Ceiling Fans-- Good or Bad for Bedroom Staging?

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

Ceiling Fans-- Good or Bad for Bedroom Staging?

Do ceiling fans stir up interest in your home, or are they just dated ugliness on a stick, with whirling blades? And where do we go for an a...

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Stage Your Home by Example. Copy the Luxury Hotels

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.das-tyrol.at/uploads/pics/02_Hotel_Das_Tyrol_Double4_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.das-tyrol.at/uploads/pics/02_Hotel_Das_Tyrol_Double4_01.jpg" width="369" /></a></div>If you are staging your home, I can give you an excuse to take a little vacation. I am sure you deserve it.<br /><br />You can convince your significant other that it's time for some R & R, by explaining a vacation is an opportunity to study decor that works for home staging. You're on a research mission. Hotels and resorts have lots to teach.<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bedrooms Matter!</span></b><br />Wouldn't you love one bedroom in your staged home to look something like the one on the right? I know your future buyers would!<br /><br />Here's what's worth copying from this room at the Das Tyrol Hotel:<br /><ul><li>The matched benches at the foot of the bed. </li><li>The layered but simple headboard. </li><li>The abstract art that's positioned to emphasize the tall ceiling. </li><li>The harmonious color scheme. </li><li>The lack of itty-bitty stuff scattered here and there. </li></ul><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Faked Luxury </b></span><br />Take a look at the two photos below. If you guessed that they are a page from the portfolio of a professional home stager, you'd be wrong.<br /><br />These are two shots of similar rooms in the same hotel, but one was taken by the Las Vegas hotel chain for its advertising material, and the other was taken by the travel site called <a href="http://www.oyster.com/hotels/photo-fakeouts/">Oyster</a>.com. Oyster loves to debunk the illusions that resorts thrive on, the picturesque deserted beach, the pool with sexy models, the dream buffet table and cocktail lounge, the luxuriously appointed and spacious room.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.o-static.com/s/image/fakeouts/fakeout-color-me-sad-california-hotel-vegas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://www.o-static.com/s/image/fakeouts/fakeout-color-me-sad-california-hotel-vegas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.oyster.com/las-vegas/hotels/california-hotel-and-casino/photos/deluxe-king-room-california-hotel-casino-v224457-640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://images.oyster.com/las-vegas/hotels/california-hotel-and-casino/photos/deluxe-king-room-california-hotel-casino-v224457-640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Below is another example of over-zealous promotion. What looks like a lovely room to kick back in once you check into the Ritz-Carlton in Coconut Grove, Florida, is actually a typically barren, institutionalized hotel room. We can see the importance of a photographer who knows how to make a room look good when it's time to shoot your home for MLS listings. The major differences between photos one and two are a couple of plants, better lighting, a different angle, and more colorful draperies and bedding. Sound like staging?    </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.o-static.com/s/image/fakeouts/fakeout-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://www.o-static.com/s/image/fakeouts/fakeout-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">   <a href="http://images.oyster.com/miami/hotels/the-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove/photos/deluxe-room-the-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove-v62851-640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://images.oyster.com/miami/hotels/the-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove/photos/deluxe-room-the-ritz-carlton-coconut-grove-v62851-640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />But I didn't call you all together here to talk about fake-out photos. I want to point out what's smart to copy from hotel room decor.<br /><br />All this week I'll be giving pointers on Facebook about staging bedrooms. Join the DIY Home Staging Group to receive the Tip of the Day. Just click on the FB button in the sidebar.  <br /><br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Some History</span></b><br />Hotels used to be the punching bag of interior decoration. And no wonder.<br /><br />The color schemes were plucked from the worst Hollywood had to offer, as if to remind you that you were escaping reality by vacationing. The furniture was chosen to withstand abuse but it looked like it was designed for men's dormitories. Tacky reproductions of rainy Paris street scenes and puppies in a field a daisies were screwed to the flocked wallpapered wall through their gilded frames.<br /><br />Very impressive. If you never left home before.<br /><br />Then along came boutique hotels, and American hotel chains knew they had to follow suit. Probably the Internet helped to educate people about what hotels could look like if hotels wanted to put forth any effort.<br /><br />There are still plenty of ugly hotel rooms in America, but if we concentrate on the elegant ones, the expensive ones, the luxury ones, the ones managed by people wise enough to hire a designer, then we can learn something about how to a stage a bedroom for the real estate market.<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Some Samples</span></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">are examples of hotel rooms worth emulating. Who doesn't relish the feeling of waltzing into a big, beautiful, private bedroom, that's been freshly prepared just for your relaxation and enjoyment? That's the feeling you want to convey to people touring your home.    </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lhw.com/static/hotels/479/479_35894281_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://www.lhw.com/static/hotels/479/479_35894281_medium.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Of course, the wide angle lens helps glamorize this room at the Rittenhouse Hotel, in Philadelphia. But notice the friendly colors and soft textures. There's plenty of natural and artificial light sources, a mirror adds to the feeling of spaciousness, and the art is large scale.  </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lhw.com/static/hotels/626/626_28065561_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://www.lhw.com/static/hotels/626/626_28065561_medium.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>At the Kahala Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii, window drapes don't cover up any of the view. In fact, they go wall to wall to suggest that the window is even larger than it is. I like the matching nightstands and lamps, and lots of leggy furniture that shows off more flooring. You can skip the bottle of wine for your open house days! </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plantersinn.com/img/p_guestrooms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.plantersinn.com/img/p_guestrooms.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Creating the sense of a bedroom suite is always a good idea. Do you have the space for a writing desk, a lounge chair, or love seat? Women especially respond to a bedroom staged as a getaway, a place to unwind and be alone, or else spend private time as a couple. This charming and traditional hotel room is at the Planters Inn, in Charleston, South Carolina. </span></i></div><br />If you want more tips on staging bedrooms to sell your home, download my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebook_02.html">eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar.</i> You'll easily gain a wealth of information, advice that will let your stage your own home on a dime. And earn money when you sell!

Stage Your Home by Example. Copy the Luxury Hotels

If you are staging your home, I can give you an excuse to take a little vacation. I am sure you deserve it. You can convince your significan...

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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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What Every Garage Sale Shopper Needs to Know

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

What Every Garage Sale Shopper Needs to Know

I didn't even try to lower the price. Anyone who thrives on buying second hand, and I'm part of that club, has her own bag of tricks...

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99-CentTray Makeover

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_7985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_7985.jpg" width="465" /></a></div>When I spy something as functional as a serving tray -- with handles, yet! -- at Goodwill for less than a buck, I'm going to take it home with me.<br /><br />Such was the case when I spotted a plain jane, yellow plastic tray last week.<br /><br />I knew that tray was dreaming of a more adventurous life. She was marooned at the second hand store, waiting to be thrown a lifeline. I was happy to rescue her.<br /><br />When you stage a home on the market, serving trays like this one can add simple structure and style to a side table, vanity, bedside table, mantel, hassock, foyer bench, or coffee table. I wrote about dressing up a tray <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/03/finishing-touches-department-where-to.html">here</a>.  <br /><br />I'm always telling you, "Don't use small objects when you stage," but you can almost tweak my rule when you put the small stuff on a tray.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It didn't bother me that my tray looked jaundiced and gaudy. She just needed some fresh air. And paint.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/Before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/Before.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">My first step when I got her home was to give her a bath. Once dry, I sanded her lightly, and sprayed on a coat of white primer, and then a coat of creamy white semi gloss. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/sprayed-straightwpaint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/sprayed-straightwpaint.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I wanted to gussy up the handles and add some personality, so I found some white nylon rope to wrap around them. I thought that would give her the "nauti-look" I was after. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1glueendofrope-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1glueendofrope-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I hot glued the end of a length of rope to the underside of a handle, because I wanted to hide the end. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/2windrope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/2windrope.jpg" width="356" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">   Then I started wrapping the handle with rope.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/3glue2ndropeend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/3glue2ndropeend.jpg" width="222" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I ended the wrap on the underside of the handle, and glued the other end down.</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/4cutrope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/4cutrope.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Then, I cut the end off, nice and clean. </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_7928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_7928.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I tried tracing around the bottom of the tray, but in the end, I decided to be more accurate, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and measure the actual area I wanted to  cover. </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_7916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_7916.jpg" width="377" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I rough-cut the maritime chart I wanted to use. It's important to use paper with as much substance as scrapbook paper, not a regular, lightweight road map or wrapping paper. Or you can paint a stencil design on a tray, like <a href="http://www.pinkandpolkadot.net/2011/02/gray-tray-transformation.html">this one</a> that Kristi at Pink and Polkadot did.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_7924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_7924.jpg" width="382" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I cut the chart out with a rotary cutter, but scissors or a mat knife would also work. The edges should be straight and clean. You should dry-fit the paper onto the tray before going further. I ironed the map to smooth the wrinkles and creases. What gal wants those to show? </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_7921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_7921.jpg" width="346" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I applied rubber cement on the tray and them quickly set the map in place. If I had used spray adhesive, I would have had to mask off the edges.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_8036.jpg" width="432" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Finally, I sprayed the whole tray with a clear sealer. My serving tray is all decked out for her new life. </div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm pleased with the look, and I know I'll find </div><div style="text-align: center;">plenty of uses for this tray on our boat, or for staging a house. </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">If you love DIY projects and you are staging a home for sale, download my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook</a>, <i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar</i>, </div><div style="text-align: center;">for top notch, do-able ideas to help you get your home ship shape.   </div><br /><center><a href="http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarilPbjoonjc9mDEMUJVmrOu26yjwGPCkAOubFsknWZoL0iKYhY01YFFd30eCmSxUdqFBxjL4-AnUXLThw-NV_TzisNt5mO_LdmtX8_cSLaorbNU62qd7StdT53PaS_iqcZgdSQCqzVYD/s400/Chair+on+right+like+header.jpg" /></a></center><br /><a href="http://www.shabbynest.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Shabby Nest" src="http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j480/theshabbynest/Shabby%20Nest%20Blog%205-2011/ShabbyNest-GrabButton.png" /></a><br /><a href="http://southernhospitalityblog.com/"><img alt="southern hospitality" height="125" src="http://southernhospitalityblog.com/wp-content/themes/thesis_17/custom/images/shbutton.png" width="125" /></a>

99-CentTray Makeover

When I spy something as functional as a serving tray -- with handles, yet! -- at Goodwill for less than a buck, I'm going to take it hom...

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Chocolate and Learning from Experience

Last week I celebrated my 69th birthday. I realize that to most of you, 69 sounds, like, so <i>old.</i> It only sounds that way. I practice mind over matter. I don't mind getting old, so it doesn't matter. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_7798-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_7798-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>My birthday cake got a sprig of chocolate mint from my garden. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Cooking is something I enjoy doing every day. So every year for my birthday I bake my own cake. Sure, it would be easier and maybe even more festive, to simply <i>buy</i> a cake. Or more gracious to let someone buy one for me. But, what if I don't like it? I'd have to wait another year to do it my way.<br /><br />It's all about me.<br /><br />I wanted a chocolate cake this year. I love chocolate. I envisioned a fluffy cake and dense chocolate ice cream, so I decided to combine them into an ice cream cake. This recipe is a quick way to whip up a homemade cake that's special enough to seem celebratory. It's just a layer of sponge cake wrapped around a layer of ice cream. I used the jelly roll cake recipe in my go-to cookbook, <i>Joy of Cooking</i>. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chocolate Ice Cream Roll </b></span><br /><b>Ingredients:  </b><br />4 eggs<br />3/4 cup sugar<br />1 teaspoon vanilla<br />3/4 cup cake flour<br />3/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br /><br /><b>How to:</b><br />Oil a jelly roll pan (a 10.5 x 15.5-inch baking sheet with a 1-inch lip all around). Line the bottom with an overhanging strip of parchment or aluminum foil to make it easy to remove the cake after baking. Oil the parchment or foil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.    <br /><br />Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks, then gradually add the sugar to the yolks, and beat until creamy. Add vanilla. Sift the flour with baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Whip the egg whites until stiff, and fold them into the cake batter. Pour batter onto prepared jelly roll pan, spread it to the edges, and bake for about 12 minutes.<br /><br />As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, invert it onto a clean, cloth towel that has been dusted with confectioners sugar. Peel the parchment or foil away and trim away any brittle edges.While it is still warm, roll the cake in the towel, and allow it to cool for about 2 hours.<br /><br /><b>For the filling:</b><br />When you start to bake the cake, remove 1 pint of chocolate ice cream from the freezer and place it the coldest part of your refrigerator, usually way in the back. As the cake cools, the ice cream will be softening to a spreadable consistency.<br /><br />Unroll the completely cooled cake, place it on a layer of wax paper, and spread the inside of the cake with most of the ice cream, Roll it up and cover the top with the remaining ice cream. Working quickly to prevent melting, wrap the wax paper around your cake, and place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Slice crosswise to serve, garnished with chocolate syrup if desired.  <br /><br />The ice cream I used was Haagen-Dazs chocolate. I was disappointed because it wasn't chocolatey enough. Now I realize that I probably should have bought some wild and crazy, nutty, chunky, fudgey flavor.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lesson Learned</b></span><br />Live and learn. Next year I'll get something more over the top, like Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey or Chocolate Heath Bar.  <br /><br />That's the thing about getting older. You learn by making mistakes.<br /><br />I've been rehabbing, repairing, and redecorating houses for many years. What I blog about and write ebooks about I've learned from experience. As we say in North Carolina, I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday.<br /><br />You can learn from my mistakes. Not just the chocolate lesson, but the staging lessons. I've written a lot about how to stage your own home for the real estate market. Learn more about my <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_1936263913"></a><a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebook_02.html">home staging eBook here</a> including how to get your copy.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Funky Junk's Sat Nite Special" border="0" src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b243/signmakergirl/smallsnsstars.jpg" /></a></center>

Chocolate and Learning from Experience

Last week I celebrated my 69th birthday. I realize that to most of you, 69 sounds, like, so old. It only sounds that way. I practice mind o...

Read more »

How to Take the Work Out of Staging. Almost.

<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/WithbikeJune2011.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/WithbikeJune2011.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ever since I was seven, I've owned a bike.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />As soon as I finished my bowl of raisin bran and half my coffee today, I hopped on my bike for my daily ride through the neighborhood. As I pedaled, I asked myself what I could write that would be helpful to my readers.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I remembered</b></span> what a woman who staged and sold her property told me last week. She said that staging took being relentless and ruthless.<br /><br />Effective staging requires that, and more. It can be overwhelming, especially when you are locked into a time frame for selling and moving. It helps to remember that by staging you are actually earning money.<br /><br />Staging's not just about plumping pillows and buying new lampshades, although those things help. It takes work. But the good news is there is a way to make it less work.<br /><br />Actually, there are two ways. One is get creative. The other is become efficient. Here's how.  <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Learn to be Creative  </b></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ul><li>Give yourself time alone. Even if it's just a few minutes of each day when you know no one will disturb you. Meditate, pray, journal, knit, scrapbook, or just hang out the Do Not Disturb sign.</li><li>Get moving every day. My bike ride gives me both fresh air and fresh thoughts. I hope you have an activity like yoga, running, swimming, walking, qigong, or something else that builds stamina and flexibility. Creativity is about freeing up energy. </li><li>Read, observe, and focus on staging. Educate yourself. You're on this site, so you are learning about how staging makes money for you. You can get daily staging tips on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_100832113324140&ap=1">Facebook Group</a>, and you can download my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebook_02.html">eBook</a>. You can keep your eyes open and see what other sellers do right and wrong. </li><li>Associate with creative, supportive people, and avoid negative people. Naysayers and gloomy folks drain creative juices. Choose friends the way you'd choose a dog. Look for loyalty and cheerfulness. These close friends will be the ones who encourage you every step of the way, and might also be the ones who lend a hand to the work of staging. I know I can always count on Mr. Lucky to listen to me, give me advice, and bring on the muscle and power tools when necessary. </li><li>Train yourself to distinguish between what is urgent (needs to be done now) and crucial (important, but not timely). Train yourself to stay on focus. (Easier said than done for us fly-abouts, but not impossible.)     </li></ul><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/Yukitup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/Yukitup.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>My daughter is the one who always encourages me. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Improve Your Efficiency </b></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Organize your work into separate projects, then cluster similar tasks together. For example, save all your spray painting projects for one day with perfect weather, then spray away!  </li><li>Give yourself realistic deadlines, monthly, weekly, daily, and even  hourly. For example, declutter one closet a week. Or paint <i>both</i> coats on those bedroom walls in one day. You'll find you become more aware of the scope of each project, and you'll begin to budget your time. You'll also push yourself to cross the finish line instead of leaving unfinished jobs here and there.   </li><li>Simplify. Ask yourself if it's really necessary to hem that drape that puddles on the floor. Do you need to clean the bedroom that never gets used?  </li><li>Determine your time wasters, and get a handle on them. Everyone needs some time to relax, but certain diversions like computer games and television can drain away hours if you let them. I'm not telling you anything new there. Just saying.</li><li>Make every move count. Always ask yourself, "How can I do this in less time?" This approach is especially helpful when you have repetitive tasks, like washing windows or vacuuming your floor.</li></ul>I am going to finish that coffee now, and then do the things I need to do. I may not have to be relentless and ruthless today, but I know I can be efficient and creative. So can you!

How to Take the Work Out of Staging. Almost.

Ever since I was seven, I've owned a bike. As soon as I finished my bowl of raisin bran and half my coffee today, I hopped on my bike fo...

Read more »