What Do You Mean I Have a Pretend House? Home Staging Tips Minneapolis

Well….not really pretend but when you are putting your home on the market it needs to become a kind of pretend house for awhile.

What I mean by that is certain things that you live with every day need to go away when  your home is being shown to a perspective buyer.

It also means putting things out that you will only have out for your showings. One example is towels. There is nothing better than fresh towels that you have just purchased and that have never been washed. They are nice and fluffy.

These should become your ‘pretend’ towels that you never use while your home is for sale. You put them out only for the professional photography session and for showings. If you leave for work every morning the pretend towels get  hung up when you are done showering and getting ready so the bathrooms are ready for a showing.

All ‘real world’ things go away and the pretend world takes over. Is it a pain in the side? Yes. Is it a hassle? Yes. But the goal is to get your house in top selling condition, get an offer quickly and then go back to living normally. You don’t want this to drag on and on and buyers don’t want to see your ‘stuff’.

‘Stuff’ includes:

Tooth Brushes, Shampoo bottles, trash cans, bathroom scales, toilet bowl cleaners, phone charges, dirty laundry, mail, dish drain, piles of shoes, outdoor trash cans…..you get the picture. I will go back to my model  home analogy.

If you wouldn’t see it in a model home, a buyer shouldn’t see it in  your home. People love model  homes because they can immediately see themselves living there. They don’t feel like they are walking into ‘your’ house but ‘their’ house.

Sometimes it is tough to determine what those ‘real world’ items are as we are so used to looking at them every day.

You may want to consider having a trained professional Home Stager come in to let you know what you should and should not have seen during your showings.

Shar Sitter, Rooms with Style

Written By

Shar is an award winning Designer and Home Stager and the owner of 'Rooms With Style' and the 'Certified Staging and Redesign Acadamy.' She has been in the design industry for over 25 years and her background includes studies in Interior Design as well as Horticulture to assist with your home’s curb appeal. Shar has a talent for taking simple things; placing them in their best light and making them shine. Another Sharlene from North Dakota, Shar and Sharlene knew they were destined to work together when they first met! She has been blogging here and helping bring out the best in the homes of Sharlene's sellers since 2011.

Related Posts

Make Your Home Cozy For Fall

🖨 Print Article Fall is such a wonderful time of year in the Midwest. The cool, crisp morning air brings a respite from the heat of summer, yet we can...

Our Favorite Local Home Decor Destinations

🖨 Print Article Our team at Rooms With Style is often asked for tips on where to source home furnishings. Each of us have at least one favorite “hidden gem”...

Subscribe to Our Newsletter for Market Updates & Mid-Century Modern Listings

Our weekly HomesMSP Update includes current local market information and a curated list of mid-century modern properties for sale, plus posts from an inspector, a lender, a stager, info about neighborhoods, life in the Twin Cities… even recipes!

Hidden

Blog Categories

Archives

Sharon and John Hensrud

About Us

The HomesMSP Team is committed to meeting you where you are and listening… really listening to understand you so we can use our extensive knowledge of the market and local neighborhoods to give you personalized service.