Organizing, Redesign & Staging

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Organizing & Staging Are Not Luxuries

When the economy is tight, and budgets are even tighter, we have to cut luxury items and services. I was talking to a realtor friend the other day, and we discussed whether or not organizing and staging were 'luxury' services that people would not be willing to pay for. Here are my thoughts as to why they are NOT:

  • Staging: in a competitive real estate market, sellers are struggling to make their listing stand out. How do you compete in a buyer's market? How do you ensure that people come to see your home for sale? One way is to have the house staged; realtors are more likely to show it confidently, and potential homebuyers are more likely to see the advantages of your home. In a 2007 Home Gain Survey of over 2000 realtors, it was discovered that sellers who spent typically $500 on staging services for their home recovered over 343% of the cost in the sale of their home.
  • Organizing: the impact of a cluttered, disorganized household includes financial ones. These can be found in late fees for bills, missed appointments or events, bounced checks, unrealized banking mistakes in your favor, buying duplicate products, etc. Getting organized gives you an accurate view of what you have and what you don't have. According to statistics compiled by The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) , the average American spends about 30 minutes a day just looking for misplaced items. How much is your time worth? Over a year, how much would all that time be worth to you?

While you may not feel you can afford an organizer or stager, reconsider the benefits and progress one makes doing their services. It is not too dissimilar to a personal trainer, financial planner or health practioner -- providing services that enhance your life.