The 3 Rules for Home Staging Props

School starts next week, and I’m getting a little frantic making sure everything is ready for the girls to get this school year off to the best start.  The start of school signals changes for my schedule, too, so I decided it was a good time to organize my home staging prop inventory. Every good stager needs some awesome decorative props!

staging props

I started pulling things out, paring things down, and before I knew it I threw together an impromptu sale for a few select locals.

home staging art

 

I set it all up in my dining room yesterday and sent out an email last night.  Whatever I don’t sell today, I’m going to donate to Habitat for Humanity ReStore, a nonprofit home improvement store and donation center where the proceeds are used to build homes for those in need. I still have lots of staging inventory, but now I have room for some new items.

staging vases

 

A girl gets tired seeing the same staging props over and over. I could make a game out of looking for the same pillows or bedding in after photographs of my stagings!

home staging props

 

What kind of items do I use for home staging props?  Towel sets, duvets and coverlets, decorative pillows, boxes and baskets.

staging towels

 

Faux fruit and vase/bowl fillers are a great way to add color and texture, without being too taste-specific.

vases and bowl fillers faux fruit

 

I suppose I have about 100 decorative staging pillows.  There’s nothing like a fresh set of pillows to freshen up a boring or dated sofa.

home staging pillows

 

I pulled out over 50 for my little private sale.  It’s just time for some fresh fabric!

home staging pillows

 

 

I always keep plenty of coordinating soap dispensers, hand towels, and shower curtains for staging bathrooms.

soap dispensers

 

I do have a few rules for finding staging props:

1. I never, ever use anything that is used to decorate my own home.  I keep my staging inventory completely separate and organized in my finished basement with shelving and cabinets so I know exactly where to find what I need.

home staging art

 

Frankly, my personal decor would not work for staging to sell because it’s simply TOO PERSONAL.  Taste-specific decor is what you want to depersonalize so that you appeal to a wider audience.  Most of my staging props are a mix of contemporary and what I’d consider “new” traditional – things that can mix fairly easily in different styles of homes.

home staging inventory

2. I never purchase home staging props from yard sales or estate sales. You don’t want your staging props to look “used.”  You might as well just use what the homeowner already owns!

3.  I get almost all of my staging inventory from HomeGoods, where I know I can find on-trend and appealing decorative items for a good price.  Actually, I’m looking forward to doing another HomeGoods event in the coming months and sharing inside news on the latest trends as an official HomeGoods Ambassador!

If you are a home stager yourself, what are your favorite staging props?

 

24 Comments

  1. Gina N.

    Thanks for sharing what you use for staging props. It’s hard to keep inventory organized and in good condition when storing without some sort of system.
    We routinely scour yard/garage sales, resale shops, and Craig’s List for staging items. We reupholster, refinish, and clean the items to look fresh. Sometimes we do use items from our own homes because it’s the perfect item we need for that “piece de resistance.” We also sew our own pillow covers so we can change out the fabric easily. We do what it takes to keep our prices competitive. We love what we do!

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Whew, that sounds like a lot of work! I find that if I keep my eye out for retail bargains (like at HomeGoods), I can still keep my prices competitive. But I’m not talking about furniture, which may be what you are referring to. And I do not sew :/

      Reply
  2. MK

    I am a lover of Home Goods and T.J. Maxx for home decor too. Don’t forget about Target too—I never cease to be amazed at their on-trend home items. And when they go on clearance, well what’s not to love? 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Very true! The only thing about Target is that once you see something there, you know it is put out in mass quantities everywhere. It’s like when I buy a shirt from Target (which I often do!), I know I’m going to see 10 people wearing the same shirt soon and everyone’s gonna know I got it at Target. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but when I’m staging a high-end home I don’t want someone to walk in and say, “I saw that at Target.” HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls get stuff from all over, so you never know if you’ll see it again or not!

      Reply
      • MK

        Good point, Kristie! I love your work. If I lived in or near Nashville, I would be on your waiting list 🙂

        Reply
  3. Mitzi Leigh Hinton

    Hey Kristie, if by chance the green box in the last photo is still available, I would love to buy it from you. It matches one I already have in my office and I could really use a second. If not, no worries. Thank you!

    Reply
  4. Trudy in Red Deer

    I suggest the the term “modern classic” for your ‘”new traditional”.
    Love your website and toured Franklin last fall when we travelled to Tennessee from Alberta, Canada. What a great history your area has and if I did not read your blog I would have missed a lot of great information and sightseeing! I can hardly wait to go back and maybe there will be another Home Goods event while we are there…

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      “Modern Classic” is perfect! Thanks, Trudy.

      Reply
  5. Judy

    As a home stager in Seattle, I admit that I sometimes “borrow” items from my house–but only if I really need to and if it is the perfect fit for the house I’m staging. I always use new towels for the bathrooms. Once they are washed, they looked used. So I tend to buy these at Target because they are so inexpensive. I also go to the bargain table at Barnes & Noble and buy lots of coffee table books with interesting or colorful covers. I love HomeGoods and always can find great items–it’s a stager’s paradise! As far as reselling staging props when they are no longer needed but still in great condition, I use a company called SwopBoard.com. This company is based in Seattle but it is a national company because it is an online market place. It’s on the cutting edge of helping anyone re-sell used items. And the best part is that you can designate a portion of the proceeds you receive from your sold item to be donated to a local school in your community or a Boys and Girls club of YOUR choice. So if you have kids, this is a great way to earn money for their school or help a great organization.

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Judy,
      Thanks for all that info – SwopBoard sounds great! I do also love to get coffee table books on clearance at bookstores like Barnes & Noble. Now to go check out that website . . .

      Reply
  6. Erica Meister Hondroulis

    My town has a FB For Sale site which is basically just an online garage sale. It is a closed group and members must live in a particular zip code. I find terrific bargains on things like vases, large scale artwork, throw pillows, even bedding that is often brand new or about as close to new as it gets. My business is new so I don’t want to spend too much on inventory yet … but how do you pass up a large-scale framed art piece for $10?? 🙂 Any other tips on inventory for a new Stager?

    Reply
  7. Richelle McCarthy

    Hi Kristie,

    I am just getting ready to start my Home Staging business and wanted to know, do you rent these items to your clients or is this something you provide as part of your fee? Did you start small and build up your inventory over time? I am really looking forward to your class in September.

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Richelle,
      We will be talking about all that in depth during the September course! Look forward to meeting you 🙂

      Reply
  8. Nan Johnston

    I so enjoy your post! As a home staging consultant, I’m always interested in other home stagers inventory storage space. Perhaps you could share photos of yours with us sometime? Thanks in advance!

    Reply
  9. kelly

    Home Goods, Target, TJ Maxx and even JC Penney’s is a great place to shop for quality items at low prices. And I love the hunt of the perfect accessory!

    Reply
  10. Audra Slinkey

    Thanks for another great post Kristie! My HomeGoods can be very hit or miss, so I like a few tried and true stores like Ballard Designs, PotteryBarn, ZGallerie and WestElm where I can get use my designer discount. My Ballard stuff ships within a week which I love. Hope to see you at the next RESA Conference.

    Reply
    • Paula Van Hoogen

      Ballard Designs just sent me a hefty gift certificate because my replacement cushions took so long to get back in their stock….Woohoo!!!…..hence I’m a Ballard Die Hard now!!!

      Reply
  11. Beth

    My storage area is my garage, and since I don’t have room to have everything out, I have the items in clear bins according to room. We pack bathroom boxes that have everything needed for a bath. Kitchen stuff is put together by color typically. But I do have to go through many boxes to pull accessories for a stage. But it’s worked well enough.

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      I like the idea of packing bathroom or bedroom boxes, so they are ready to go. Thanks for sharing, Beth.

      Reply
  12. Natalie

    As a Home Stager, I use all the items mentioned, as well as current home magazines applicable to the location and style of home. This may include pottery barn, restoration hardware (which are thick as novels), and our local Home magazines with featuring local builders & businesses, etc.

    Reply
  13. Sandra Pinkley

    I’m a new stager and need some ideas oh how to get clients other than telling realtors.

    Reply
  14. Dekasa

    So you hold any classes in the tampa Bay Area (Florida) or near

    Reply

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