Staging With Pillows – 6 Tips

Pillow Talk – 6 Tips for Home Staging and Styling

I just wrote a blog guest post about how to successfully use pillows when staging a home.  The photos provided by Gregg Churchill  an Australian home stager are amazing and my tips are essentials in staging and design.  I also list my favorite pillow resource locations, so click here to see the post, thanks!

 

 

Why Home Staging Certification Matters

Why Home Staging Certification Matters – 5 HUGE Reasons

Why go through a home staging certification program to become a home stager?  Specifically, why go through our HSR Certification program instead of going it alone or with another company?  I know it’s tough to decide which home staging certification course to invest in when just starting out, so I thought I’d list some of our huge differences in this post along with some fantastic before and after photos of a luxury home amazingly staged by JoMcLaughlin Designs…

 

Here are 5 HUGE reasons why the HSR Certification matters…

 

1.  We are the only Home Staging Certification program who is constantly adding, evolving and continuing to educate our members WITHOUT charging extra for it.

 

 

I just finished posting another hour long video of a home and I thought to myself, “why am I always adding this kind of stuff to the training for free while other trainers would surely charge extra for it?“

 

If I’m going to represent and deliver a home staging certification program then it has to be on-trend, evolving and growing, so that my HSR certified members are always on-trend, evolving and growing their businesses.

 

 

Simply put, Home Staging Certification matters when it grows alongside your business NOT simply something you “completed” years ago.

 

 

 

2.  We are the only Home Staging Certification Program that teaches home staging alongside design and home styling

 

 

We are in the design field which is a changing industry especially when coupled with the real estate industry, so it’s critical for home stagers to always be learning about both design, staging and real estate!   Which Home Staging Certification program you choose to go with will define you and your business for years to come.

 

 

3.  We don’t take you into 1 home, we take you into over 30 homes!

The HSR Certification program is online, so it doesn’t take you into a home for practice with 20 other trainees BUT instead I take you into over 30 homes and over 30 hours of video in the training because I know that homes are all very different and you need to see it all!  We also have a hands-on, job shadow day where you get personalized training in a real life setting.

4.  You Need to Know A Lot in this Industry, so 10 hours of video or classroom time is NOT going to cut it

 

 

Other trainers offer “10 hours of video training” while our training has well over 65 hours of step-by-step videos on staging, styling, branding, marketing, website marketing, realtor partnerships, social media, services, pricing, vacant staging, luxury staging, organization, shopping, window coverings…basically you name it!  We also have over 48 hours of live webinar training available to members throughout the year.

 

 

5. HSR Home staging certification matters because your clients know that you have the confidence, education and experience to tackle any project or home!

 

In the photos above, Jo McLaughlin fearlessly transforms this luxury, waterfront home only months after becoming HSR Certified.  Her story is a common one because once you go through our program, you will be changed.

 

Before you jump into a career in staging, take our free video and email series by click on image below!

Getting Organized for Staging

How To Get Organized Before Staging Your Home

I just added an entire section in the HSR Certification training on adding Organization services to your staging business.  We had so much fun doing an advanced webinar on the subject or organizing, I thought I would share the hot tips that I learned.  Jennifer Lake a Kansas City home stager and designer who has years in the organization business before joining HSR generously shared:

• The single best way to market your organization business
• The best way to price for volume business
• The first rooms/spaces you should focus on for the client for maximum transformation
• Key phrases to use while organizing with clients
• How to incorporate organizing into your staging business

When it comes to selling a home, organization is key since it’s the first step to decluttering and starting the packing process.  In fact, many home sellers will have professional organizers come into their homes before the home stager.

Here are My 5 Tips to Getting Organized Before Staging

1.  Have a Plan – Organizing is very “intentional” and purposeful…it doesn’t just  happen on it’s own and in fact, will turn into a huge nightmare if it’s not addressed throughout the home on a yearly basis.  Start with three bins labeled:  1. Keep  2. Goodwill and 3. Craigslist/Consignment.  You will also need two trash bags, one for trash and another for recycling (for magazines, plastic toys, etc…).

2.  Take the Time and Be Honest With Yourself – I always say that successful staging takes a lot of time and energy, and organizing is no different.  Jennifer says that each room/space takes about 4 hours to tackle, so plan ahead and carve out the 4 hours of time to organize each space of your home.  While organizing it’s time to be brutally honest with yourself and ask whether each item is essential.  Particularly when moving, it takes three times longer to unpack and find a home for a non-essential item, so removing unused clutter from your life and home is a gift to yourself.

3.  Label Everything – What’s the point of planning and taking the time to box up those winter sweaters if you don’t label the box and end up forgetting that it’s there?   There is an easy way to create labels, so you always know where everything is and it can be purchased at Amazon:

Epson LabelWorks LW-300 Label Maker (C51CB69010)

4.  Like With Like – The key to successful organizing is putting things that are like one another…together.  Think like a Target store and how they group like items in the same department.  Don’t have your light bulbs across the house from your dimmers and extension chords.  When you’re packing things up, think in terms of rooms and spaces.  A mudroom/laundry room is a great place to put all of your utility items.  Think in terms of “stations” throughout the home.

5.  High Rent vs Low Rent Space – I liked learning about this concept because I teach it in the staging realm in terms of what buyers want to see the most.  In the organizing realm it means that you keep regularly used items in the easiest places to get to them (middle shelves).  Items that are rarely used can go in low rent spaces like the top shelves are very bottom.  If you have too much “stuff” in the low rent space, it may be time to say good bye to it.

The goal of getting organized before staging is to have a home with only essential and beautiful items within it.

It’s important that a home stager knows quite a bit about organizing, so I’m so happy to have this new section within our HSR Certification program and am grateful to the many members who generously share their knowledge daily in Stagers Connect!

XOXO – Happy Staging!

Audra Slinkey

Hope to hear from you!

1-888-563-9271

audra@homestagingresource.com

3 Myths About Home Staging

I’m so excited to be a guest blogger at the National Association of Realtors, Staged, Styled and Sold Blog!  My goal is to feature the gorgeous work of home stagers, staging and styling tips, as well as educate the public on the necessity of staging.

My first post is focused on featuring some excellent before-and-after work of some stagers while debunking some long time myths agents have had about staging.  Click on the image below to see the post and share/comment since I’d love to get your thoughts…

Starting a Home Staging Business

Starting a Home Staging Business…

I get this question a lot, “how can I start a home staging business working full time?”  I understand the fear and anxiety that those folks feel because they want to be their own boss, follow their passions and their true talents BUT they need an income…I get it.  Starting a home staging business is not easy!

Here’s a story of someone who was able to go from a full-time management position with guaranteed income to a successful home staging entrepreneur along with her amazing before and after photos…

Hi Audra, Sorry for the delayed response…The good news is that I was super busy working on a couple large staging projects when I received your email.  I struggled with the decision to make my career change for years and I am so happy that I did!
Susan Batka, Professional Home Stager and Redesigner for Aerie Interiors based out of Alpharetta, GA

 

What was your background before starting a home staging business and how did it serve you well in this new endeavor?

Educational background: Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Career: 17 years in the Medical distribution field.  Most of my time was spent in Management of the Customer Service Team and later the Sales Team, during the interim of those positions, I ran a successful Sales territory.  I was working full time when I started the HSR Certification Program.

How long did it take you to go through the training/business set-up?  Did you feel well prepared after finishing the HSR program?

I completed my training while still working with my former employer.  I took my time going through the materials and refer back to them often.  I felt that HSR prepared me very well to start up and run my own staging company…In fact, I believe that my sales background paired with my HSR training helped me confidently go in and secure my first staging job.

It is critical that you go in fearless and confident even if you are shaking in your boots!  My first appointment was with a Real Estate Agent who was looking to sell his 7000 square foot home that he had designed and built!  No pressure there!  He still does not know that he was my first client and that is the way it should be!

How did you begin marketing yourself, what marketing efforts did you find most valuable in your area and why?

I am now just starting to Market my company.  My current clients have found me through my website or from word of mouth.

How “busy” are you today?

I have had a very busy Spring so far and anticipate it to get busier because my clients have been so excited with the results and have asked me to redesign their new homes!

What (if anything) would you have done differently looking back?

Nothing, I am the happiest and more fulfilled than I could have dreamed of!

Are you glad you decided to go into the staging field?

Yes, very much. I would not change a thing!

Any words of wisdom for those just entering into the field?

Believe in yourself, be confident, let your passions be your lauchpad!

 

 That is the beauty of online training versus traditional classroom style learning.  It allows you to “hit the rewind button” and refer back to the online classroom throughout the course of your business!

There could be a good month or two between your training and the moment you get your first staging consultation, so being able to go into the online training area and watch the consultation videos again is critical to confidence building!

 

 

Thanks Susan for sharing!  If you’re thinking of taking the plunge into becoming a home stager, there’s never been a better time to do it!  Here’s a quick video on becoming a stager if you’re interested…

Home Staging Zillow Statistic

Latest Home Staging Zillow Statistic

As the market heats up, we are seeing more real estate agents and sellers recognizing the huge benefits that come with hiring a professional home stager!  Here is the latest in home staging statistics according to a new Zillow Digs survey of Real Estate Agents and Interior Designers:

Hiring a professional home stager was listed as one of the top two critical improvements a seller should invest in when selling their home in 2014.

 

“In a market where home prices are rising, it becomes even more essential to get every dollar you can from the sale of your most expensive asset…professional home staging does this for sellers.” – Audra Slinkey

I’m seeing bidding wars all over the place for the right home that is staged beautifully in this 2014 spring housing market.  The savvy agent who wants to have the reputation for getting sellers “top dollar” understand the necessity of staged and merchandised rooms, as well as professional photos to post online.

Curb Appeal was listed as the number one home improvement item while using a professional home stager was listed as number two according to the survey.

A home stager can skillfully identify ways to highlight your home’s best features and compensate for its shortcomings. The goal is to make “your home appeal to the broadest audience and number of buyers possible,” says Zillow Digs Board of Designers member Mara Miller of Carrier and Company in New York City.

Warning…not all home stagers are the same!  It takes extreme design expertise, a strong knowledge of the real estate market and buyer demographic, as well as special training in phraseology, staging psychology and vendor partnerships (flooring, window coverings, furnishings, etc..) to really maximize the value of the transformation.

Ready to Become a Successful Home Stager and Redesigner?

XOXO – Happy Staging!

Audra Slinkey

Hope to hear from you!

1-888-563-9271

audra@homestagingresource.com

Top Ten Staging Trends for 2014

I love design and probably own every staging and design book and magazine available.  I’m really loving the design trends that are driving the staging trends of 2014 because they reflect the brighter economic outlook of sellers and buyers.  When people feel good about their home equity, job stability and market conditions…great things happen in design!  It’s no wonder that in a recent Houzz Survey all of the tradespeople (especially designers) were feeling wonderfully, optimistic about their revenue growth in 2014!  There’s never been a better time to become a stager and designer!

 1. Staged Outdoor Spaces – Can you imagine what this space would look like without the staging? Yes, it would be cold and dreary. Karen Hunter of http://www.staging-magic.com/, transforms this yard into an entertainers dream come true! Staging is about creating the vision of what life in the home would look like and including the outdoor living areas is critical! This staging trend is probably one of the most essential and I see so many sellers not have their outdoor areas staged. Remember a photo is worth a thousand words, so have the stager stage the outdoor space, take your gorgeous photos and that is what will sell the buyer online. 95% of buyers are online first trying to find the home of the dreams…what do you think this photo would say to the buyer?

Don’t forget to stage all of the outdoor space and especially the BBQ/bar area. The husband weighs in on the home decision and I imagine this staged outdoor area would speak louder than the table area.

 

 2. White Kitchens – Huge trend now for home owners is light, white, bright kitchens! In a recent Houzz survey an overwelming amount of respondents desired a white kitchen in their home. A professional stager can easily offer this solution at a low cost since the right painter, accessories and accents are what is needed. When the kitchen comprises almost 30% of the buyer’s decision (according to NAR) a little more expense in this main area makes a world of difference in price! Elayne Forgie of http://forgiehomestaging.com/, works wonders in this space.

 

 3. Birds On Display – The bird in the pillow is just a taste of what we will see more of in the future. Whereas last year’s trend was the white porcelain deer head on the wall and horses, this year’s trend is sweet, little birds. I also love how Monica of http://www.definedspacesstudio.com/, used a palette of wheat yellow and variations of blues to create this dreamy bedroom. Okay, I know the chevron pattern is a bit over-used but in this instance it anchors the palette of yellow and blue nicely.

 4. White Slipper Chairs and Bright Pops of Color on a White Canvas – White slipper chairs have always been popular but now we’ll see more of them in these whimsical settings where pops of bright hues help to modernize the space. This staging and design technique by Jo McLaughlin of http://jomclaughlindesigns.com/, looks great throughout the home as the overall sunny economic outlook reflects the bolder color palettes people desire. I also love the metallic framed art which is also very popular right now whether silver (as in this photo) or gold.

 

 5. Speaking of gold….the next big trend is warm gold/brass accents – Framed mirrors, art or brass bar carts add warmth and sophistication in any room. Carmen Cuesta of C.C. Loeb Interiors beautifully displays an old wooden table with a touch of vintage and greenery.  Certified Home Stagers and Home Stylists have many inexpensive tricks they use to add glamor to a space using what home owners already have.

 

 6. Purple Accents in Small Doses – We all know that the Pantone color of the year dictates future color trends (that’s why we’re seeing so much yellow and turquoise now manifested in design (Pantone’s past colors) but this year’s Radiant Orchid I believe will be best seen in small doses in living areas (as in this staged living area by Lisa DeFrancesco of South Shore Staging and Photography, http://www.ssstagingandphotography.com/.

And while you won’t see Radiant Orchid on the walls in the living areas of truly staged homes, you will see it in beautifully redesigned/styled homes. Susan Batka of Aerie Interiors, http://aerieinteriors.com/ creates a sensual and inviting space for the bolder client. The zebra print rug really helps to anchor the space and look.

7. Dual Coffee Tables – placing two coffee tables next to each other to scale a larger space is a much better staging solution than just one.

8. Clear Tables, Chairs, Lamps and More – Glass has always been an excellent staging tool because of it’s reflective nature and ability to create more light in what would probably be a dark space. Elayne uses glass tables, glass hurricanes and glass lamps to move the minimal light throughout.
White is Right in Big Doses – While white kitchens is the hottest kitchen trend, white also sells when it’s in an 80% dose as in this living room.

9. The Navy Comeback – Navy blue is making a come back in a huge way!  Navy just stole our hearts originally via patterns like chevron, ikat and floral (as in this chair) but now it’s really making it’s presence known as a “new neutral” that pairs well with yellow (as shown), turquoise, coral, chartreuse, wheat …basically all of the bright 2014  on-trend colors that add pop to a space. Navy is one of those versatile colors that can work with bright or earth tone accents (just open your latest Pottery Barn catalog to see it with earth tones).

 10. The Statement Piece Over-sized Chair – There are so many things I love about this staged space but the dramatic, over-sized, wing-back chairs are my favorite. Every space needs that one thing that makes the buyer go “wow”! Kristine Ginsberg of http://www.elitestagingandredesignmorriscountynewjersey.com/, the USA Top Professional Stager of the Year invests in luxury accessories that create harmony and sophistication in her spaces.  Plush elements like the platinum garden stools, mirrored console and geometric lamp shades serve to pull together this space.

In a new Houzz Survey all of the tradespeople (especially designers) were feeling wonderfully, optimistic about their revenue growth in 2014!  There’s never been a better time to become a home stager and designer!

11. Non-Matching Chairs Around the Dining Table to Create Interest and Memorability – Those of you who are familiar with my staging and design training know that I never stop at 10, so here’s another trend I think will play strong in the staging world.  You can remove the end chairs in a formal dining space to create space and to also take a great, real estate photo head-on OR add unique, statement piece end chairs to take an interesting side photo of the space.  Remember, staging is always about the best photo since 95% of buyers are online first, so pick the shot, then stage it.

 

Here are my Top Ten Staging Trends for 2014 in Slide Show Format

 

I’m really loving the design trends that are driving the staging trends of 2014 because they reflect the brighter economic outlook of sellers and buyers.

What are some other trends that you are seeing?

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How to Make a Logo in 2 Minutes

When I spoke at the RESA Conference on Branding, I got so much feedback from stagers who needed more good tools and information, that I thought it would be fun to do a quick video on creating a logo using one of my favorite free online image editing programs.  I know it’s more “ideal” to pay a designer to do this for you but I also know that many of us are on a budget and want a bit more control over what our image and branding says about us.

Here’s a quick video I created that shows you how easy it is to create a nicer looking logo that you can use to watermark your photos:

 

If you liked that video, then you will really like the video I created on how to create a photo collage with your before and after photos!

 

 

XOXO – Happy Staging!

Audra Slinkey

Hope to hear from you!

1-888-563-9271

audra@homestagingresource.com

Websites for Stagers

When I spoke at the RESA Convention on “Blinging Your Brand” I got so many questions from stagers who have a great eye, know what they want their brand to look like BUT just don’t have the technical/computer skills to pull it altogether.  I also had to critically look at the website themes we offered and make some big changes, so….I’m so excited to introduce our new Custom Theme!

Here’s a five minute video that shows you how cool this Custom Theme is:

 


 

Now available in our Package Two which includes hosting and your website!

2014 Home Staging Convention

Five Lessons Learned From the 2014 RESA Convention

 

Can you believe all the Home Staging Resource members who attended the 2014 RESA Convention?  There were over 60 of us and boy did we have a blast! Every year I speak at the RESA Conference and learn so much that I add to our HSR Certification training.  I love that online training provides me a “real time” educational avenue to provide critical information to the hundreds of HSR Members across the world!

Over the next few weeks I’m going to be sharing some of the things I learned at RESA, as well the success stories I got to hear firsthand from this incredible group of women.  Make sure to stay tuned by signing up to the right for our blog.  I also am spending a ton of time adding what I learned from the RESA Conference to my HSR training area, so everyone can benefit from the takeaways which is the beauty of online training.

Here are some of the 2014 lessons I learned by our incredible line-up of speakers:

Lesson Number One – Your contract is your “paper courage” said Kimberley Seldon on day one, so when a client wants to do it differently…you refer to your contract and make no exceptions.

My Training Takeaway –  I’m going back through our example contracts that we provide in the training using Kimberley’s mantra and making them stronger and more steadfast.

Lesson Number Two – Steven Aaron spoke eloquently on the need for stagers to “do a better job articulating confidently your value!”  Give real estate agents an easy way to recommend you to their clients.

My Training Takeaway – Add to the training “Realtor Partner Plan” and “Realtor Presentations”  a page/slide on how the stager makes the agent look awesome.

 

Lesson Number Three – Katie Lance (a social media guru) spoke on what’s important in social media for 2014 for stagers and how you can easily connect to clients using some of the new social media technology.

My Training Takeaway – Completely redoing my social media and networking section to reflect the 2014 trends, add the tips and tricks of connecting with clients and being a “good stalker” which will make it easy for HSR members to make agent partnerships.

 

Lesson Number Four – Shell Brodnax was one of my favorite speakers and spoke about “Reining in your fears – stop focusing on what could go wrong and focus on what’s right!”

My Training Takeaway – Add more information and video in my Week Two Marketing section that helps stagers connect easily with their propects and clients, so the “fear factor” never comes into play.  I also am pushing the Staging Mentor program since is an easy way to take the fear away by working at a home and with clients under a Mentors guidance.

 

 

Lesson Number Five – Matthew Finlason spoke on the psychology of staging stating that, “it’s not about pretty rooms but about SELLING homes!”  He also emphasized understanding the “buyer demographic” and creating a lifestyle design plan that fits.

My Training Takeaway – Expand on my six buyer demographic Internet research steps and add a “Buyer Demographic Profile” form to that section.