My secret to getting homeowners to put away their collections

Every Stager and Realtor has run into the same problem with homeowners that have collections. How do we suggest tactfully that the collection should be stored away until the house sells? We know it has to be done but knowing and convincing are two different things. This is how I do it.

I talk with the homeowner about how much the collection means to them, where did they find their pieces, which ones are there favourites, why did they start collecting this or that. After a few minutes of listening I suggest to them that it is not the actual collection that brings them such comfort but the memories that each piece of the collection that are making them feel good. In this way you have helped the homeowner realize that it is not the physical presence of the item but the memory of it that illicits the feelings that they do not want to part with.

I then suggest that I will take photos of their collection, individually or in a set, and put them in a photograph album for them. This suggestion is usually met with acceptance and sometimes, dare I say it, actual enthusiasm for storing their most prized possessions. I casually mention that you never who might be coming in to view their property and I would dread to think if someone happened to pick up one of their prized possessions and dropped it by mistake. Oh my!

By having the photos of their prized possessions they can open it anytime during the Staging process and see all their "old friends" All the feelings of comfort and the warm memories of the item are there at hand.

Voila! Another successful story about storing collections to relate to the next client.