We recently staged a 7,000 square foot luxury home in San Diego’s Crosby development (see www.grandentrancestaging.com/portfolio) and the visual space was extremely expansive. While the fireplaces were designed to scale, they were huge! In home staging, our goal is not to fill every nook and cranny, but instead to emphasize the space while creating a cozy environment around it. We focused on the fireplace itself, adding a variety of pillar candles, and on the raised hearth. We kept the focus at eye level giving the area the feeling of warmth and elegance.

Don’t let those big spaces intimidate you! Break them down into eye level areas that create a horizontal link from one area of your room to the next!

-96% of Realtors surveyed believed buyers react better to fully-staged homes than vacant ones
-94% of Realtors surveyed believed vacant homes take longer to sell than fully-staged homes
-94% of Realtors surveyed believed vacant homes sell for less money than fully-staged homes
-The majority of Realtors surveyed agreed that vacant homes take twice as long to sell and sell for at least 15% less than a fully-staged home.

In addition, statistics provided earlier this year by RESA show that staged properties consistently spend 78% less time on the market.

These findings support what those of us in home staging have seen time and time again: in today’s market, to sell a home quickly and for more money it must be staged. Staging costs less than the average price reduction so you’ll save money and time by staging before your home is listed for sale.

• Bolt down the water heater. This will help prevent gas leaks. Most hardware stores sell straps specially made for this use.
• Make sure your television is secure and on a stand that is appropriate size. A top heavy TV can be one of the first things to fall off a stand that’s too small.
• Move beds away from windows. Make sure nothing is hanging over your bed such as a mirror, shelves or anything that could fall if a quake hits while you’re sleeping.
• Install childproof latches on all cabinets, cupboards and medicine cabinets. The latches will keep the contents of your cabinets from flying during a quake.
• Bolt tall furniture and heavy picture frames to the wall. Velcro installed at the corners of picture frames are also helpful and easy to install.
• For the décor around your home, use earthquake glue, putty or wax. Earthquake putty is available now in most hardware stores and will keep your valuables from walking and falling during a quake. Non-slip rubber mats work for most décor items as well.
• For bookshelves that most commonly fall during quakes, children climbing, etc., use L brackets to attach your shelving to wall studs.

Most importantly, protect your most valuable – your family – by creating and practicing an earthquake drill. Make an emergency disaster kit that includes food, water, first aid items, necessary medications and other items that would be useful should your family be the victim of an earthquake or any other natural disaster.

Consider moving upholstered furniture in the summertime away from direct light. Protect drapery with lining or shades against the window to decrease direct light. Enjoy that extra dose of Vitamin D but remember to protect your fabrics!

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Bug lights, screens, citronella candles, and insecticidal soaps are other alternatives that are less toxic than pesticides.

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Harvesting traditional cotton fiber to make clothing and other products impacts the earth’s air, water and soil as well as the health of people living in cotton growing areas. Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Certification organizations verify that organic producers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production. Organic cotton is grown without the use of toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

Look for bedding, towels, linens and clothing with 100% organic cotton, or as close as possible. Most organic cotton products will grow softer with every wash. Perfect for bedding and towels!

Don’t buy expensive drain cleaners when your drains slow or clog. If you use 1 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda in your drains once a month, you should never have to unclog a drain again! Of course, for those of you with teen-age daughters, you probably know that getting past those hair clogs can be a major accomplishment!

For an all-purpose cleaner, mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda with 1/2 gallon of water. Use for removal of water deposit stains in showers, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows and mirrors. To deodorize plastic food storage containers, soak them overnight in warm water and baking soda. On carpets, sprinkle baking soda several  hours before vacuuming.

To clean brick and stone tiles, mix 1 cup white vinegar in 1 gallon of water. Rinse with clear water.  Most floor surfaces can be cleaned with a solution of vinegar and water. Add lemon for a fresh scent.

And my favorite green tip: to clean silver, fill a saucepan with water and a teaspoon of baking soda. Bring to a boil and add a piece of rolled up foil. Immerse silver for 30 seconds at a time until clean. Polish with a soft cloth.

Basically, vinegar cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up. And baking soda cleans, deodorizes. softens water and scours.  Watch for more green tips to celebrate the emergence of spring!

We can work with what a homeowner already has to make dramatic transformations to the home. If additional accessories are needed in order to complete the look of each room, we can make suggestions so that the homeowner can purchase with confidence, we can provide them. In an occupied home, a stager’s job is to depersonalize, declutter and assure that the items in the home accentuate the home’s best assets. This requires interior design strategies that add balance, impact and continuity to a home.

We all love to personalize our homes and create a living space that reflects who we are. Yet a prospective buyer does not want to see a reflection of the seller in a home. They want to envision themselves living in the property and know that it will reflect who THEY are.

Let Grand Entrance Staging prove to you the benefits of staging an occupied home. Through the month of April, we are offering occupied staging services at 50% off! Call us today to get the most out of your listing!