What if you are NOT selling your house?

Home Staging techniques are not just for home sellers. I use them all the time to de-clutter and refresh my own home. I am in the process of doing just that right now. What am I doing exactly?

I need, and I say need loudly, to get the winter months out of my house now! Spring is here and I am closed in...if I could knock the walls out, I would but I cannot. Here is what I did today and I feel better already. Actually I started yesterday with the housekeeper. I had her move everything in the kitchen including the large appliances and clean around absolutely everything.

The I washed every little decorator plate and garlic cooker and utensils...everything! Then I only replaced what I really use at least once a week and stored everything else in a cabinet in the garage. I know where it is if I need it.

I weeded out my cookbooks and sorted through medicines, glassware, pots and pans. They too went out to the storage cabinet.

I just cleaned off the refrigerator and left only the beautiful magnets with photo's...no notes, phone numbers, recipes, etc. They all have an appropriate place to dwell but I get too lazy sometimes to follow through.

I purchased some hydrangeas in silk and hunted down some glass bowls and made some new arrangements. Here are the instructions if you would like to make the arrangement you see in the picture yourself...

Purchase a bouquet of your favorite flowers in silk from your local crafts store, "Magic Water" which is the material that makes the fake water, and a glass container or use your own.

Cut the stems from the bouquet so you have individual flowers and be sure you cut or pull the leaves off (this arrangement is from 2 bouquets @ $4.95 ea.)

Clean your glass container thoroughly and make sure it is dry

Follow the instructions on the Magic Water.

Tip: The longer your stems, the larger the arrangement.

Set your flowers around the rim first, then the center. Keep it simple. Trim the stems little by little until the right length to match the others.

This arrangement has 8 flowers all the same size. After you have made a few, it would be fun to experiment with other more complex flowers arrangements. (I just bought out all the hydrangea's from my local super market in all the colors and making them for Mother's Day).

Then I stacked all my magazines that I have read and will go through them tonight while I watch TV and tear out all the pages that I am wanting to use for future reference and sending the magazines themselves to the recycle bin.

I have removed everything from my table tops in the living room except for my new flower arrangements and candles. Now I know what spaces I want to fill and will go shopping tomorrow for new sofa pillow fabric and boxes that are light and airy.

I have made room for Spring to move in and Summer as well. It feels fresh and renewed and I hope you will take a little time like this for yourself and 'stay awhile'.