But what if you’ve got 3 kids, 2 dogs and a pet parakeet, and plan to live in your home while it’s on the market? You may think that staging is not an option for you. Now I can understand why you might think that, because there are stagers out there who refuse to work on a home unless it is completely empty and they can start with a “blank slate.”

Though it’s true that it’s easier for stagers to start from scratch so that we don’t have to incorporate your existing furniture with what we may need to bring in, there are home staging professionals (including myself) that actually enjoy working on occupied homes!

In fact, staging occupied homes is one of our specialties, and we offer a low-cost staging option that can give you the look of a staged home for a fraction of the price.

The way that I work with occupied listings is to start with a Home Staging Consultation. During a consultation appointment, I will spend 2-3 hours touring your home and making a detailed, room-by-room written report listing what can be done (using mostly what’s already in your home) to prepare it for sale. This might include rearranging furniture to highlight architectural details or views, de-cluttering, neutralizing the decor, painting or minor repairs.

In most cases, you can take this report, check off everything on my list, and there’s no need for me to ever come back to the property. Sometimes, however, there may be certain items that I recommend that you rent or purchase in order to complete the staging – art, accessories or even furniture. In that case, if you prefer to rent these items (and have no use for them in your new home), a professional stager can provide a quote to rent you the necessary items and set them up, putting the finishing touches on your home to really make it shine.

Here are some before and after photos of my most recent occupied home staging. Which photos would you rather see on the MLS?

Living Room Before

Living Room After

The living room was a simple case of too much furniture. The large settee on the right in the before picture was HUGE and made the room feel tight and cramped. By removing it and spreading out the remaining matching pieces, the room felt more spacious. We also brought in throw pillows and art to tie in the colors in the rug, added a few accessories, decluttered a bit, and voila – a staged room!

Kitchen/Dining Room Before

Kitchen/Dining Room After

Hmmm, what is that big thing hiding in the corner of the dining room in the before photo? Yes, you guessed it – a treadmill. Just the thing to stimulate your appetite while sitting down for a relaxing meal! We removed the treadmill and replaced it with a console table from another room in the house, set the table and now this room is staged and ready for the open house.

Master Bedroom Before

Master Bedroom After

First of all, the master bedroom is supposed to be all about romance and relaxation. But there’s a huge TV blocking the biggest feature in the room – a romantic fireplace! Next we have an overabundance of family photos – a real “no no” when selling your home. You want potential buyers to picture themselves living in your house. If they see you and your family staring at them from every wall, it just doesn’t feel like home. And lastly, having your golf clubs and an extra vacuum in the room makes it seem as if there’s not enough storage space in the garage or laundry area for those items. We removed all those items, relocated the TV and played up the fireplace and seating area with new art and accessories. Now that’s romantic!

Guest Room Before

Guest Room After

Once again, the main problem was too much stuff! Removing all the stuffed animals, the extra end tables, the personal photos and the exercise ball made the room feel not only more spacious, but also more “grown up.” This was a 4 bedroom home, but all the rooms (except the master) appeared very kid-like. We wanted to show that one room could still be a functional guest room or home office. Once all the extras were gone, we simply made the bed and added some art and throw pillows to complete the staging of this room.

Guest Bathroom Before

Guest Bathroom After

All the bathrooms in this home had a matching detail in the tile that was quite lovely. But with all the crazy patterns in the bath rugs and different colors of towels, that feature was being lost. We had the seller buy some solid color matching towels, removed the rugs and toiletries and brought in a nice vase with flowers to complete the look. Now the features of this bathroom can be the star, rather than an afterthought.

So as you can see, staging even an occupied home can have dramatic results. And since we used the seller’s own furnishings and they did some of the work themselves, they saved a bundle!

If you’re going to be living in your home while it’s on the market, call a professional home stager in your area. For a few hundred dollars, you will receive  valuable, practical advice on getting your home staged and ready to sell. Your return on that investment will be many times what you pay, not only in terms of a better sale price for your home, but also in a quicker sale. Less time on the market means lower carrying costs for you and more $$ in your pocket.

Make sure to ask for references and before and after photos from the stagers you interview.

Happy selling!

Due to its proximity to UCLA, it is probable that this two bedroom condo might be purchased by a UCLA student (or his/her parents) for use while the student is in school. For this reason, we made sure it felt as if there was plenty of room for a bed and a desk in both bedrooms, in case the buyer wants to rent out the second bedroom to another student.

As a professional home staging company, it is crucial that we take into account who the target buyer is for any property. Then we must make sure that our furniture choices will appeal directly to the chosen demographic and make the property irresistable to our target audience!

Here are photos of this fabulous condo.

Living Room After

Living Room After

Dining Room After

Master Bedroom After

Master Bedroom After

Master Bath After

Guest Room After

Guest Bedroom After

Guest Bath After

Property Address: 1840 Camden Ave #106, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Price:   $418,900

MLS #: 10-453691

Listed by: Grace Chow, Amazing Grace & Assoc. 310-476-7722

Cue jaw dropping in shock and utter disappointment!

I just want to know who has been out there spreading rumors that home buyers want to see white walls?

Is it the TV shows about Staging?

I don’t think so – I watch enough of those and they NEVER paint a wall white. In fact, I think some of the TV Stagers go  a bit too far with color for Staging purposes. Remember, Staging is not interior design – we are trying to sell houses here!

So what makes sellers think it’s a good idea to paint all the walls in their home stark white?

“What’s wrong with white?” you ask…

1) White is very stark and cold. It tends to feel like you’re living in a hospital.

2) Generally all doors, ceilings and trim are painted white. If the walls are white too, there is no contrast whatsoever and it doesn’t allow the detail in the trim to show.

Here’s a great example of how adding color to white walls can instantly warm up a space:

White walls make this bedroom fall flat

Color adds warmth and contrast

In the first photo, you hardly even notice the plantation shutters because they’re the same white as the walls. In the second shot, the room feels so much warmer and more inviting. And those shutters really pop!

“Is there ever a time that white can work?” you ask…

Yes, there is always an exception to the rule. There are some more contemporary spaces that have a gallery-like feel. Using the correct art, you can make white walls work in that case.

White Walls Can Work for a Gallery Effect

But I implore you…before you paint your home in preparation to sell, please consult a professional Home Stager to help you select the appropriate neutral but warm color scheme that will have buyers beating down the door to make an offer!