You don’t have to throw out those old strings of incandescent lights when switching to LED. Think green and get crafty. Upcycle Christmas lights to create ornaments or centrepieces for holiday home staging.
 

Over the holidays, I get asked whether it’s appropriate to put up holiday decorations if your property is listed for sale. My answer is yes – BUT – do it with potential buyers in mind. I’ve written about it in the past: Simplify Christmas Décor, and last year’s 12 Days of Home Staging posts offered some top tips for staging in general.
 

If you’re like me, this year you might be making an effort to go greener for the holidays by switching out your old incandescent lights for more eco-friendly LED. What I discovered in the process is that the City of Calgary (and maybe yours too) doesn’t recycle them. So instead of throwing them out in the trash, I’m choosing to get crafty this year.
 

When I was searching Pinterest for ideas of what to do with my old lights, several simple and staging-friendly projects came up. Here are a few of my favourites:
 

• Dip old bulbs in glue and cover them in glitter (colour of your choice). Place them in clear glass jars or in a bowl as a centrepiece and that’s it. Simple. Classy.
• Paint bulbs and attach to a foam craft ball until completely covered. Group them to display on a fireplace mantle, side table, or on a large platter.
• Don’t forget curb appeal. Create a welcoming wreath for your front door. I recommend that you keep it simple and choose mainly silver or gold.

It just goes to show that inspiration can come from anywhere. So go ahead and upcycle Christmas lights this year instead of throwing them out. Get creative and see what you can come up with.
 

For more staging inspiration, check out the Set Your Stage boards on Pinterest.
 

The work at home buyer is alive and well in Calgary. So, if you’re preparing to sell your property, no matter what its size or layout, you must stage an office area – or at least a designated comfortable space for a desk.
 

When a potential buyer looks at your listing, they want to see a place where they can live the lifestyle they want PLUS take care of all their responsibilities.
 

For many buyers, that responsibility includes some form of work at home scenario. It could be what they do all day as an entrepreneur, or extra work they bring home from an office.
 

Maybe it is a lifestyle desire in that they want to buy a place that will allow them to comfortably shift out of the corporate office and into more time in their home office.
 

And don’t forget the kids who now seem to live and breathe online!

Regardless, some type of office set up is a must when staging. Read more about the topic in a previous blog post: One Room. One Function. Except for Offices.

Want more inspiration for staged office spaces to meet the needs of buyers who work at home? Check out the Set Your Stage ‘Offices After Home Staging’ board on Pinterest.
 

This dining area was part of a full staging and furniture rental project for a vacant home in Calgary’s Collingwood neighbourhood. Flip through the mansion images and you’ll see a similar approach (slide 7): Minimal art work, rectangular table with high back chairs, and a single low platter in the middle of the table.

In this Parkhill Stanley Park property we staged, you can see how inspiration could come from the mansion bedroom (slide 10): Light bedding, tall headboard, and matching wood tones in a clean lined side table. We chose to add more accessories because of the style of the home and the potential buyers who would be viewing it.
 
It just goes to show that inspiration can come from anywhere. Potential buyers want the best that they can afford. Why not use a multi-million dollar staging example as a guide? Out-do the competition. Stage your property for maximum appeal and maximum results.
 
To see more examples of rooms from properties I staged, check out the Set Your Stage boards on Pinterest.