Whether your frame of reference is Pete Seeger and The Byrds, or the decidedly more somber original, there is indeed a season for everything, including decor.

When you’re getting ready to sell, part of this Westchester County Home Stager’s job is to be sure ALL your property is in the right season. The Refreshed Home counsels clients: seasonal decor should be appropriate and current, if not even 2 steps ahead.

Appropriate is what makes sense, and resonates in your market. Appropriate considers the property, the geographic area, the buyer and their motivation. Here in Westchester County, appropriate might mean

• A series of different sized pumpkins in that 5 BR house in the burbs, during the month of October
• A fun snow sculpture with new-fallen snow
• Gardening tools out back by the (empty) raised beds in March

Current is important because it’s seen as an outward  indication of the general state of your property. As the song says, for everything there is a season:

Weathered bunny figurines, folksy garden decor, empty bird feeders,  garden beds that are barren, overgrown or have dead things in them tell people waaay more than you might think. And “cute” does not put money in your pocket. 

I will admit to having a gnome weakness-one can be both cool and classic, but if his pointy red hat is all you see sticking out of the snow, that is just wrong.

Some examples of current

• Replace Impatience and pastel Begonias by early September with marigolds, YELLOW mums or pansies. Decorative peppers or cabbages are good choices as well.
• Pumpkins, or for that matter-anything should GO at the first sign of decay. Rubber-banding the spent tulip and daffodil leaves in April keeps it neat, and healthy for next year. Dead-head the petunias in June, pinch back the basil in August.
• Leprechauns March 11th-18th, Easter bunnies and hanging eggs should be gone by sundown of that day.

Fall Holiday Decorations seem particularly big this year-maybe because the last few Octobers have been wiped out by snow, and superstorms.  

Simply, your blowup goblins, cobwebs on shrubbery, and witches flying into trees should have been packed away last week.

Last, a new welcome mat, and a maintained, regulation US flag is ALWAYS in season

Veterans Day is Wednesday November 11th  

Thank you to all who served, as well as your families