Arranged To Sell

Is There a Room YOU Need Help With?

2014-04-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

Olioboard is announcing a new service just for YOU!

What is Olioboard?

Olioboard is a...

Online marketplace that matches consumers with their own FREE interior e-Designer. http://v2.olioboard.com

Here is some information to help you get started:

About the New Service...

Today Olioboard launches its much anticipated FREE personalized e-design shopping platform https://v2.olioboard.com/. The new service connects those in need of design help with professional interior designers who help the clients shop for products that are the right fit for their home.

The client simply creates a profile and Olioboard matches them with a professional designer based on style compatibility. After learning about the client, the designer creates 2 customized room designs. The client can shops the look directly from the virtual room designs with most orders shipping free to the client's door.

“At Olioboard we are passionate about creating a new and innovative online shopping experience that moves away from Commodity Commerce towards a more emotional and personalized e-commerce experience,” says Sheilah MacSporran CEO of Olioboard. “Shopping online is a great way to get the best deals on products but it is also tough to find the right sofa when you are confronted with thousands of options. Our designers learn about you, your likes and dislikes and select the perfect items that fit your style, your home and your budget.”

Olioboard does not charge clients or designers. It takes a sales commission from its retail partner Hayneedle.com and shares the majority of it with the designer. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Hayneedle.com, one of the largest and most trusted online retailers for home furnishings and décor. With Hayneedle.com we are able to provide products for every room, every style and every budget to satisfy any client’s design requests.”

Here are what some Olioboards may look like when working with a client:

Here are a few of my Olioboards: https://v2.olioboard.com/client/register?ref_id=37

So, if you have a room in your home that you need help with please check out the services on https://v2.olioboard.com/

Warming Up to Sell

2014-01-09T09:47:00.000-08:00

Are You Thinking of Selling in the New Year?

It may be below zero with the wind chill, but here are some indoor things you can do to get your home ready to list:

Take some pictures of each room in your home. Take an objective look at them. Imagine you're the buyer and looking for a house to buy. Try to view the pictures the way a buyer would. Do the rooms look cluttered? Do the rooms have good flow from one to another? Is there too much furniture?
Start with the main areas of the house such as the Kitchen, Living Room, Family Room, Master Bedroom and Master Bathroom.
Make some piles of things to pack, to sell, to give away or donate. (A home doesn't need to be cold and empty in order to list.) Start packing and remove your piles. Consider renting a storage unit if you don't have room in the home to store them.

Things to pack:

Pack away formal portraits. You want buyer's to be able to see themselves living in the space.
Pack up expensive breakable collectibles to avoid them getting damaged during showings.
Pack away items that you don't need to use daily, such as large cooking items you use once a year.
Go through cabinets and closets to purge items. Consider getting plastic containers or baskets for under the sinks or in linen closets to give the spaces an organized appearance.

Why do Home Stagers and Agents ask you to take down personal items and start packing?

Here are a few of homes I've staged before and after photos:

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

When a Buyer walks through the product you are selling (your home), we want them to get a spacious feeling. The Buyers should be able to walk room to room without bumping into furniture. The rooms should have good flow, a good arrangement of furniture to help the rooms show well. When there is too much of your personal belongings the Buyer can become distracted looking at your items instead of looking at the product you are selling. Organizing the closets and cabinets shows the Buyer there is plenty of storage space throughout the home.

When you prepare your product/home prior to listing it this allows the Agent to get great pictures for the listing and start showing it sooner. Isn't that the ultimate goal? Show the properties positive features and sell it for top dollar.

Now that your product has been depersonalized, uncluttered, organized, it's time to freshen up towels and hand towels to display for listing pictures and showings. This is also a great time to give your product a good cleaning. Some professional cleaners offer Whole House cleanings, where the house is cleaned top to bottom including windows. This is a terrific option if you work and just don't have the time to accomplish this task. Well worth the money!

Working with a Home Stager will help you accomplish everything you need to get and have your home listed quickly. As a Home Stager I make sure my clients homes flow nicely from room to room and highlight any positive focal points in the home. I offer paint suggestions if needed to give the home a fresh clean feel. It is amazing what a little painting can do to update a space and tie the rooms together.

So enjoy the winter by getting your home ready for the Real Estate market!

Have YOU Decorated for the Holidays Yet?

2013-12-10T15:40:00.003-08:00

Have you decorated for the Holidays yet? It's not too late!

Let's start with the outside, here are some great ideas I found on Pinterest.

What a great idea for a mailbox!!

Don't we all have buckets behind our sheds? This is a great idea to re-purpose containers we don't use in the winter.


Love these simple yet fun ideas!





There are hundreds of decorating ideas on Pinterest! Whatever your style is from over the top to very simple, you can find all kinds of inspiration on Pinterest and many other sites on line.
http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=christmas%20outdoor%20decorations&rs=ac&len=17

Here are a few ideas to brighten up the interior for the Holiday season and some beautiful trees!

I love the elegance of this arrangement. Gold has made a come back for sure... Nothing says Happy Holidays like a beautifully decorated mantel.

Loving this very colorful and fun mantel decor!

These room look so cozy and welcoming for entertaining friends and family.

    A spectacular Holiday table!!

Well, I don't know about you but I'm really getting in the Holiday spirit finding all these wonderful ideas on Pinterest. I hope I was able to give you some great ideas to start your decorating or maybe add some new ideas to your home for celebrating with friends and family.

From our home to yours Happy Holiday's and here is to a Very Happy New Year!!! Cheers!

Front Door Envy

2013-09-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Thinking of selling your home? How does your front door look?

Curb appeal and how your front entrance looks are very important when getting your home ready to sell. When a buyer is ready to make a final decision they will remember which home made a lasting first impression. So... Don't slam the door in their face, instead have your home say, "Welcome Home".

Here are some curb appeal ideas:

Prune those shrubs! Pruning is vital to help see your home on the listing and from the road.
Pull the weeds you keep walking by and freshen up the bark mulch.
Add a few mums to the front walkway and around the mailbox.

Some favorite curb appeal photos from Google.com and my own home.

Here is an example of what your house should not look like when trying to sell it, just had to share it:

Front door transformation:

Touch up trim paint so it looks clean and fresh.
Wash windows especially in the front of the house so it will sparkle.
Update the door or add a new coat of paint so it will pop compared to the rest of the house.
Don't forget to wash the outdoor lights or better yet replace them with a more updated style.
Pressure wash, pressure wash, pressure wash! It is amazing how good your walkway and front stairs can look after a good pressure washing.

Here are some updated front door examples. Using a different door color can really help your home stand out from the rest in your neighborhood.

I hope I gave you some ideas when getting your home ready to sell!!

Sell Faster!!

2013-06-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

Selling, Selling, Sold!

If you are thinking of selling your home you may want to take a look at other homes similar to yours on the market. Look at the on line pictures to see how the home is being marketed to buyer's.

When I'm working with a client very often one of my recommendations are updating some areas of the home, such as the kitchen and bathrooms. It is amazing how making a few simple cosmetic updates can help sell a house faster. http://www.mirrormate.com/

Only 10% of people can see beyond what is in front of them when looking at real estate. Working with a Home Stager can help set the stage to appeal to buyer's which help market the home better on line and for showings.

Here are some examples of some of my clients before and after bathroom updates.

Before this bathroom was dark and dated.

The bathroom was painted a neutral color, the sheers were removed, added some new accessories and towels. This bathroom now looks updated!

Before some updates and staging.

This bathroom just needed some decluttering, a good cleaning and some simple accessories to give this bathroom a clean fresh feel.

This bathroom had a dated feel so we suggested updating the mirror, light, counter, painting the oak cabinets white, new hardware and new crown molding.

This bathroom looks updated, clean and high end. Which bathroom would you like to see in a listing?

The cabinets in this bathroom were painted black, updated the light, added a MirrorMate frame to the mirror and some new accessories.

Don't they look better staged???

So, if you are thinking of selling your home find a Home Stager http://arrangedtosell.com/ in your area that will help your home out shine the competition!!! You'll be glad you did...

So Many Choices!

2013-01-31T16:52:00.002-08:00

Decisions, Decisions...

I have been looking for the perfect chandelier for my dining room and my head is spinning with all the different styles available.

Here is what my dining room looks like now.

Here are some chandeliers that I like from http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Chandeliers-Pendants/34/subcat.html?TID=TN:RD:Chand

I want the chandelier to fit in with the rest of the home which is traditional with some contemporary french country craftsmen thrown in. Wow!

I can see from my selection I'm a fan of curves. I don't like anything too modern with sharp edges. One must have is that I don't like having the shades angled down, they must be facing up to the ceiling. I know, I know it's just one of those things that I can't stand.

How big should the chandelier be? A good rule I remember is a chandelier should be about 1/2 the width of the table and hang about 30" from the tables surface.

Along with the chandelier I also want to change out the valances for drapes! I know more decisions!!!

Until next time...

Oops Don't Open That!

2013-01-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

When getting your home ready for the Real Estate market, organization is an important ingredient.

When I walk through a home with a client I ask them if they mind if I take a look in their cabinets and closets.

As a Home Stager (http://arrangedtosell.com/staging.html) it is my job to look at the home with objective eyes. I think of myself as a buyer and what would be important to me when looking for a house to buy.

As a buyer I’m making a “To Do” list as I tour the property. What needs to be fixed, painted, replaced or sometimes even gutted. Only 10% of home buyer's can see what potential a home has.

Organization is a main key element to please a buyer. Why do closets, pantries or cabinets need to be organized? When a buyer enters a home it usually is in a foyer and the first thing they would do would check out the coat closet. What is the first impression when looking in that closet? Is it stuffed with coats, wrapping paper, bags, snow pants, gloves, tennis rackets and many other items? The impression given is that it appears this house does not have much storage space.

Tips for organizing all closets; remove 50% of the items. This gives it a feeling of spaciousness. Purge the items you don’t use or pack them away. Add decorative baskets for the top shelf to hide away any clutter.

So the buyer moves down the hall to see the desirable area that is the kitchen. A buyer wants to see if they can see themselves cooking in this kitchen and of course they open the cabinets. Do things fall out at the buyer when they open up the cabinets? Are the counters lined with cooking gadgets?

Some tips for organizing kitchens are to purge items! Think of it this way, your intention is to move so let the packing begin now.

A pantry is a great feature in a home. Play it up by making it look nice and neat! Organize like items together and purge outdated ones, use canisters and baskets to hide the little things. If the pantry has an upper shelf that is usually a great place for a mixer or other large items you do not use often.

If you have cabinets with glass doors it is great to display nice plates, glasses or bowls in it.

When a buyer enters a bathroom what is the first thing most look for? Besides the whirlpool tub they look for storage as in a linen closet. When they take a peek in is it stuffed with towels, sheets, heating pads, dirty laundry among other things?

Tips for the bathroom; make sure the linen closet is not stuffed with items. Remove 50% to insure that it looks spacious.

Fold the towels neatly with the nice side facing out. Freshen up the closet and space with fresh new towels.

Baskets are great for wash cloths and to hide little items.

Fold the sheets neatly with the folds facing out.

Go through the cabinets and purge. Using baskets under the sink helps to keep items organized and looking neat.

Here is an example of what an organized linen closet looks like from www.houzz.com.

Traditional Closet design by New York Closets And Organization transFORM | The Art of Custom Storage

[houzz=http://www.houzz.com/photos/1398304/Reach-in-Linen-Closet-traditional-closet-new-york]

Also throwing in a picture of my dream closet hmmmm.

Traditional Closet design by New York Closets And Organization Andrea Gary/Queen of Kerfuffle™

[houzz=http://www.houzz.com/photos/1623786/Bravo-TV---Bethenny-Ever-After---Bethenny--Dream-Closet-traditional-closet-new-york]

Remember when you are selling your home view it as a product you are selling. How are you packaging the product? If you were shopping would you buy something that was not packaged well?? Think about it…

Have fun and keep staging!

Projects Around My House

2013-01-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

We all have them; the things we need to get done around the house, things we would like to see get done and the things that absolutely need to be done!

Here are a few projects we have been working on around our house:

Our biggest project we started is doing some DIY renovations around the house. We want to sell our home in the future so we decided update areas in our home to make it more marketable.

Our inspiration http://www.cyberrentals.com/USA/Massachusetts/r1111.htm was a beach house we rented in Plymouth Mass last summer. We just fell in love with all the moldings this home has and it got our wheels turning with ideas. We knew that once we started we needed to finish the job, especially where we are replacing all the moldings throughout the home with taller ones.

We started with our ½ bath where we enlarged the moldings, added crown molding, replaced the sink and faucet, http://www.homedepot.com/ added a new mirror, lights, painted the walls and painted the existing cabinets. Now this room feels updated and I love the look crown molding brings to the space.

Before

After

It does help that my husband is handy and has a workshop. I know if we had to hire someone and pay for the labor we would not have done as much as we have.

The next room we tackled was the kitchen. BIG job! In our inspiration kitchen we loved the lighter cabinets, dark granite and stainless appliances. We also liked that the cabinets went all the way to the ceiling and had lighted doors as accents.

Our Inspiration Kitchen

Before

My handy husband came up with ideas to make our dream a reality. We painted all the cabinets and spray painted the doors. He built boxes to add to the top of the cabinets and added new crown molding. We saved money by painting the existing cabinets and created the look we wanted by extending them up to the ceiling. I love the results!

After

We decided to paint the island a contrasting color of chocolate brown, added moldings around it to give it a beefier look which coordinates with the taller moldings. We are still in search of the perfect counter stools. Where we have gone with neutral colors and white cabinets I want to bring some color to the space with the stools and accessories.

The next room we worked on was our dining room. We had wallpapered above the chair rail 13 years ago and I was pleasantly surprised how easy it came off.

In the dining room we added wainscoting to the walls and taller moldings. We are trying to be consistent with our wall color http://www.sherwin-williams.com/ so again it is SW-Irish Cream.

Before

After

We next moved to the living room. This space is still in the process of it's transformation. My husband Eric is installing hardwood flooring, sanding and finishing it himself. I’ll let you know if that was a nightmare or not. He will also be adding the taller moldings, wainscoting, crown molding and a fresh coat of SW-Irish Cream. I can’t wait until it is finished!!

Before

During

The tape is to keep a cute little dog named Max out of the room.

So this is where our DIY projects stand for now. I will update with some after photos when this project is complete!

GO HUBBY!!!

Some Important Home Staging Tips

2013-01-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

Home Staging Tips

Thinking of selling your home? Here are a few of my tips to help get your home market ready. http://arrangedtosell.com/staging.html

· Hire a Home Stager to go through your home with objective eyes.

*This happens to all of us! We get used to how our surroundings look after living in a home for years. Working with a Home Stager brings a fresh outlook when getting your property ready to be listed.

· Take notes of what is recommended.

*Taking notes is so important when going through your home with a Home Stager. I usually hand my clients a pen and a clipboard with a worksheet.

· Don’t take the advice personal!

*When walking through your home a Stager’s job is to help market your home to sell faster. So don’t take any recommendations too personal. As a Home Stager I’m not judging my clients decorating style. As I walk through the home I’m thinking about good flow, furniture placement, does the space feel too small or cluttered, is there enough closet space and cabinet space. Could a buyer see themselves living here?

· Look at your home as a product you are selling.

*This is one of the most important things to remember! By looking at the house as a product it helps detach you from the property.

· Have fun with the staging process!

*Selling your home can be stressful for everyone. Packing up your life after living in your home 10 or 20 years can often be filled with memories of children growing up, gatherings with friends and family, and years of accumulated items. Working with a Home Stager can help you keep focused by giving you recommendations of what needs to be done first. My clients know that I want them to enjoy their staging experience, in the process of getting their product market ready.

The ultimate goal when you list your home with a Realtor is to sell it. No one wants to see their property on the market for months having to keep reducing the price. When you invest in the beginning of the selling process by working with a Home Stager you can be confident you're getting the best bang for your buck!

Dream Kitchen Transformation

2012-11-19T10:31:00.001-08:00

Our Kitchen Transformation on A Budget

We all have our "Honey can you..." lists for our homes and a collection of inspiration pictures for changes we would like to make. One of my dreams has been for a long time is to update my kitchen and paint, yes paint, our kitchen cabinets.

Here is what my kitchen looked like before...

My kitchen was dark most of the day, because the kitchen only get's sun in the morning. We had updated the counters to granite and added stainless appliances a few years ago. The kitchen still seemed dark and a little dated. It took many months to convince my woodworker husband to paint the cabinets.

Much of my inspiration came from http://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional/kitchen. If you have not checked out their site yet I highly recommend it!

Below are the results of our transformation on a budget!

Here is what we did:

My husband added on to existing cabinets to fill in the gap between the tops and the ceiling.
Added frosted glass door with lights behind them for a nice accent (plexiglass substitute $7.00 for a full sheet).
Added crown molding throughout the room and replaced all moldings to be taller.
Painted the cabinets and moldings the same Sherwin Williams Bright White.
Painted the walls Sherwin William Irish Cream.
Painted the island a chocolate brown.
Update lighting in the kitchen and added a drum shade over the table.(image not shown)

We are so happy with the results!

I hope this gives you some inspiration to change one of your spaces today!

http://www.shabbynest.blogspot.com/

To Stage or Not To Stage

2012-08-31T08:44:00.001-07:00

Vacant homes....let us think about those words for a moment. The word vacant means empty, void, blank. If you are a buyer looking on line for homes you want to go see, is a vacant home something that may appeal to you? NO, the home that will appeal to you is something that has style, it grabs your attention through its features and details it has and how it is presented to you.

Staging a vacant home can not only grab the buyers attention, but will sell the home faster.

Here are a few before and after photos of a recent vacant staging we did in Hampton, NH.
http://aarealestatepartners.com/

As you can see by adding furniture and some accessories to a vacant home it helps to add style and warmth to the space. This helps the buyer to visualize living in the home, helps them fall in love with different features that by staging has brought to their attention.

This is a wonderful cape style home for sale in Hampton, NH about 3 miles from Hampton Beach. It has an open floor plan with a spacious kitchen that has a corner gas fireplace for cozy family dinners.

Olioboard Heaven

2012-06-26T15:47:00.001-07:00

Have you used Olioboards yet? Well what are you waiting for! If you are a Interior Decorator, Redesigner, Home Stager or just someone who loves decorating their home or their friends and family's spaces then http://www.olioboards.com/ is the place for you!

What are Olioboards you ask? Great question...

Olioboards are mood boards that you can create on their website for free. Yep you heard it right, for free! It is perfect for Designers who put proposals together for clients or anyone who loves interior decorating. Once you create an account you then create a profile for yourself or your company. They also have community boards where you can see what others are creating and you can follow your favorites.

Click create Olioboard and that is when the fun begins! The boards are created by dragging and dropping your selections on to your Olioboard. You can upload your own photos of furniture, rugs and accessories if you want or choose from the large library of items they have available. The accessories, lighting, furniture, rugs and much more also have links to the store where the item is sold.  I usually begin with what space I'm working with for example let's say a dining room, I find my 3D set for my background and start finding my furniture and accessories. Here is an example of a dining room Olioboard I did..

Here are a few more I've done for clients, fun or Olioboard contests they run.



This one was for a contest for a nursery, isn't it cute! It almost makes me wish I had a baby again...



So if you haven't tried Olioboards yet give it a try and have fun decorating!

Ideas For My Living Room

2012-05-09T06:54:00.001-07:00

So, I just finished a vacant staging for a beautiful home in Bedford, NH. I'm very happy with the results of the staging, here are how a few of the rooms turned out.

I used three of my tables that were in my living room for the vacant home's family room. I painted them black with the intention of giving my living room a redesign. So now my wheels are turning to get some inspiration for my living room.

Here are some inspiration ideas from images from BHG, http://bit.ly/K5tE1B, and an Olioboard I created with some items from West Elm.

I really love the use of geometric patterns in rugs, pillows and curtains. I think using traditional timeless lines in your furniture and adding color with your accessories, throw pillows, rug and curtains. So if you need a change, this gives you an affordable way to update your room without spending money you don't have.

I hope my next post will be my completed redesigned living room...

My New Tufted Headboard

2012-03-09T09:16:00.020-08:00

I can't begin to tell you how long I've wanted a tufted fabric headboard. My day has come! My husband surprised me for Christmas with a king mattress. Since, we had a queen that meant we needed a new headboard. We practiced making a fabric headboard for my daughter Amanda's room first. See how nice that turned out!

Now it was time to attempt to make our tufted one. Making a tufted headboard is a team effort, thanks honey!

There is measuring, drilling and figuring out where you want your buttons to go and how many. To help us with that decision I found some inspiration headboards for examples to go by.

We cut the MDF to size, drilled the holes where the buttons will go, attached the 2" foam and cut slots in it with a diamond pattern, stapled on the doubled-up batting and poked holes through the whole thing.

Once the hard part was done we moved on to covering our buttons. Not hard once we got the hang of it.We needed 34 buttons for our tufted headboard.

So we were ready to begin. We had our MDF board, 2" foam, batting doubled, fabric and buttons, let the tufting commence! We started in the middle and worked our way out. We threaded the buttons and stapled them on the back. Seeing the headboard come together really motivated us to keep going to see the finished product.

I'm very happy with the way it turned out! Now, I want to redo the room and paint the walls. Oh, but that's another blog.

To Paint or Not To Paint

2012-02-17T12:14:00.003-08:00

In redesign or staging the decision to paint paneled walls is easy! In my opinion, it gives a room an instant update. We all know buyers look online first before viewing a property. A great way to appeal to buyers is giving them updated spaces to see. Paint can do wonders! It can lighten a dark room, give a space a cleaner feel and most of all can bring an 80's room up to 2012!

The ultimate goal is to get buyers to your listings through great pictures. Working with a Home Stager can do just that! They will advise and work with your client to help the product show better in photos and for showings.

Here is a redesign of painted paneling, see what a difference it made in this room!

Don't you feel like painting some paneling now??

I'm In Love With Fabric Headboards!

2012-02-16T11:11:00.001-08:00

Something I've always wanted to do was make a fabric headboard! They give a space sophistication and romance. There are so many styles to choose from, really limitless.

Here are some of my inspiration pictures from Better Homes and Garden:

And best of all you don't have to know how to sew,great for me since I don't. ( of course that is another thing I'd love to learn how to do)

I plan on making two headboards for my house, one for my new king bed and one for my youngest daughter's room. I thought it would be a good idea to practice with my daughter's first. A big THANK YOU to my husband for helping with all the woodworking tasks!

First thing we did was measure her mattress, hers is a queen. Some instructions say add inches beyond the mattress and we tried that, it didn't look good. So do whatever you think looks best for YOU.
Got MDF board and cut according to the measurements.
Bought 2" foam
Bought batting to wrap over the foam.
Bought a good staple gun.
Spray adhesive, which really didn't help the foam stick to the MDF board.
Fabric, allowing an extra 6 inches around to staple on the back of the MDF board.

Here is what the steps looked like:

Our headboards are going to be mounted to the wall.

Here is the finished product for my daughter's room. First you should know that she is 19 years old and has always loved animal prints. I think she would love the whole room in them. I thought it would be a nice jumping off point to start with the headboard. Another thing I need to mention is this is only the beginning for her redesign. We are picking a new comforter, art and new pillows. Stay tuned for future blogs for this room...

On the king headboard I'm going to attempt tufting, I'll let you know how that goes in another blog. Wish me luck!

Tips and Tricks For A Closet to Be Proud Of

2012-01-06T16:01:00.001-08:00

Whether you're selling your house or not it is time to pay attention to your closets! In my opinion it is kitchens, bathrooms and closet space which helps sell homes.

If you do not have great closets or linen closets you need to make it look like you do. If you are one of the lucky ones to have big closets and large linen closets, it is time to show them off!

Let us begin with linen closets. Take everything out and look at the items. Purge out what you have not used in years. Do not forget those really thin towels with all the strings; they can be thrown out now. If you are trying to sell your home I suggest packing away 50% of the items.

Can we talk about folding? Folding is vital to making the linen closet look organized. The sheets should all be folded the same way, with the nice rounded side facing out. Fold the towels in thirds and place the nicer edge facing out also. Towels should be with towels and sheets should be with sheets. Things you don't use often should be higher such as quilts, blankets or extra pillows. Take a close look at the pictures for some great folding examples I found.

Adding baskets to hold items can add texture and help hide things that you do not want to be seen.

When organizing you clothes closets put like items together. Add built in shelves in the closet to help keep it organized. Many of the organizers allow you to design it the way you want it to be depending on the size of the closet.

This is a closet of a homeowner I quickly helped organize for a home staging. It took about 10 minutes to pull out extra hangers and organize the clothing a bit. Ideally I would have loved to have nice wooden hangers, but that wasn't an option

Just weeding out the clothing and arranging the items helped this closet put it's best foot forward.

Happy Organizing in 2012!!

Oh How I Hate to Close My Porch

2011-10-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Well it's that time of year again, Fall. The time of year when New England is covered with a blanket of colors. Really my favorite time of year except that we need to close the porch for the winter. The porch is the place where we spend most of our time during the Spring and Summer.

When we first decorated the porch I was into country and birdhouses. I had very heavy roman shade blinds that a friend made and beige walls. Now it has gone through a transformation to what it looks like today. I wanted a tropical feel but without bright flowers and pink plastic flamingos.

We added white faux wood blinds, just as good looking at the expensive brands.
I wanted to be able to open them to see the backyard and shut them when needed. To save some money on the larger windows I used two blinds side by side on the same window, but they look like one large one.

I love our ceiling, it's tongue and groove pine with a clear poly finish. It really makes the room feel warm and tropical. We pained the walls a bright sunny yellow, added some cushions that are red with green palm leaves on them; tropical remember. A large palm wall art was added and a copper vine accent above two of the windows. Seating is very important, we added a small round wood topped table with iron legs. Great for summer dinners!

So as the cold weather approaches and while my porch hibernates for the winter, we will remember the good times on the porch and look forward to when spring will come again...

If your porch needs color coordination, window treatments, a wood ceiling, furniture placement or accessories contact me at lisa@arrangedtosell.com for some ideas.

Speaking, An Ingredient To Help Your Business

2011-08-25T10:58:00.001-07:00

We all remember the days back in elementary school when we had to do oral reports in class. It was the thing I dreaded the most in the world. I would worry and stress about it for days, practice in front of the mirror for hours. When the day came I would pray that time would run out and it would be put off for another day. When I got called on I'd turn red and get redder the longer I stood up there. Oh, I would also get the case of the giggles, so embarrassing!

When I decided to do Home Staging and Redesign I really didn't consider having to talk in front of groups of people. I've always loved interior design and consider myself good at the design aspect of redesign or staging. As I've been building my business I've discovered that TALKING is a big part of the Home Staging business. Talking to Realtors, presenting a power point to a room full of Realtors, doing a presentation for a client and now I've joined a networking group where I have to talk for one minute each week.

I'm happy to report that I've talked three times in the BNI networking group and I don't think I turned red and didn't have a problem with the giggles. I've discovered in order to achieve your goals sometimes you need to step out of your box and JUST DO IT.

So how important is public speaking? A good speaker can get elected President. A good speaker can mobilize an army. A good speaker can capture the imagination of a school child and change their future. A good speaker earns instant credibility and followers and earns business and trust.

So, this blog isn't about color or furniture placement in a room, but it's about something equally important, talking. Talking and learning to communicate effectively in business is imperative to the success of any business. So step out of your box with me, continue to grow and face your fears.

Improve Your Living Space One Room at a Time

2011-07-19T04:17:00.000-07:00

When is it o.k. to….

Have you ever gone in someones house and wanted to start moving furniture around? I know we have all been in that house at one time or another. If you are someone who just does not know how to arrange a certain room in your home, this blog is for you. How to improve your living space, make it more family and guest friendly.

As we all know flow is everything in a room. Do you flow in the room easily or do you run right into a couch or chair? That sometimes can be painful. When standing in a room that does not flow one begins to feel a bit dizzy and disoriented. Sometimes it is just a matter of rearranging a few things to make the world feel balanced again.

Goes without saying you should consider who lives in this space. Adults, kids and pets, everyone should feel welcomed and comfortable in the home.

Let us start at the entrance of the room. A family room usually has one or two focal points, a fireplace and or large flat panel T.V. The seating should face your focal point and not be too far away from each other in order to have conversations with your guests. If the room is larger, it is o.k. to make little conversation areas. I feel that works if the size of the room can handle it.

How many couches are too many? What about too many chairs?

First thing, remove everything that is removable. You need to look at the space without distractions. (This includes all the items on the walls.) I find it helpful to use graph paper to draw your space out. This helps to visualize the space without having to move the furniture around and around. Decide what is coming back in the space, what is staying out and if possible what is something new that can be added.

I think it is a bonus if your focal points can be next to each other. This makes arranging the furniture a bit easier, especially if the T.V. can go above the fireplace. I really love the invention of the flat screen. Also consider the size of furniture in the space. Is everything at one end of the room, making it feel a bit tilted to one side? Balance is another important ingredient in the layout of the room.

I personally feel you should allow enough seating for the number of people living in the house. If you have company you can always bring in extra seating from other rooms. (Unless, your room can handle the extra chairs.)

Another nice touch if possible is to create a reading corner in the space. What a wonderful spot to curl up and read a book with someone special.

So there you have it! Your space has balance, flow and welcomes family and friends with open arms.

Give a Tired Bathroom a Facelift

2011-04-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

Do you have a bathroom that you want to update? If your answer is yes, an economical way of giving your bathroom an update is to frame the existing mirror. Mirror Mate offers a wide variety of frames to choose from. Exact measurements are the key to your success. So double check those numbers and the rest is fairly easy. Once your frames are delivered, installation is your next step. Follow the directions that are given, it's just that easy. Here's how easy it was for a recent staging that we did where we put together a small frame and a very large 8 foot one.

The frames came precut and mitered on all four sides. We added a little wood glue (came in the kit) and then attached some butterfly clips that pulled the frames tightly together.

After gluing them, we set them aside for 1 hour to dry as the instructions say. Once dry, we did a test fit of the frames on the mirror. If your frames are screwed to the wall with glass or plastic holders, you can replace them with smaller/thinner holders that also come with the kit. In our case, the frames were measured to sit right on the counter back splash, so lining them up was a snap. If this is not your case, the kit comes with some handy corner blocks to help line up the frames perfectly. After our test fit, we peeled off the sticky back strips and then pressed the mirrors in place. What a difference!

Along with frames around the mirror another update to the bathroom would be to add a new faucet and lights. It's amazing what a difference a small investment can make to a room without breaking the bank. Finish off the room with a nice neutral paint, new shower curtain (white preferred) and some new fluffy towels.

If your selling your house just think of the equity you are adding to your home. Home buyers love updated bathrooms, makes their mental to-do list shorter. Which in today's market puts your property on the top of their list.

How to clean grout

2011-03-27T16:33:00.001-07:00

Have you looked at your floor tile grout lately?

Well I have, and it was shocking how dirty the grout in my tile kitchen floor was. My mission was to get it clean. Now, I just had to figure out what was the best way. After some research I found Sun Oxygen Cleaner was my answer.

Supplies I needed were Sun Oxygen Cleaner, rubber gloves, bowl for mixing, spoon, knife, scrub brush and rolled up towel.

It was not an easy job by any means. The area I was cleaning was a large kitchen, small hall and half bathroom/laundry room. I worked in sections of the floor following the directions on the container. Scrubbing the grout and ultimately scrubbing the floor gave me amazing results! The floor looks brand new. My recommendations after you get it clean, steam the floor and seal the grout with a good grout sealer.

Happy cleaning…

Bring a Little Spring in to Your Home

2011-03-06T07:07:00.000-08:00

Bring a little spring in to your home!

Let’s begin by picking a room to let the light in. Start by cleaning top to bottom which includes any closets in the room. An organized closet will start your day off on the right foot, so to speak. Some tips for closets are reducing the amount of items by season and organizing by color. Always use the same type of hangers and arrange by like garments.

Once the cleaning is done take some time to breath in the fresh air. Look around the room and see what shape the paint is in. "Is it too dark or dirty?" Paint is a great way to give a dull room an update. Don’t forget the ceiling and trim. Especially when you are about to list your home, a freshly painted room is an asset.

Next is the arrangement of your furniture. For a bedroom, the best placement of the bed is on a far wall from your entrance. You want to be able to see the bed when entering the room. The bed is usually your focal point and you want to spotlight this when staging or redesign. This may also be a good wall to use an accent color on, which will assist in spotlighting your focal point. At this time, you can also go shopping in other areas of your home. Mix it up by bringing other accessories in that my work in the room. Switching out lamps and curtains can be an inexpensive way to update a room.

If your budget allows, updating your bedding to a simple hotel style is timeless. It will give the room a clean, fresh feel. Add color with throw pillows and throws. By keeping the bedding neutral this gives you an inexpensive option to change up the bedding with pillows.

Keep the room light and bright with neutrals and accent with pops of color. Welcome spring in the room and move to the next space. Before you know it your spring cleaning will be done, your house will be updated within your budget and ready to be listed.

See more ideas at http://www.arrangedtosell.com/

Lisa

Announcing Arranged to Sell

2011-01-30T11:04:00.000-08:00

Today I'm excited to announce the start of my own business, Arranged to Sell. It is a Home Staging and Redesign business. I have always loved interior decorating and know how to use that to appeal to people looking to buy or if someone just wants to change up a space in their home.

We all love HGTV's shows and wish they could come to our homes. Home Staging and Redesign is a way that we can get the same look and feel without the high price tag. Home Stagers use what the homeowner has and adds accessories to bring the space to a new updated inviting space.

I'm working in the Southern NH area. Home sellers needing staging advice, Realtors looking for help getting a home ready to be sold, or homeowners looking to redesign a room feel free to contact me at lisa@arrangedtosell.com.

Enjoy my website! www.arrangedtosell.com