What do I do with my own furniture when the house is staged?
When Flowers Team Real Estate stages your home, some of your own furniture will likely be removed from primary rooms to make way for the staging inventory. This is a practical question that Tara Llewellyn addresses during the staging consultation, because it has real implications for how you plan your listing period.
Here is how to handle your furniture during staging:
The first step is Tara's assessment. During the consultation, she walks through the home and identifies which seller pieces will work well with the staging plan and which ones should be moved. This is not always a negative reflection on your furniture. Sometimes a piece is perfectly fine but simply is not needed in a room that Tara is staging comprehensively. Other times, a piece is the wrong scale or style for the staged look.
For pieces that need to be removed, the main options are:
Moving items to the garage, provided the garage is not already packed. As noted elsewhere, a garage stuffed to capacity sends buyers a message about storage capacity. If the garage becomes the holding area for displaced furniture, it should be kept organized and navigable, not packed to the ceiling.
Off-site storage is the cleanest option for furniture that needs to leave the property entirely during the listing period. A short-term storage unit costs relatively little and ensures that every area buyers see, including the garage, presents as spacious rather than cluttered.
The basement is an option for storing items that will not impact buyer perception of the basement's usability. If the basement is a key selling feature, keep it clear.
Moving furniture to a trusted friend or family member's home is another solution some sellers use successfully.
The seller preparation checklist Tara provides after the consultation will outline specifically which items need to be addressed. Contact Flowers Team Real Estate to get the staging process started.
