Archive for the Blog Category

Why Stage in a Hot Market – A Case Study

On March 27, 2021   /   Blog, Home Staging, Terry's Blog, Uncategorized  
Why Stage in a Hot Market – A Case Study

Is it hot enough for you? 2020/2021 will go down in the realtor history books as the hottest market ever experienced. Properties are receiving multiple offers, with some offers well over asking price, sometimes to the tune of tens of thousands. So why stage if demand is high? First answer – all the same reasons apply as if the market was slow; have great photos, create emotion, etc. Second answer – not all properties are selling on day one and the costs associated with so many Days on Market can be staggering. The property described in this case study is

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Staging a Different Lifestyle in 2020

On August 12, 2020   /   Blog, Home Staging, Terry's Blog, Uncategorized  

COVID-19 has turned our homes into our offices, schools and entertainment centers. Highlighting how a home can function well with these changes is essential. Features of a property that were previously seen as a detractor are now an asset. What once may have been removed as a distraction may now be showcased to show maximum usefulness in a space. Enhance the Office – COVID-19 is accelerating the work from home transition, making a home office paramount in staging. Stage to show the home office can be private and productive. Remote work statistics support this as a vital staging update… Read

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How to Appeal to the Work-from-Home-Buyer

On July 12, 2020   /   Blog, Terry's Blog, Uncategorized  
How to Appeal to the Work-from-Home-Buyer

Staging’s purpose is to minimize time spent on the market and maximize value by creating a product with the broadest buyer appeal. Stagers watch for changes in current furniture styles, color trends, and most importantly, lifestyle changes to achieve this. Every year, sometimes more frequently, new and distinctive color palettes are shown by designers and paint companies. Furniture styles, accent pieces and accessories update with similar or greater speed. One look at the lines at HomeGoods or At Home is evidence of ever evolving trends and the impact on our lives and wallets. Lifestyle changes normally happen more organically. Before

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Resisting the R.A.T.

On February 6, 2020   /   Blog, Terry's Blog   /   Leave a comment
Resisting the R.A.T.

January 25th marked the Year of the Rat in the Chinese Zodiac Calendar. Rats can be curious, smart, fierce, and intelligent. But one rat in particular, the woodrat – or packrat – shares another trait with humans. Our tendency to collect. We collect friends, activities, habits (good and bad), and things. Packrats, whether animal or human, collect items in their home that may not be needed or used but sometimes have personal or other value. It can be difficult for some to resist the R.A.T., or resist the urge to Reactively Acquire Things. Those who display packrat behavior commonly retain

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Staging Challenges: New Construction

On December 7, 2019   /   Blog, Terry's Blog  
Staging Challenges: New Construction

TLC Home completed a new type of staging project just before Thanksgiving: New Construction. 551 Leftwich Lane in is part of a new townhouse community in Annapolis, MD. New Construction properties present their own challenges when it comes to staging. A new, modern, open floor plan means standard Living Room, Dining Room, and Kitchen spaces aren’t separated, instead offering two large open spaces and a small nook. We chose furnishings that reflected the modern style and space and made the house feel like it could be a home. We purchased a modern style desk for the nook to show how

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Ready, Set, Get Organized

On October 19, 2019   /   Blog, Clutter Removal, Featured, Organization, Terry's Blog  
Ready, Set, Get Organized

Has this wave of crisp, fresh, fall weather inspired you to make a big change? When we feel the urge to change or improve our life or our home, it often results in large organizing or home maintenance projects. Change is a natural and important part life. But now you have a really, REALLY big job ahead of you and don’t know where to begin.  You’ve acknowledged the need for change and have learned to sort into Keep, Toss, Donate, but you’re still stuck.  Whether it’s a mountain of paper in the office or a heap of clutter in the

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Collaboration is Key

On May 10, 2019   /   Blog, Terry's Blog  
Collaboration is Key

Hey Folks! Full transparency: for the past year, I haven’t been writing my blogs alone. I have always enjoyed my work in staging and organizing. Recently, I identified an aspect  that excites me no matter what service I am providing at the time: Collaboration. Working together with a client or another stager to find solutions is a great feeling. When each party sets aside ego and contributes to the goal, the best ideas and solutions are achieved. Staging requires an understanding of design and understanding of the buyer’s perspective. When working with another stager, the process becomes more efficient and

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Organize to Sell

On April 6, 2019   /   Blog, Home Staging, Terry's Blog, Uncategorized   /   Leave a comment
Organize to Sell

Showing your house while actively living in it is daunting. Whether you live in a small cottage in Edgewater MD, a townhouse in Glen Burnie or a two story home in Severna Park, MD, owners must be ready at a moments notice for potential buyers to view their home. As part of our staging consultation, TLC Home provides tips on how to live in and show a house with least effort and maximum success. We focus on tweaking those most used systems and routines: the enter/exit zone, kitchen counter activity, laundry, dressing, bathrooms and pets. These high frequency, essential systems

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The One-In One-Out Rule Applies to Hobbies too!

On January 3, 2019   /   Blog, Organization, Terry's Blog  
The One-In One-Out Rule Applies to Hobbies too!

January is a great month for getting back into those hobbies we don’t make a priority in the busier months. New Year Resolutions combined with wet and chilly weather keeping us indoors means we have the motivation and the time to get back into old hobbies or start new ones. It can be so exciting to start something new and see the end result in our minds eye. A trip to a Joann Fabrics or William Sonoma can be fun in and of itself. However, often times we start and don’t finish our projects and hobbies. We clutter closets with

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Memorabilia Matters

On September 27, 2018   /   Blog, Terry's Blog  

Hello!  What a week so Far! I have a new client that has really reminded me why I love to work with organizing clients and help them to simplify their lives. Organizing with passion and active interest in making your home more functional and fun is important. Clients that have that passion are more likely to succeed long term. The only way to truly instill active interest is to work with my clients and fit organizing into their lives. What is important to my clients is important to me and informs how we work together to achieve our organizing goals.

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