Saratoga Home Staging

Books, Books And More Books

My husband loves books and owns a lot of them. There are more books than there are shelves, which is one of the reasons we're moving. We are planning to put the house on the market within the next few months. Can my house be staged and made to look desirable with so many books lying around?   
 

Thanks, Arlene

Dear Arlene:

The answer to your question is a categorical no.  As a former librarian and book collector I do understand your dilemma, having more than a dozen full bookcases in my own home. 

The way that I deal with this situation is to pack up most of the books.  Tell your husband to pick out some of the books that he cannot live without.  Add to this a nice handful of beautiful coffee table books.  Pack the rest to prepare for your upcoming move.  Store them in a dry basement (off the floor), in your attic, or in a storage unit, but get them out of the way.

This will accomplish two things:  It will make your move slightly less stressful by doing some of your packing in advance.  It will also make your home appear more spacious.  When potential buyers view your home, you want them to notice your house, not your belongings.  I had a client several years ago who had a tremendous collection of books, and absolutely gorgeous built in bookshelves.  We packed ninety percent of the books, then spread out the remaining books on the newly polished bookshelves.  Some of the books were arranged lying down, some of them shared shelf space with their beautiful collection of ceramics and other small objets d'art (which were also used sparingly, most of which were packed and stored).  When potential buyers viewed the property, their reaction was "What beautiful bookshelves," rather than "Boy, do these people have a lot of books."

While it is gratifying to have a potential buyer tell you that you have beautiful things, it is more important for them to tell you that you have a beautiful house.  And then make you an offer.

Little Coats Everywhere

I have a 10-month-old boy. His nursery doesn't really have closet space, and although we've made due with dressers and other storage solutions for his clothing, I don't know what to do with his coats. Now that's it's winter, he's got several of them in all different weights, and there's no good place to store them. They get smushed and fall on the floor of our "grown-up" coat closet, and it's really inconvenient to keep them in drawers. As a consequence, every doorknob in our house has a teeny coat hanging on it. This is convenient, but it looks messy. Any ideas?

Viv Savage

Dear Viv:

Thanks for the question.  There are several possible solutions to storing your son's outerwear dilemma.  The first of which is to take advantage of the real estate inside the door of your coat closet.  Assuming that you have a coat closet door that is on a hinge (as opposed to a bi-fold or accordion door), you could hang some hooks on the interior of the door for coats, etc... 

Several versions of hooks are available, including the old-fashioned kind that you simply screw into the door.  In addition, there are rows of hooks on a bar that you either install or hang over the top of the door.

If this is not an option, a coat tree, either in a corner of the nursery or somewhere near your front door / mudroom door could solve your problem.

Once the winter season is over, the outerwear (yours and your husband's as well) should be stored in plastic bins in a dry place with cedar planks or balls thrown in.  If you are not planning on having more children, the end of the season is the time to pass them on to another expecting mother or to charity.

What to Expect When Hiring a Professional Organizer

Hey, Great Website.  I do have a question for you.  I'm considering hiring a professional organizer.  What can I expect, and how do POs work?

Thanks in advance for answering.

Sincerely:
Leslie D.

Dear Leslie:

Hiring a Professional Organizer  (aka "POs") is easier than you think.  Once you've spoken with one or two POs, you may wish to invite them to your home for a consultation, whether free or paid. 

The PO will be as interested in interviewing you as you are in interviewing them.  The PO will ask you all kinds of questions that on the surface of it, may appear nosy and even improper.  This is not the case.  As a Professional Organizer, I need to understand where my potential clients are in their lives, and what they need for me to help them accomplish.  Thus, if you have two children and a plethora of gently used baby clothing and toys, the PO will most likely ask you if you are planning on having any more children.  This is merely to ascertain whether the outgrown clothing and toys need to be passed on, or stored properly for future use.

Of course you will also want to interview the PO.  After all, they will be working very closely with you and they will (literally) see all of the skeletons in your closet!  Ask for references, and CALL THEM.  Check the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any professional complaints against the PO, and use your gut.  If you like the PO, have a good feeling about them and feel that you will be able to work closely with them, then the business relationship will be a good fit!