Home Staging & Redesign Do-It-Yourself!

Home Staging and Redesign doesn't have to be expensive! One of the services we offer at River City ReDesign is an in home consultation and customized room by room report that has lots of useful tips, tricks and trade secrets you need to complete all or a portion of the work yourself!

Back in April I had the pleasure of meeting a fun loving couple who are in the midst of selling their own home and an investment property. They required two different services one for each home. The home they lived in had years of clutter and personal items that they knew needed to be dealt with. After spending 3 hours going through the home room by room I supplied them with the detailed report I mentioned above, they paid a fee of $250 plus GST and we moved onto the investment property (that's a different story).

I am sooooo happy to say that they followed my recommendations to a T. I had the pleasure of visiting them at their house Saturday June 7th and was amazed by the outcome! This is a success story of how the right professional advice paired with some hard work from the home owner can really pay off! The before pictures are on the left and the after to the right.

What a beautiful transformation! Potential buyers will have no trouble seeing the selling features of this home!

For more information about our services please visit our website or click here.

How to De-personalize & De-clutter Book Shelves

What does it mean to de-personalize and de-clutter? It’s quite simple really, all you need is an open mind, packing material and of course the ability to be objective in your own space.

Here are some examples of every day living and long term collecting transform a standard bookcase.

Books, family photographs, collections, plants, art, memorabilia, nick knacks and much much more find their way into any open space available. It’s not unusual and quite understandable. Where else do you place such items? They all have a story, they all mean something to you and they all have their unique set of qualities but as you can see above, they start to overwhelm each other and get lost in the mix as the collecting continues.

Here is the easiest way to de-personalize and de-clutter your book shelves:

1. Remove EVERYTHING: Taking everything off the shelves makes it easier to sort, pack and arrange.


2. Place LIKE items together on the floor: All books, all photos, all nick knacks and so on.


3. Place like styles and colors together: Place all the gold cover books together, all family photos, all scenery photos and so on.


4. Pack away ALL family photographs: as hard as this may seem, it is in your best interest to pack personalized items like photographs and awards away. They distract buyers and believe it or not they tell a lot about who YOU are, what YOU do and whom you do it with – not exactly the type of information you want just anyone knowing. Buyers are strangers in your home. They are there to learn about your home – not about you.


5. Pick your ‘showpieces’ or favorite display items and start placing them in sporadic spaces on the selves. This means if you collect vases, put one large vase to the right left or centre of one shelf, three medium vases as a grouping on one shelf again to the right, centre or left. Here’s a tip… if you have a total of 6 shelves and 3 groupings, space them out on every other shelf.


6. Books of the same color can now be positioned on the shelves. Books should be grouped in 3 (thicker) or 5 (thinner) and can be placed vertically or horizontal. If you are placing books vertically, place them to the left or right on the shelves, if horizontal, you can put 3 thin ones under a single large vase (adds height and interest). Books in groups of 5 can be placed on one shelf but to the left and right of the shelf. Vertical groupings and horizontal groupings can also be placed on one shelf if it is wide enough.


7. Place a collection, scenic photograph (framed) beside a grouping of vertical books or on top of a grouping of horizontal.


8. Nick knacks should be used at a minimum. They too can be placed in groups beside books or on top.
   

Stop and evaluate your space. Stand back at least 6 feet and let your eyes roam. The shelves should not look over cluttered and heavy. You should be able to see plenty of wall or backing and your eye should move seamlessly from one shelf to the next.

Take a look at some well organized book shelves:

This is a great example of how paring books can work effectively as the main showcased pieces. Do you notice how your eye can move from the top to the bottom without distraction? The side shelves were decorated using a simple zig zag pattern and the centre one is a simple vertical. Either pattern works really well for beginners. I do not recommend placing books on a slant. While it looks nice in the photo it is impractical and they will fall down eventually. This one gets an 8 out of 10

This book shelf has great groupings. The large vase on the bottom shelf adds weight, the carriage above carries the eye upward and the top shelves are great examples of groupings. In my opinion this shelf is bordering the line of cluttered. The top shelf is fine (right and left placement), the second shelf only needed the plant (centred) and the third shelf should have a grouping of 3 vases (centered) or 1 medium sized vase to the left and the existing small collection to the right. I still give this one a 7 out of 10.

This one is the best of the three. It isn't perfect but who is?! Notice the color groupings - lots of red. Not everything has to be the same it just needs to compliment one another and not compete. I give this one a 9 out of 10. It's only flaws are this: the top of the shelving system has one too many items on it - do not place things on the top of your shelf unless you have a 10' or higher ceiling. The last change I would make is staggering the books more. The two top shelves on the left have books while the two below are much more sparse. This is where it can get tricky but balance is essential. By placing a heavy item next to another it can cause your eye to pause.

Here is what I would have done with this shelf (I used a photo editing program to do this):

Can you see the diffrence?

Over all any de-personalizing and de-cluttering is an improvement and as you can see it doesn't have to be perfect. If your shelves look anything like the cluttered examples at the beginning of this post, I expect you should have a minimum of two full boxes of items that aren't placed back on the shelves. Just think your one step closer to having a SOLD sign on your front lawn and you'll have two less boxes to pack! A great start for your exciting move!

Please feel free to email me your photographs if you would like some advice. I'd be more than happy to assist you in preparing your home for sale!

Have fun!

Edmonton Home Staging & Redesign Featured in ComFree Magazine

River City ReDesign was honored to be featured as a 2 page spread in Edmonton ComFree's Magazine May1, 2008 edition!

IT'S ALL ABOUT FIRST IMPRESSIONS

With thousands of listings in the Edmonton area, it’s more than likely you have competition on your street. Properly preparing your home for sale will put you a step above your competitors.

Homebuyers differ in their priorities for their new home but they all have a few things in common:

80 per cent of them will view homes online or in print for the first time

Most are looking for move-in ready condition

Only 10 per cent can visualize the potential of a home - they need to see it to believe it

First impressions are huge: most make their minds up in 60 seconds or less

They want a great home for a great price and are looking for ways to justify a lower offer

Buyers can view a number of homes in one day with showings lasting as little as 10 minutes - How will your home be remembered at the end of their day?

The overall appearance of your home is your strongest marketing tool, regardless of its age, style or decor. In today’s market it’s more important than ever that your home’s first impression is a lasting one. If a buyer remembers your home for all the right reasons they may just be willing to sacrifice on the price and location.

In addition to minor repairs, painting, cleaning and regular maintenance, there is a lot more involved to properly preparing your home for sale. With some hard work, time and a little bit of money you’ll be able to create visual appeal to a broader range of buyers and increase your home’s market presence and even its value.

Curb Appeal. Once your home gets the attention of prospective buyers through online or print advertising they will make an appointment to view it or do a drive-by, which is aimed to save time because if a home doesn’t look good from the outside it probably doesn’t look good on the inside either! General lawn care, tree trimming, removing old Christmas lights and washing windows creates a warm, welcoming feeling that entices buyers to look further.

Front Entrance. Using the front door to welcome buyers to your home is crucial. The front entrance should be clear of all clutter with only key pieces of functioning furniture. The front entrance should compliment the rest of the home’s décor and provide a maneuverable intersection to the main living areas.

Living Rooms. Living rooms are a big priority for buyers. Creating space and neutralizing your living room will not only allow a buyer to see the main selling features such as fireplaces, windows and flooring, it will also let them make an emotional connection by envisioning themselves living there. Remove family photographs, reduce clutter, and arrange furniture for maximum appeal.

Kitchens. Kitchens are the centre of a home and buyers are looking for counter and cupboard space. By removing items from the tops of cabinets and notes and magnets from the fridge, and organizing the cupboards and pantry, the buyer can see all the great features without distraction.

Dining Rooms. Separate dining rooms are a bonus for many homes. Used primarily for entertaining, it’s important to keep furnishings to a minimum. Remove dark window coverings and tablecloths to create an airy feeling of space. If you only have a breakfast nook play up the entertainment value of the space. Use neutral artwork to guide the eye towards selling features such as windows and crown moldings.

Bathrooms. A clean, bright and clutter free bathroom will tell a buyer this is a relaxing space to rejuvenate. Put away personal hygiene products, bath products and clean, clean, clean! Fresh towels, a plant in the corner and a couple of candles beside the bath sets the right tone.


Bedrooms. The number of bedrooms your home has is a large deciding factor for buyers. It’s crucial to show bedrooms in their true form and not as craft or hobby rooms. Offices can work as long as they are clean and well organized. Bedrooms need to be spacious and neutral with windows and closets as the main focal points.


Other Spaces. The den, family room, linen closet, storage room, garage and back yard are equally important. The same rules apply here - neutralize, de-clutter, highlight features and create focal points. Rent a storage unit or borrow space in a friend’s home to store your removed items – don’t put them in your garage!


Being objective while preparing your home for sale is a crucial step in your success. Remember that living in a home and selling a home are two different things and your ultimate goal is to sell quickly and for top dollar.


All of this can seem overwhelming but there’s good news. An industry called home staging and redesign has made the daunting task of preparing homes for sale their main business focus and is dedicated to assisting homeowners with this ultimate goal. They know what it takes to successfully increase your home’s appeal and marketability, offering a fresh perspective while staying objective. They provide you with valuable information and recommendations on how to maximize the selling features of your home.


Home staging and redesign experts offer room by room reports which address what to add or remove, what may need to be repaired or replaced, how and what to highlight as the main selling features, proper furniture and accessory placement plus they usually have partnerships with local trades people and home improvement stores that offer special discounts and quick turn around times for their clients.


The home staging and redesign industry is growing. In 2007 many published real estate reports stated that home staging and redesign services added more value and buyer appeal causing homes to sell faster and for more money.


Whether you decide to take on all the projects yourself or hire a team of professionals to help, the rewards are endless. Remember that if buyers can visualize themselves living in your home, then price, location and your personal décor are no longer a factor. So take the action to get it right the first time. Your hard work won’t go unnoticed and in most cases will prove profitable!

Information and photographs courtesy of River City ReDesign, ComFree’s Home Staging & Redesign partner

It’s All About First Impressions



For more information email info@rivercitydesign.com or visit http://www.rivercitydesign.com/







Dawna Graham,
Executive Director / Lead Designer
River City ReDesign Inc.