Marie Kondo’s urging divestiture of unnecessary possessions is always a good lead-in for home stagers, but today’s inspiration comes from the story of Disney’s Princess Elsa.

Her inadvertent actions hurt others, and the well-intentioned efforts were not received so well either. Convinced she was damaged goods, Elsa took on burdens and struggled to keep her regrets, shame, and fears to herself.

Many long-time homeowners go through a similar process when it’s time to get a long-held family property readied for market.  

The 1.0 HGTV version of home staging focuses on the external and the tangible, things like aesthetics and money. The Refreshed Home’s 2.0 version champions addressing, and squaring the internal part of the process with the external.

IMO unaddressed, unhelpful beliefs and lingering what-ifs, coulda-woulda-shouldas will do more to hurt a sale than any of the typical sins like bad paint color or too many personal photos. 

No better time then getting a house ready for market to be reminded of money spent badly-too much, or not at all. Decisions that were tabled, actions not taken, all fodder for endless, fruitless self-punishment. Its important to remember that hindsight is always 20/20.

Taking on burdens you don’t need to (parents storing grown children’s possessions I’m talking to you here); letting your anxiety closet push away logic, and offers of help are just as pointless. 

I’ve worked in thousands of Westchester County homes; every ZIP code, at every price point. Trust me when I tell you we are really not all that different. 

Staging consults are not therapy, but like Elsa, many clients have found excising the mental yay-yas along with the physical stuff to be quite therapeutic. So don’t be a stuck-in-the-castle Elsa, be the Let It Go! Elsa.

Listless or expired listing? Just starting to plan? Talk to me today about how to best get your property Noticed and SOLD! Or, come to my next Home Staging workshop at Tarrytown’s beloved Warner Library on Monday night March 2nd.  Click here for more info, and to register. Free, and open to the public, hope to see you there!