I’m not going to lie – I have used ALL of these items before!

Hey, I’m not saying these items don’t make the buyer pool feel more comfortable, I’m just saying that somewhere out there is a stager who can come up with something different….I hope…

#10: Martini Set

This one comes in all shapes and sizes.

You’ll usually see a silver shaker, a strainer, two glasses, and then likely a bottle of Bombay or Tanqueray.

I find this ironic, since I’m under the impression that more people drink gin martinis than vodka martinis, but regardless, you’ll always see at least one bottle of booze.  The Bombay and Tanqueray bottles are both very colourful and can be used in combination with other staging items, whereas Absolut, Finlandia, Stoli, and other vodka bottles are very plain.

I’ve seen people use both real olives and fake ones (where the heck do you go to buy fake olives???), and perhaps some lemons and limes as well.

But the real kicker: the silver tray.  Oooooooh……silver!

#9: Throw Pillows

Ask any stager: you can never have enough throw pillows!

On the bed, on the couch, on the ceiling!  You can never have enough!

In reality, the purpose of these pillows is not to add comfort but rather colour, often in some sort of theme, ie. red throw pillows, red art on the wall, red flowers, etc.

#8: Kitchen Cook Books

My girlfriend keeps all her recipes on index cards with a big elastic around them.  She edits them from time to time – maybe changing “40 minutes” to “35,” or perhaps “375 degrees” to a mere “350.”  I love her style, but I will say that cook books are more visually appealing.

I always tell my sellers, “Take everything off the kitchen counters!”  You really want to show off the space, even if the buyer is simply going to replace that empty space with exactly what was there before!  But nobody wants to see your dirty toaster, your stained coffee maker, and your impressive collection of giant knives.

Instead, we use cook books because as is demonstrated above – they’re colourful, attractive, and those four books are completely uniform in size and make the buyer see “neat and tidy.”

#7: IKEA Wall Art

I’ve seen the same 4-5 pieces of IKEA wall art over and over so far in 2011, and I’ve had a few clients use them!

1.  The downtown London scene with the bright red double-decker bus.
2.  Downtown Manhattan.
3.  Time Square in NYC.
4.  Giant red flower.
5.  Pears.

IKEA art is affordable, comes in all sizes, and is incredibly colourful.  AND…..you can always take it back when you’re done with it.

#6: His & Hers Anything!

The possibilities are endless!

His and hers keychains, his and hers coat-hooks, his and hers bath towels, his and hers toothbrush holders, and God knows what else.

If you’re marketing the house or condo to a young couple, this technique goes over very well!

#5: San Pellegrino

I’m not sure how this fad started, but it certainly seems that it’s here to stay!

Again – I go back the colour and the theme.  These bottles add colour to any kitchen or dining room; especially when you have a white kitchen backsplash, mirrored backsplash, or something simple.  These go very well with white quartz counter-tops or white Caeser-stone.

Personally, I have never had a sip of San Pelly.

In fact, I have no idea why people like carbonated water.  How in the world is this refreshing?  Is this supposed to quench one’s thirst?

#4: Willows, Willows, Willows

Willows, or any sort of stick/leaf/twig idea will go well in any vacant corner of the room.

If there’s a large empty space by the front door or the hall – just stick a vase full of pussywillows or tall grass in that void and VOILA!

Perhaps it’s the idea of bringing the outdoors, indoors.

Or perhaps it’s taming the wild.  Actually, no, it can’t be that…

#4: Barcelona Chairs

Even though this is a “Top Ten” list, I think you all know by now that it’s usually in random order.

However, I think this might be the single most over-used staging item in existence today.

These have that incredibly “modern” look to them, and they don’t take up a lot of space.  You can show off the flooring, since the legs are off the ground and don’t cover it up like a couch or armchair, and they allow you to use the word “chic” as many times as you want.

I have never been to Barcelona, but if these are what people sit on, then I would imagine it’s a very uncomfortable place…

#2: Art Books

First of all, can I have some props for finding art books that specifically say, “Art Books”?

But seriously, who, other than people selling their house or condo, have art books laying around on every coffee table, TV stand, and end-table?

Other than my hipster friend who lives in Kensington, I don’t think I know anybody that owns an art book (let alone every single issue of National Geographic ever printed!).  I never knew that art was such a hip topic, although, I’ve never gone to a bar with one of my buddies and said, “What’s new in art?”  Or, “Hey, did you see the Monet retrospective at (insert museum here) last month?”

But, that’s just me.  I’m sure many people out there don’t watch repeats of the original Law & Order (the episodes with Michael Moriarty though) for the eighth time…

#1: Place Settings

Ooooooh…….so that’s what a dining room table is for!

It’s funny, because without those place settings, I would have thought that large block of wood with four legs is actually for giving massages…

“Pointing out the obvious” can not possibly be better demonstrated than place settings on a dining room table of a house or condo that is for sale.  In fact, the only thing sillier would be:
1) Hiring people to sit on the couch during all showings – to demonstrate that the couch is for sitting.
2) Letting somebody sleep off a hangover in the bed…
3) Invite your friend Gary over to use the shower…

You get the idea.

Just once: I’d like to see a passer-byer walk into an open house with some Subway and sit down at one of the place settings and have himself a meal!