They Don’t Live Here Anymore: Reflections on Home Staging

Posted by C.J.

My car is loaded up with a toaster, clothes, a boombox, an under-the-cabinet stereo, a laptop computer, yard games, and a number of garbage bags with unknown contents. Why? We’re trying to sell our home.

I forgot to move the tea kettle for this picture. It's gone now, though.

In order for someone to buy a home nowadays, you have to make it look like no one lives there. There should never be smudges on the hardwood floor, laundry in the laundry room, equipment or kids toys in the garage, trash in waste receptacles, appliances on counters, or paper on desks. Food in the pantry and clothes in closets should be limited to essentials so it appears that there is an abundance of storage space. But there should always be fresh flowers on the coffee table, a mound of green apples in the bowl on the kitchen table, and the aroma of scented candles in the air.

I could blame this seller’s nightmare on the economy and the buyers’ market. If we’re going to compete with other sellers in our neighborhood, including foreclosures and short sales, and the glut of new homes available in Madison, we have to make our house seem nearly perfect. Yet somehow focusing on the economy doesn’t seem quite right. It’s too complex. It brings in all kinds of larger issues, like shady lending practices of banks and bad city planning.

I need something easier.

I know…shows like The Stagers and Curb Appeal set the expectations of buyers way too high. I’ll blame HGTV.

Summer’s Gone? Where’d It Go?

Posted by C.J.

I’m not sure how it happened. I had big plans for my spare time during the summer. I was going to read the books I’d let slide during the busy months of the year. I was going to write about my travels, my time with Noriko and the kids, and the projects I completed. Now summer is over and I haven’t accomplished nearly what I’d planned. Oh well, it was a good summer nevertheless. Here’s the CliffsNotes version of the past two months.

End of June brought a trip to the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun for work. It was hot. The beach looked scummy. I worked long days, but the conference went off without a hitch and evenings were pleasant with cooler breezes, cigars and beer. 

On July 6 I traveled to San Diego to man the booth at a competitor’s conference. I love San Diego, but it’s not nearly as fun when I’m not with Noriko. The booth hours were short, so I had the opportunity to relax in the Gaslamp Quarter and watch people. A good couple days.

When I returned home from San Diego, Noriko and I frenetically completed home improvement projects to prepare for the arrival of my in-laws. Wood floors in? Check. Lower level painted? Check. Old landscaping pulled out; new landscaping put in? Check. Move May and Julia out of their bedroom to make room for visiting family? Check. Bathroom ceiling painted? Check. Everything done before in-laws arrive? Almost.

Noriko’s parents arrived on July 24 for a month-long visit. Long visits can sometimes create some stress around the house. It’s not because of anything they do; they’re incredibly helpful, generous, and courteous. (Noriko’s mom cooks a ton and her dad weeds the yard for several hours every day.) Nevertheless, the change in our family routine, a language barrier (they don’t speak English and the kids and I don’t speak Japanese), and my generally crotchety demeanor tend to make visits a little, um, tense. Fortunately, there was little tension this trip. We had our moments, of course, but all-in-all it was the best visit we’ve had in recent years. Their visit was filled with trips to state parks, a visit to Washington Island (which included skeet shooting, boating, and lots of water fun), and kids’ soccer and T-ball. 

I headed to Las Vegas for work in early August. I hate Vegas. I stayed at the Venetian which is a great hotel, but it can’t make up for the rest of the town. I was glad to leave.

Then school kicked in. Pre-reading and then six long days of classes to start off the year. The year looks promising and I like the direction of the courses so far–more application, less busy work–but the program will undoubtedly stretch me more than it did last year. I’m looking forward to seeing the positive effect of school on my day job. Should be good.

Today, I’m in an airport again. I’m traveling for work, but this time it’s to the mountains of Montana (so much better than Vegas or a Carribean resort). Mornings will be spent in sessions, but afternoons = fly fishing the Gallatin River. Wheee!!! Plus, attendance at the conference is well beyond our expectation. It looks to be a good week.

Summer’s gone. It was good. Fall looks promising too.

Home Improvements Make a Mess

Posted by C.J.

This week, we’re having new flooring installed. It sounds simple enough. Choose the flooring. Pay for it. Schedule the installation. Install. Done.

Apparently, it doesn’t work that way.

It took Noriko and me a good three weeks to figure out exactly what kind of floor to put in. Hardwood, laminate, or engineered wood floors. Maple, what I thought would be our natural pick, doesn’t work with our cabinets–too pink. (Who knew that maple has a pink tint!?!) Birch works well, but we had about six different birch floors to choose from. What to do? What to do? We opted for middle-priced, easily-installed engineered wood floor. Done.

On to the installation, right?

Nope. First we had to clear out the main floor of the house. All furniture had to go. Then I had to pull out the old carpet, which wasn’t hard, but it was time consuming. Here’s the process:

1. Cut carpet into strips, roll it up, and take it out. 
2. Pull up cheap, crumbly padding, roll it up, and take it out.
3. Pull every stupid staple that the carpet layers used to hold down the pad.
4. Clean up the debris that our home builders left behind under the carpet: piles (yes, piles) of sand, nails, and razor blades.   

Here’s my handiwork. Thank goodness I didn’t have to pull the vinyl out of the rest of the house. (Note the playground ball; nothing is more fun than playing in a room stripped bare.)

Finally, the house is prepped for the new floors. Installation will be Thursday, Friday, and Monday. We don’t know yet where we’ll go when the installers are here, but we’ll figure it out. It will all be worth it in the end. Right?