When you’re new to home staging, it’s easy to scare yourself with the belief that you must arrive at every home staging consultation as an “all knowing” expert.
Ready to deliver a total solution without a moment’s hesitation or thought.
While this will happen in some rooms, some times, I don’t believe it’s the norm. I love this quotation from Pablo Picasso:
“I begin with an idea, then it becomes something else.”
It really sums up my process for a home staging consultation, room by room. Sometimes I start with a recommendation in the living room, and as I build on it, another idea comes to me entirely. It doesn’t mean I was “wrong” at the start, it’s part of the creative process.
As Picasso says, we “begin with an idea,” then we see where it takes us!
Home Staging Isn’t What You See on TV
Don’t let what you see on HGTV throw you off. Even in this video which is part of a larger clip I shot for a TV news show about home staging, you’ll see me going from room to room, tossing out orders like, “get rid of this,” “move that over there,” etc.
What you don’t see on camera is all the thinking time that happened between those directions! You also don’t see the times I changed my mind about the home staging plan!
You Don’t Need an Instant Home Staging Solution
I don’t worry about having the perfect “solution” as soon as I walk into a room. I try on different scenarios in front of my client. This doesn’t make us look unsure, it just lets others see our thinking and the process of creating.
Do you follow recipes exactly when you cook? I don’t. If I’ve never cooked something before (for example a certain cut of meat), I’ll read through a bunch of recipes to get a sense of how long it needs to cook and at what temperature, perhaps even what sorts of spices might be appropriate.
Then I put the books away and do something myself. Naturally no two meals taste exactly alike in my house, because I never measure anything!
To me home staging is a similar process. No two houses are exactly alike (if you’re working with what your client already has). As you let the house speak to you, and you take in what the client has to work with, you’ll gradually get a sense of what needs to be done.
It’s not something you can “solve” in advance, because you won’t know what you’re dealing with until you get there. As long as you have creative talent and vision, the solutions will come to you as you work through various ideas.
Have a home staging consultation process to follow and know what “tools” to bring
If you’re a bit freaked out about what process to follow during your next home staging consultation, you might enjoy the Home Staging Consultation Checklist with Room-by-Room Client Planning Forms. It’s really two products in one, designed to boost your profits, save you time, reduce your paperwork and make you look more professional!
In the first part, I guide you through what you need to know even before you set off for your client appointment. Things like what to bring, the process to follow during the home staging consultation and more.
In part two, I share a room by room checklist for what to look after in each room. You just fill in the blanks as you go, confident that you won’t forget anything.
Do You Feel Like You Need Every Staging Solution As Soon As You Walk Through The Front Door?
Do you ever get intimidated before a home staging consultation thinking you need to be like those expert interior designers you see on TV? Whether you’re new to home staging, or you’ve been at it for years, I’d love your thoughts in the comment section below!
Debra, this is EXACTLY what I go through when doing a consultation. Well said.
Thanks for commenting Donna, I KNEW I couldn’t be the only one!
Great advice Debra! In starting out I have definitly been thinking that I need to have the right answer right away. That I am going to walk into a room and it will instantly morph into what it should be in my head. Good to hear it doesn’t always happen like that. While still wanting to be fluid with my delivery I have to remind myself that this is a CREATIVE PROCESS. Thank you so much for the reminder!
I also just read a post from you called Cut Home Staging Appointment Scheduling Stress. I hadn’t seen this on your SD Business blog and thought it should be shared. It has great advice to cut more stress while starting your staging business. Thanks Debra!
http://voices.yahoo.com/cut-home-staging-appointment-scheduling-7761824.html
Crystal, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this. Also for the link to that article I wrote about cutting appointment scheduling stress! I think I’ll share that in the new July newsletter I’m writing. I also wrote about this topic on Home Staging Business Report, you can find it here.
Thanks again… stick with the idea of CREATIVE PROCESS and you won’t go wrong 🙂
How true, Debra! I am an interior designer who has lately done a lot of
home staging for the real estate company where my office is located.
I have been a bit surprised that quite a few of my first thoughts about what should be done get changed along the way, once I’m in the process. It has been satisfying to see what I have been able to do when the first impression is: this is hopeless! You just have to work through it!
Well said, Joy. I can’t tell you how many homes I’ve walked into over the years and my first instinct was exactly like yours, “this is hopeless!” Then a couple of hours later, the place is transformed, or at least we have a detailed TO DO List mapped out to get it there. Thanks for commenting.
Debra, in my 3rd year of staging I now feel okay about making changes to my initial staging recommendations. During consults I mention to clients that I may have additional ideas once I think more on it. Clients seem okay with this.
Hey Stacey, thanks for commenting. Congratulations on Alaska Premier Home Staging being in it’s 3rd year. Bravo! For a reminder of how far you’ve come, (and for anyone else reading this who wonders what their future as a home stager might hold) check out this article I wrote some time ago, Alaska Home Stager Demonstrates the Importance of Sticking to It.
YES I can relate! When I first started home staging consults I was very nervous and felt I had to have all the details hammered out before I left my consultations. Now, I am comfortable with changes to my initial recommendations. During my consultations I mention that I may have other ideas once I step away and think more about the spaces and flow. This leaves the door open for me to continue being creative without feeling my changes will make me look “wishy-washy” to my clients. Sometimes changes must also be made because things went south on the client’s side (e.g. they sold the furnishings I recommended they hold onto for staging!). It’s just as important to be creative and flexible when this happens, too! Thanks, Debra!
I totally agree that we have to remain flexible. I once brought in rental furniture and the chair I picked for the master bedroom wouldn’t fit up the stairs. So I switched it for the plant I had for the living room and put the plan in the corner of the bedroom.
Very true, I did a design presentation to a realtor this pass week on his lobby and 5 conference rooms, I showed him several ideas and how we can mix and match pieces. By the end of 2 hour meeting several things change because as we talk more ideas came to me and areas he did not think of placing furniture. But, at the end we are on the same page and I know there will be more changes. Thank you for this great blog, it sure help me and gave me more Confidence in myself!
Laura, that’s a fantastic example of what I was getting at. Thanks so much for sharing! I also love your story because it shows that our “home staging” talents can be used for commercial spaces too.
Collaborating with our clients can make the whole process more satisfying for everyone involved and takes nothing away from “our” talent as you so clearly showed. Appreciate your comments!
Love this!
Couple of thoughts more me:
I’m a thinker so ideas often don’t come to me immediately in a consultation, they just kind of bubble up from nowhere. So I’ll often be standing in the bedroom and find myself saying “I’ve been thinking about what we decided for the lounge. I think XXX would work better”
Also.
I love to collaborate with clients – I might suggest something then the client builds on it and I build on that. Then we both get excited! I don’t feel a lesser stager if the final idea isn’t mine as I know my client wouldn’t have got there on their own. That’s the creative process!
Thanks for commenting Imogen! It was one of your questions for our Staging Diva Dialog call and another from one of my students inside the Staging Diva Network Online Discussion Group that inspired this post. I’m glad you’ve shared about your process of generating ideas and collaborating with clients, thanks!
Hi Imogen!
I especially connected to what you said below about collaborating with our staging clients when we are contemplating ideas for their spaces. This actually happens quite often in my staging projects. Like you, I love seeing my clients excited and engaged in their home staging process. Our affirmation of our clients’ thoughts and ideas are important to building a positive, inclusive and trusting relationship. I have also found that these are the clients that refer us with “gusto” and “enthusiasm” to their friends, business associates and family. Knowing you made a positive difference in someone’s life, and home sale, is just one of the things I love about home staging and being my own boss! Thanks for highlighting this part of what we home stagers do. 🙂
Well said Stacy!! Thanks for joining me in this discussion!
Hi Stacy. Look at us two still going strong!! I sometimes find that a client has already tried or thought of something and is just looking for confirmation that they are on the right track. I had a staged to stay consultation yesterday. In one room I moved the bed which took 30 seconds and my client’s problem was solved – she couldn’t believe it! In another room she said – shall we try the table ‘here’ so we did and it was perfect. True collaboration. When I left she said “I wish I’d bought you in at the beginning of my renovation” Fun isn’t it?!
Imogen fantastic example of client collaboration, thanks for commenting! By the way, I’m so proud of both you and Stacy and I’m glad you’re both sharing your experiences.
About solving the client’s problem in 30 seconds by moving her bed… that’s a great example of why we have to charge well for our consultations. They are buying the expertise we bring, not just the number of minutes or hours it takes 🙂
Great Article! I do this all the time with Interior Design, decorating and staging, I call it “wrestling.” I have to wrestle with an idea, before I convince myself, even if it was my immediate impression. It’s good to hear that other people can collaborate with clients to creat amazing results!
Totally Natalie, thanks so much for sharing your experiences!
Debra, I see that I commented on this post of yours a while back, but what the heck – I felt it was worthy to comment again. In my fourth year of business I see the value in having the flexibility to change my mind or come up with another idea during my home staging consultations. It’s part of the creative process that is underway during a consult and I go over this with each client during my initial meeting with them. By identifying and acknowledging this creative process, I give permission for ideas to flow and change during and after the home staging consultation. In fact, this is part of your training program and I remember feeling relieved when we discussed this topic! All creative people and all experts can change their ideas. How liberating & empowering!
Some of my home sellers are also creative and they enjoy the home staging consultation as much as I do. If they come up with an idea that falls within my vision for their property, I will go with their idea so they can feel involved with the redesign or stage of their property. I think it builds rapport and a shared enthusiasm that makes the work relationship and the reward [of selling the property] that much more victorious and joyful!
I love that you revisited this Stacy! Thanks for adding your experience and thoughts on this topic. Congratulations on all your home staging business success. I was blown away by the results you shared with us on last week’s call!