castoffs lack the cohesiveness that twosomes add to a space.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Although you might be home staging on a shoestring, the last thing you want is to look like money’s a problem. That's an important point to remember! Buyers' perceptions of your financial<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> situation will influence the purchase price they offer you. Write that down! </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Look wealthy. Look generous. Look comfortable. Don't look needy or you'll attract "bottom feeders." <br /><br />A pair of table lamps in the bedroom or living room will help you pull off mismatched nightstands or side tables. <br /><br />Don’t approximate this look by using two lamps that resemble each other; they must be identical twins. <br /><br />The lamps should be placed close enough so that they are both visible in a glance, such as on either side of a couch or bed. Their shades should match, and they should both be on the same level. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Walk through your home to make sure you haven’t separated a matched pair of lamps, and then reunite them for staging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">   </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Plump Pillows</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="goog_1751948721"></span><span id="goog_1751948722"></span><span id="goog_572043644"></span><span id="goog_572043645"></span><span id="goog_1396375958"></span><span id="goog_1396375959"></span><br /></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/LaurenLiesslivrm.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/LaurenLiesslivrm.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">This lovely arrangement by Laura Liess shows how having</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: small;"> matched pillows puts a finishing touch on the grouping. </span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;">  </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Pillows are one of the absolute best ways to add another layer to a room’s decor. <br /><br />I recommend pillows in colors that flow seamlessly with the color scheme of the room rather than oft-touted pops of color. <br /><br />You can still have fun with geometrics, textural fabrics, dressmaker details, and animal prints. <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">What to avoid: Cute sayings on pillows, pillows flattened by age, stiff pillows that don’t look comfortable, and an excess of pillows on any bed, sofa or chair. <br /><br />Pillows add the custom details that give a room some interest and make a room look finished. They also suggest hominess and comfort. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Takeaway</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">How does your staged home rate for having these essential decorating props? None of them are break-the-bank investments, yet they will all add value to your home and make it more inviting to people shopping for a new home. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you like these tips, check out my<a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html#.UzRkSqI3Ndg" target="_blank"> home staging eBooks.</a> They’re written to help you get a better price for your home on the market. At $5, they’re great investments. Guaranteed!<br /><br /></div>

Six of My Favorite Home Staging Props

There are a few staging props that really earn their keep. Home staging that knocks the socks off buyers counts on many things: curb appeal...

7:17 AM

Richard Scarry's "Best Mother Goose Ever"

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GnLc1pI1yLgYCJfzcYlfCgSTieXkLOCC4zQL9eKQCzUzgojzYrSGMrPFDfkmX-s6OO5GsRey82zhBcLzRs9plz4Z7cxERtJwhHgiiKNCaljwETKgEGqe-NIbTl-K57FIs9e1RJVCxWo/s1600/IMG_1242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_bI3jXushtdvA90FF12XXKCx8N8JFhnDCwwMnZxSW0PGfXal16sIxVcOu6ok914Izpbn7AdVYBVYlsIN8y8wE6j1TqGhpDCD6br54YuQ3lgo-wenEyGJmho45dsSAUQvxGzth4f-lF8/s1600/IMG_1244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_bI3jXushtdvA90FF12XXKCx8N8JFhnDCwwMnZxSW0PGfXal16sIxVcOu6ok914Izpbn7AdVYBVYlsIN8y8wE6j1TqGhpDCD6br54YuQ3lgo-wenEyGJmho45dsSAUQvxGzth4f-lF8/s1600/IMG_1244.jpg" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GnLc1pI1yLgYCJfzcYlfCgSTieXkLOCC4zQL9eKQCzUzgojzYrSGMrPFDfkmX-s6OO5GsRey82zhBcLzRs9plz4Z7cxERtJwhHgiiKNCaljwETKgEGqe-NIbTl-K57FIs9e1RJVCxWo/s1600/IMG_1242.jpg" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sYFd_nrUoyu1bOVR5SY4LWDk0q7rjB5ZyGaDCyXusVoyCYqB3uFfkXY4JwS5luiq8-3yFKmuL9eVyfO-MlQS_mJk5QkmyoyZSO-KuCyWoRmHw-GpWDKIO0s_HQLU8aw88F33zWk4vPQ/s1600/IMG_1243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sYFd_nrUoyu1bOVR5SY4LWDk0q7rjB5ZyGaDCyXusVoyCYqB3uFfkXY4JwS5luiq8-3yFKmuL9eVyfO-MlQS_mJk5QkmyoyZSO-KuCyWoRmHw-GpWDKIO0s_HQLU8aw88F33zWk4vPQ/s1600/IMG_1243.jpg" /></a></div>I found a vintage <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/richard-scarrys-best-mother-goose/9780307155788-item.html?ikwid=Richard+Scarry%27s+Best+Mother+Goose+Ever&ikwsec=Home&gcs_requestid=0COC1nPCb5bwCFYVD5wod8DAAAA" target="_blank">Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever</a> on the shelf at Value Village - complete with an inscription to Lindsay, dated 1977. Obviously, the book was meant to be mine. ;) I'm a sucker for Richard Scarry. It's the sweetest Mother Goose book and still in production. Have a new baby on the way, or, looking for a gift for someone? This book will be a classic in their library! Love, love, love. Oscar and I snuggle up and read this at night - the illustrations are just so sweet and captivating.<br /><br />Available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Richard-Scarrys-Mother-Little-Golden/dp/0307155781" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, and <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/richard-scarrys-best-mother-goose/9780307155788-item.html?ikwid=Richard+Scarry%27s+Best+Mother+Goose+Ever&ikwsec=Home&gcs_requestid=0COC1nPCb5bwCFYVD5wod8DAAAA" target="_blank">Indigo</a>.<br /><br />

Richard Scarry's "Best Mother Goose Ever"

I found a vintage Richard Scarry's Best Mother Goose Ever on the shelf at Value Village - complete with an inscription to Lindsay, dat...

8:56 AM

Getting Real About Getting Organized

<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1080576_zpsd6594c18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1080576_zpsd6594c18.jpg" width="327" /></a></div><br />Every January we’re deluged with articles, posts, and interviews about how we all need to get organized.<br /><br />Magazines and blogs feature photos of sparse, tidied closets and pantries like none of us owns. Pinterest boards swell with ingenious ways to hide cables, hang scarves, store coupons, and label jars. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Enough already. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">What we really need is a way to get organized about getting organized. Sounds complicated, but what I’m really saying is, “Let’s step back and look at the big picture.”   </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">There are only two reasons to organize your home:</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li>Save time</li><li>Save space </li></ul><div class="MsoNormal">Both of which are important to people with a home on the market.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m almost embarrassed to admit that everything I learned about getting and staying organized I learned from a little paperback book that somehow fell into my hands years ago. Let’s just say that the name I wrote on the inside cover of this book was my name before I married Mr. Lucky, and we've been married almost 22 years. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In a nutshell, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Simply-Organized-Connie-Cox/dp/0425130886/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389475877&sr=8-1&keywords=Simply+Organized+by+Connie+Cox+book" target="_blank">Simply Organized</a></i>, my bible for organization, stresses that getting organized is a two step process:</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li>Simplify</li><li>Systematize</li></ul><div class="MsoNormal">We all know about methods to sort through our belongings and declutter our spaces. My <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">home staging eBook </a>gives you all the tips you need to do it effectively and efficiently.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The beauty of what <i>Simply Organized </i>recommends is – not surprisingly – its simplicity. It’s an idea you don’t see in all the colorful ads for clothes hangers, storage containers, labeling systems, and shelving units, but it has made all the difference to me in the way I look at organization. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The advice in this book has helped me stay on top of things, minimize frustration, save time, feel in control, and make routines that are easy to turn into habits. Isn’t that what we all want and need? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><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/P1080569_zps246ccfa5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1080569_zps246ccfa5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Being organized means you have the supplies and tools you need for an <br />oft-repeated routine all in one place. When it's time for tea, I'm ready.    </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">  </div><div class="MsoNormal">In a nutshell, to systematize you need to think in terms of categories. You probably already have systems in place for some routines like setting the table, packing lunches, cleaning the car, and styling your hair. Ask yourself if these "kits" are complete and if they easy to get to and easy to put away again.<br /><br />It's more important to locate your systems where they are easy to put away than it is to locate them where they are easy to get to. Think about it: when you are looking for your hot glue sticks, you're motivated to find them fast, but not so motivated to put them back where they belong.<br /><br />Making stuff easy to return to your system makes it easy to stay organized. After all, what good is getting organized if you can't stay organized? <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">What Makes this Book Special?</span></b><br /><br />After reading <i>Simply Organized</i>, I started making systems for repetitive tasks. Over the years, my responsibilities and interests have evolved, but I haven't forgotten what I took from that book. I'm not by nature a compulsively organized individual, but I'm always looking for easy ways to be tidy and efficient.<br /><br />These are some of the systems I set up and use regularly:</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/P1080596_zpsba210bbe.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/P1080596_zpsba210bbe.jpg" width="435" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">My picnic kit sits in our coat closet. <br />I can grab it, fill a cooler, and go. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">A baking system that isolates all the ingredients I need for making bread, cakes, and cookies -- flours, cocoa powder, buttermilk powder, leavenings, extracts, sifter, measuring cups, mixing bowls. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">A sewing system that gathers all my fabrics, supplies, and equipment on one side of my studio. My jewelry making supplies live in a dresser against another wall.  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">An exercise system that clusters in one corner of my bedroom everything (except workout wear) to help me keep fit and motivated, including my scale, journal, hand weights, yoga mat, and treadmill. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">A gift wrapping system that consolidates paper, ribbon, tape, tags and gift bags in one bin that fits in a closet. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">A first aid system that holds most of what anyone needs for cuts, burns, splinters, and sprains. Another plastic shoe box holds remedies for aches, pains, cold and flu.  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">A pet care system with all Misty needs in the way of medications and grooming essentials.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">A mail system that makes dealing with the mail effortless. In addition I have a separate mailing system in a dresser drawer where I store bubble wrap, padded envelopes, a scale, marking pen, and packaging tape.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I've also built systems for flower arranging, shoe care, seed starting, bathroom cleaning, picture hanging, stain removal, and…well, you get the idea. Logical essentials grouped together that have a logical place to live.<br /><br /></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/P1080612_zps51338a1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1080612_zps51338a1b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">If you keep party supplies all together, impromptu birthday celebrations are easy. <br />If my home were on the market, I would use a covered box for a clean look.   </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Some Things are Timeless </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The interesting thing is that <i>Simply Organized</i> was written in 1986, and you know what that means: pre-computer! Today we all have our favorite systems for records-keeping, but the book is still a valuable source of concise advice and encouragement for household management of the bulkier things – the cookware, food, clothing, sports equipment, toiletries, crafts, toys, tools, and the rest of it. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Although their focus is slightly outdated, the authors will still help you get a grip on the stuff you need to either eliminate or organize when it’s time to sell your home. That’s why I’m telling you about it. I don't make money if you buy a copy. I just want you to stage and sell your home.    </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I once read that a major indicator of intelligence is the ability to see the similarities and differences in a group of items. Think of those tests you took at various stages of your education, starting with <st1:street w:st="on">Sesame Street</st1:street>, when you were asked to find “which of these things is not like the others.” So, yes, it takes intelligence to establish systems, but simplifying your life will make you work smarter and live smarter.  </div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Getting Real About Getting Organized

Every January we’re deluged with articles, posts, and interviews about how we all need to get organized. Magazines and blogs feature photos ...

2:30 AM

Why I Blog

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...

2:00 AM

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...

3:55 PM

Stage Your Home with Books. Here's How.

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

Stage Your Home with Books. Here's How.

Some books, some art. That's one way. Ashley Goforth. In my eBook , I give a step-by-step formula for staging bookcase and bookshelves....

2:00 AM

Why I love an Etagere, and You Should Too

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

Why I love an Etagere, and You Should Too

Behold the classic and classy etagere. Quick. What's tall and thin, stands alone against a wall or in a corner, and displays valuables...

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Book Review and the Truth About What I Know.

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

Book Review and the Truth About What I Know.

Although not about staging, this is one helpful book . I have a confession. I'm not the little Miss Know-It-All that I pretend to be. W...

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