Tone Down the Outdoor Decorations

Tip #5: The Outdoor Decorations

One person's trash is another person's treasure. But, at the holidays, one person's festive display is another person's tacky nightmare. Please don't get me wrong. I enjoy a profusion holiday lights and props. Rarely, though, does an over-the-top display featuring a light-up nativity next to Frosty the Snowman next to Santa's sleigh next to a blow-up snow globe with a penguin in it with lights zigzagged throughout the yard and strung willy-nilly among the trees and from the eaves inspire me to say, "Gee, I'd love to live here!" More likely, I will appreciate their enthusiasm, but I won't be compelled to replicate it in my own yard.

Consider your buyers' feelings when approaching a staged house. Most showings will happen during the daylight hours. And, many of the lighted decorations really look their best when lit. Often, they just look a little sad and tacky in the harsh light of day. I suggest you decorate with wreaths or evergreen boughs with bows and electric candles. These decorations don't lose impact in the daylight hours. While they might be enhanced by a spotlight on them at night, they still look welcoming, timeless and cheerful during the day.

My husband and I went for a walk yesterday and came across many tastefully decorated houses. I actually said, "Wow! That's a great house. I'd love to live there!" a couple of times, mostly just based on the impact of the decorations set against the backdrop of the house. Decorations that we saw and that looked lovely in the day included a wreath hanging from a broad red ribbon in every window and on the door, pine bough sprays in every window sill with a red bow and a candle (the candle, of course, was inside), large snowflakes in each window, garland wound around columns and railings, and large red bows on the rockers on the porch. Decorations that did not play so well in the daytime included lots of strings of lights--they just looked a little sad during the day--and large prismatic light-up snowmen and Christmas trains. If you simply must have a large blow-up Santa in the yard, make sure the fan is on during showings. There is nothing sadder than a crumpled up Santa in the middle of the yard.

If You Have Kids, You'll Need a Children's Tree

Tip #4 The Children's Tree

I've already talked about the importance of a unifying holiday theme for your house. If you have kids, though, I doubt they will be on board with this. They'll be making crafts and bringing them home. They have special ornaments that they got as infants and to commemorate special days. They'll make paper chains and string cranberries and popcorn. Don't get me wrong. This is wonderful. Especially during this "transitional" holiday season for your family, you need to uphold the traditions your children love.

I recommend you set up the main, themed Christmas tree in a formal area of your home. You should also set up a children's tree in a less formal area--the family room, den or even the playroom, if you have one. This can be a table top tree, and this is where you will display all of your children's Christmas crafts and ornaments. The true message this sends to your children is that they are important enough to have their own tree. The message it sends to your potential buyers is that there is a specific place in the house for children's decorations--the crafts don't take over the whole house. You can still have a themed Christmas stage for showing purposes without losing the unique quality of your children's Christmas.

Now, your house appeals to buyers with children and those who do not have children. This is what you were shooting for, because you are trying to appeal to the broadest segment of potential buyers as possible. I know it's tough to live on a stage, but you can do it; I know you will do everything possible to sell that house.

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You'll Need a Card Wreath

Holiday Staging Tip, the Second

You'll really need one of these. Let me just say that I'm not affiliated with this product in any way. I don't make any money by encouraging you to buy this. You can even make your own, if you'd rather. Click on the picture, though, and it will take you to a site where you can buy a card wreath.

Christmas cards are a wonderful way to keep in touch; to send a yearly newsletter; to say "Happy New Year." They are reminders of the people who live in a home. Christmas cards represent personal relationships, and as such, they really don't have a place in a staged house. If you take all the cards you receive and arrange them on a card wreath, these personal notes, these reminders of the lives lived in the house, become just another holiday decoration.

This doesn't mean that you can't read and enjoy your cards. It just means that you can't leave them displayed all over the mantel, counter tops and bedside tables. Read the cards and acknowledge the relationships signified by each card. Then, put them on the card wreath with the intention that they become set dressing on your holiday stage and that they will help you sell your house.