Dawn Brocco's Life & Design Blog

Well, the holidays are over, so it's back to prepping the house for sale.

Hubby and I began taking apart the pantry - moving the odd things that are in there into other rooms, so we can paint the walls and woodwork. It has rather unappealing wallpaper, and though I've stripped the 8 layers of paper in the other rooms, there is neither the time nor need to go to that much trouble for the pantry. Stripping paper is only step one, then hubby gets to use plaster washers and spackle to smooth out the old plaster walls, *then* the walls need to be repapered. So, we're not going down that lengthy road for an unimportant room. Off white paint will do just fine.

I've also rearranged the parlor furniture this morning and set up the library - as an old dresser and the filing cabinet had to go in there from the pantry.

I figure we've only got until March to get the pantry, my 2 office/studio rooms, the secondary front hallway, and the family room repainted, rugs cleaned, furniture rearranged, downstairs full bath redone enough to be more presentable and the kitchen walls and trim finished being painted then the new closet doors in our bedroom painted. Most of the other rooms are done and are staged properly enough for showing. Well, except the plaster ceiling in the parlor which needs a smidge of work and repainting as does the ceiling in the dining room. Then, just a desk that needs to be moved from one bedroom into another, where it will be less noticeable.

Working on my office though means disconnecting and moving all my computers, printer, work lifelines! So, it can't take more than a couple days.

Then there's the 6 pairs of new toile curtains to get for the kitchen and adjoining hall, new curtains for our bedroom as what's there doesn't go, and curtains for the 2 office rooms and family room, as what's there also isn't right - it's just all I had available. Hopefully 2 months will be enough time!

I really think we should try and get someone to finish the outside house prep and do the priming and painting, just to expedite the whole matter, so we can get the house listed and sold as soon as possible. The only other thing is to get all new plants for the 90' of beds flanking the front bluestone walk, as I had to take out the heirloom roses last year.

I've seen houses listed for far too many months, which means they're not priced right or they're not showing well, because of too much clutter or *personality*, so that prospective buyers can't imagine themselves living in the house. Staging a house for sale takes time, but is an important step.

I also need to finish going through the small attic - had to stop with all the retina biz I've been going through since last September, but a new contact is coming and I can get back to it. The big attic is done, but tons of nonsense needs to be thrown out and stuff we're keeping needs to be finished being repacked.