Specifically for occupied homes, Abby begins the process of home staging with 3 things: 
 
De-Personalizing, De-Cluttering and De-Bulking.
 
De-personalizing is the removal of family pictures, the souvenirs, the awards, trophies, etc.  It is removing wallpaper a/o repainting to a neutral color.  It is eliminating any taste specific decor.  It is packing up the cosmetics, lotions, and other toiletries that line the vanity counter.
 
De-cluttering is packing up those treasured collections, packing up the bookcases, and reducing the children’s toys and DVD collections.  It includes reducing the amount of things in closets, pantries and cabinets.
 
De-bulking includes the removal or displacement of furniture according to the scale of the room and the desired design of the floor plan.  In certain cases, the option of using rental furniture may be suggested if the use of dated, mismatched or worn-out furniture will inhibit the overall outcome of the staging project. 
 
Additional recommendations are made to update a house to make it comparable to other homes, primarily new construction, that are listed within the same price range in the same area.  The Atlanta area is flooded with new construction as well as resale, in all price ranges, so home owners are advised to consider their competitor.  The ultimate goal is to make the home ‘move in ready’ for prospective buyers.
 
The final process of staging an occupied home is bringing the design plan together by placing the furniture and the accessories, whether it be new, rental or the owner’s existing pieces, so the rooms are spacious and functional while highlighting the selling features of the home.
 
Similarly for vacant homes, suggestions are made, if necessary, to update, upgrade or change items within the home that could possibly deter a buyer from making a decision to purchase that home.  Items often suggested, but not limited to, are paint selections, carpeting/flooring upgrades, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, cleaning and landscaping.  These suggestions are typically beneficial because the expense if fairly minimal and the ROI is reasonable, while making the home more desirable for the intended market.
 

STAGING FAQ'S...

“Why should I spend money staging my home when I can just lower the selling price instead?

Well, of course, that is always an option but why do that?  Even the smallest amount of money spent to stage a home is recovered, on average, by more than 150%.  Home staging pays for itself!  The selling price of homes that are staged yield, on average, about 7% higher than homes that are not staged.

Example:  Consider an occupied home listing for $250,000 and the owner spends $500.00 to stage it.  Since the average increase is 7%, they could expect to sell the home for $251,750.  After the staging expense, they’ll make an extra $1,250, or a 250% return on their staging investment!

“My house is decorated nicely so I don’t really have to stage it, right?”

Even the most beautifully decorated homes need some form of professional assistance in order to be considered staged for sale.  Home staging is not decorating!

“I just want a quick sale.  I don’t want to waste time staging it.”

Home staging is ideal for quick sales!  Homes that are staged sell up to 50% faster than homes that are not staged!  It wouldn’t be a waste, at all, to stage it for a quick sale!

“Why should I hire someone to stage my home?  Can’t I just do it myself?”

Most people do not have the ability to see their home the way an outsider will.  They are emotionally attached to their things in the home therefore preventing them from being subjective about what should stay and what should be removed.  A professional home stager does not have that emotional attachment and can easily make those decisions for you.

“My real estate professional told me that everything looked fine; that I don’t have to do anything.”

Your home may be in good shape but why not make it FABULOUS?  Homes that are in good shape usually only need a little extra something to stage it and make the house look fantastic!  Do you still want your house to look ‘fine’ or do you want it look ‘fantastic’?  Guaranteed the ‘fantastic’ staged house will get more money, or sell faster, if not both, than the ‘fine’ not staged house!