Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a perfect time to pause, reflect and give thanks for all of the blessings we have in our lives.
As I reach 4 1/2 years of owning a home staging business, I realize I have much to be grateful for. I have met some incredible people along the way, many that I am proud to call “friend”. I’ve made a few mistakes, but have learned so much. The real estate market has changed since 2004, but I see glimmers of hope daily. Maureen Francis has given me an opportunity to contribute to this blog and hopefully impact the industry in some small way. I have never had a client stiff me, although one came close. Most importantly, I have been able to help eager, and sometimes skeptical homeowners achieve quick sales. Few things satisfy me as much.
The important people in my life have remained important and stable. My husband’s business is stronger than ever. Collision shops can make a car smashed by a newly-licensed teenager look almost perfect. My parents and in-laws are still alive and constants in our lives. Neither the war nor cancer has touched our family. I have a reasonable and honorable contractor on retainer. Life is good.
From a stager’s viewpoint, the following are crucial and will be toasted this Thanksgiving:
- Enlightened real estate agents
- HGTV, for introducing staging to the public and showing what can be done to improve a property’s appeal
- Fellow stagers, for being friends, problem-solvers, sounding boards, assistants and……..
- Competition, which makes us accountable, honest and better at what we do
- Trust. Believe it or not, I have never met the majority of my clients. With a giant leap of faith, they give me access to their houses and trust that I will fulfill my promises and treat their property with respect. I do not take this responsibilty lightly.
- Duct tape. As Tim “The Toolman” Taylor once said, “When in doubt, duct it.” You men know what I’m talking about!
- Gorilla Glue, which has saved the day more than once
- Cordless drills…enough said
- Lower gas prices, which make it much easier to retain the gas-guzzler that I am forced to own. Ever try to put a whole house-worth of accessories in a convertible?
- Pins, rubber bands, ribbon, silk flowers, Sharpies, two-sided tape and band-aids, which all reside in my Magic Bag of Stager’s Tricks
- Moving Men furniture glides, which help save the back
- My chiropractor, for when the Moving Men didn’t work
- Modern medicine, also for when the Moving Men didn’t work, or for when a child gets sick on Staging Day
Wishing you and yours a warm, wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!
Written by Marianne Sweet
Home Sweet Home Staging, (586) 212-8400
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Chris Shouse 11.26.08 at 11:55 am
That was a very nice post and I think home stagers are super people. Happy Thanksgiving!
Maureen Francis 11.26.08 at 12:12 pm
Marianne,
I am thankful to not only have you contributing your experience here on miOaklandCounty.com, but also that you have shown me this year how much staging can make a difference in our client’s lives.
Wishing you and your family a peaceful holiday.
Maureen
Marianne Sweet 11.26.08 at 4:46 pm
Thanks Chris….and Happy Thanksgiving to you also!
Maureen….that means a lot. Thanks for that! I really appreciate the confidence you’ve shown in me by making me an “author” and trusting me with your clients. You are definitely one of those “incredible people” I refer to:)