Life before staging
How did I become so adept at making things visually pleasing? I raised two sons. They certainly would have gone out of the house as-is if it weren’t for my motherly interceptions. I ensured their nails and hair were groomed, their socks didn’t have holes on gym day, their teeth were encased in braces, they wore “outfits” (a term they still won’t let me forget), and their pants were always the proper length. Every word of this was true until they turned 15. At that point the tattoos and the piercings were obtained before Mom could intercept them. That was then…this is now. In 2008 Kyle is 27 and Ryan is 25. I couldn’t be more proud of how they support themselves and value our family. Brandon is 23. I can’t take any credit for raising him but I’m sure proud to have him in our family.
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| Brandon and my husband |
Ryan and me |
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| Kyle and me (again). |
Empty nest means more time to work
Without young sons to fuss over, I found I had a lot of time on my hands. I have always thought about starting my own business and dabbled in several small ventures like Avon, PartyLite Gifts, craft shows and day care. Starting a home staging business part-time while continuing to work full-time enabled me to get a solid start. I obtained my accreditation through Stagedhomes.com. It confirmed that my instinctual austere-design preference was the perfect foundation for staging homes. My nights and weekends were filled with networking, consultations and hard work. As soon as my top supporter, cheerleader and love of my life said “Jump”, I took the leap of faith and left a regular
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| My husband Jim and yours truly. |
paycheck for the roller coaster paycheck that self-employment offers. I’ve never looked back, never been happier and I’m pleased to report the roller coaster ride has ended. Each year I’ve been in business I have doubled the number of sellers I’ve worked with and helped.
Our jobs should be FUN!
I make sure mine is. Even during the dirtiest of times. I’m very fortunate to be doing what I love to do. It comes down to this; staging is all about helping folks during a time that is very stressful. That is incredibly rewarding to me. If I can have a little fun while I’m risking my life on a ladder or stripping wallpaper or dodging cob webs in the basement all in the name of getting your house sold, my cup runneth over. I am very fortunate to have a team behind me when a job requires more than I can handle alone. You’ll find some pictures here of me loving life!
Rich and famous
That is I'm rich in blessings and famous at my family picnic. In an effort to have a little help in bringing recognition to the wonderful world of staging, I’ve been fortunate enough to have some local newspaper and television coverage. You can see them here.
A whole new chapter
I've lived in one zip code for 46 years! Sheltered? It wasn't so bad. Curious about the rest of the country? Absolutely. 2007 rang in and we broke out by moving to Frederick, Maryland. It wasn't "the grass is always greener" kind of move; it was "let's embark on the scariest adventure we could imagine" kind of move. Literally 75% of my clients had moved out of town. I could do it too! We're adjusting and exploring all right. Hunting for doctors, hair salons, best restaurants, cheapest gas stations and the list goes on. I heard Wegmans is coming to Frederick! My life will be complete, can't wait! The need for staging is everywhere. Most especially in this miserable buyer's market. So, I'm going to keep on rearranging, packing, organizing and consoling sellers...no matter where I live.
Rochester, NY's newest It's Showtime owner is Des Wallner
Stay tuned for a bio on Rochester's newest magic maker and professional stager.
From 2005-2007 I was an  Assistant Director for BNI Upstate New York.
 Nominated in 2005 and 2006 for Affiliate of the Year.
 From 2005-2007 member of GRAR.
Get ready...to get top dollar!
You can contact us to schedule a personalized consultation.
Our services include consultations ≈ carpet & linoleum sales≈ cleaning ≈ decluttering ≈ packing ≈ painting≈ repairs≈ staging ≈ updates ≈ wallpaper removal ≈
≈ vacant property management
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