Selling your home can be a daunting and sometimes stressful task. In our Staging Consultations, we often say that a good rule of thumb is to remove 1/3 of your items in your home. Many homeowners wonder, "What do I keep out, and what do I box up?" Here are our top tips on what items must go and why we recommend removing them.

Personal photos
Some people believe that leaving your personal photos up can make the home feel “warm and lived in.”  While leaving your photos up is a personal choice, we have two key reasons to remove your photos - 

Summer is winding down and bringing vacation season to a close. But you don’t have to travel to enjoy the suite life of luxe hotels; small changes can make your bedroom feel like a year-round escape.

While every room in your house is important, we believe that the bedroom serves as a special spot to relax, unwind and recharge. Remember how it feels when you first open the door to a gorgeous hotel room? You breathe a little deeper and feel a little lighter. That’s how we want you to feel when you enter your bedroom.

The first step to upgrading your room to the suite life is to clear out the clutter. We know, it’s not easy; but it’s necessary. Check out our last blog post for tips on decluttering. By limiting the items in your bedroom and ensuring that it’s down to only those that are intentional and useful, you’ll be simplifying your style and easing your mind.

That said, we all have stuff. So where to put it? Make use of drawers in nightstands and under-bed storage baskets. Keep items out of sight and out of mind so that you can focus on productive bedroom tasks, like de-stressing and sleeping.

We don't have to travel far to find inspiration. Even though it's for short-term stays, the Marquette Hotel in Minneapolis boasts plenty of drawers and cabinets for visitors to stash away their things. 

Over in the North Loop, the Hewing Hotel offers another idea: Warm it up. The woodsy interiors ensure that you'll never have a cold night even when the temps plummet. Wool and tweed textures along with plaid and herringbone patterns give their suites a cozy "up north" feel. 

Of course, we're also documented enthusiasts of the bright and airy look, and for that we travel to Chicago where The Ambassador offers light and inviting rooms in a quite neighborhood just north of the Magnificent Mile - and down the block from one of our favorite stores, Restoration Hardware (go for the furniture, stay because you can sip champagne while you shop). 

The en suite bathroom is also part of the experience; and while mini amenities are harder to come by at home, you can still create the feel of a posh bath by, again, keeping the room clutter-free and limiting it to the items that you love to use - and look at. The Thompson, also in Chicago, features black and white bathrooms that are as chic as they are simple. 

So even if your autumn plans are sans vacation, we would love to help you enjoy a getaway right at home. Bon voyage! 

When selling your home, one of the first and most important items on the “to do” list is decluttering. In our Staging Consults we tell our clients that a good rule of thumb is to remove 1/3 of your items in your home. But, in some cases, it could mean more than 1/3, especially if you have lived in your home for a number of years.

Why is Decluttering so important?
The majority of today’s home searches start on the internet, which means your photos are your “first showing”. This might sound surprising, but you only have about 30 seconds to 2 minutes to capture the buyer's attention and get them to schedule an appointment to view your home. Cluttered homes, bright wall colors, large scale furniture making rooms appear small are all things that can quickly deter a buyer's interest and lose a prospective buyer.

Balance is the Key
They say ninety percent of buyers have a difficult time walking into your home and removing your things to picture what their furniture would look like in its place. This is why staging has become so prevalent in today’s housing market. A well staged home helps the buyer envision living in the home. On the flip-side, I have seen people take decluttering too far and remove too much furniture, making the home feel a little cold or sterile.

Ask us!
If you're thinking of selling, consider a staging consult before you begin! A staging consult with a trained professional can help you determine what to box up, how to position your furniture, what color to paint, if painting is needed and take the guess work out of your decisions. A room-by-room checklist can eliminate stress and set your home up for success!