*Clearing throat* Hello there… (In my best Barry White voice). Today is a day of love, a day of expressing love to those closest to you, a day of romance.

But while you are spreading love to these people you may not even notice the one that shows you the most love all year long.

The one who shields you from the wind.

The one who keeps you out of the rain.

The one who keeps you warm in the winter months and cool in the summer,

The one who watches over you at night.

Who… doesn’t mind when you bring company over or when you decide to go out.

Who treats you the same no matter what.

Yes… I’m talking about your home.

And whether you have lived in the same home for years or have just moved into a home the love is unconditional.

Your home wants to love you but over time if you don’t return that love your home can get worn down too.

The love grows a little weaker… Your home doesn’t ask for much but it needs something.

I know. Loving a home may seem like a huge task but I am here to help.

You can’t please every home the same way…

But Bob Vila offers 10 tips on how to show your home love this Valentine’s day.

(Those last two lines made me wish I had rhymed this entire post. No turning back now.)

1. Arrange Flowers: Whether you use them to spruce up a room or the outside you can’t go wrong with flowers on Valentine’s day.
2. Paint a Room: Vila says you don’t have to change the color, just a fresh coat will do the trick. Think of it as a trip to the nail/hair salon for your home.
3. Plant Seeds: Maybe not possible everywhere but it definitely is here in South Carolina. Now is a great time to get a jump on your Spring gardening.
4. Clean Your Carpets: Give your home a nice rejuvenating spa day.
5. Replace a Shower Curtain: Your home has been wearing the same bath robe for too long. Seems small but it will appreciate a new one.
6. Restore Cabinets: Painting a wall a bit much? Perhaps just touching up your kitchen cabinets.
7. Upgrade your Furnace Filter: Have you been getting your home the generic filters? Let it breathe like never before by getting a higher quality filter. You’ll notice the difference.
8. Countertop TLC: Again, if you can find a way to make your home feel good about itself why not? Give your countertops a fresh look.
9. Hang some Art: Maybe you can’t repaint your walls, or cabinets, or touch up your countertops, but you can hang art. Give a room a new necklace, maybe a bracelet, earrings. Even a watch.
10. Organize a Closet: Your home has to hold all of your junk anyway. Why not make it easier on it and organize the things you make it store.

So there you have it…

Go to your home and make it feel special today. <3

I work in moving and storage. I talk to people who are moving on a daily basis. You would think that I would have a pretty firm grasp on how moving works but it is easy to not appreciate the details that go into moving if you are not the one who has to fill in those details. Our business is pretty straightforward. We deliver portable storage units to people’s homes. We move them when they tell us to. Nothing more, nothing less. So it’s easy to lose an appreciation for what all goes into a move.

However, this past week I was reintroduced to the process when I had to coordinate my move within Columbia, SC in less than a week. Here is some of what I learned.

1. Don’t expect cooked meals.

The energy used in packing items into boxes, throwing away things you don’t need, and moving things around won’t leave you much energy to stand over a stove and cook a meal. You are best served to stock up on quick meals to make your life that much easier. If you already live off of said quick meals then you were in Moving Training and didn’t even know it.

2. PLAN EARLY

Make sure you have the entire moved planned out step by step. Plan how you want to pack up each room and when you want to have that room emptied by. Plan how you want to move the items from one house to another. When you plan to get the truck/portable storage unit. (Preferably a mobile attic portable storage unit). Plan when you will need people to come over to help or when you want to have movers come over to assist you. Plan your cleaning as well. Everything that needs to happen should be written out. You have to be able to visualize it because you won’t respect how much work it really is unless you do.

3. Shop around.

Make sure you find the best option for you in every way. Whether it is the convenience factor, price, the trust you have for the company. Make sure that the help that you get for you move is a good fit for what you will need. Don’t let yourself get caught paying hidden fees. If you are going to rent a truck make sure you calculate the up-front cost. How many miles you will be driving (at .59 or .69 cent per mile). Then remember that you are responsible for every drop of gas you use as well. Don’t get caught saving $20 by using a truck thinking you are saving more when the difference in price isn’t worth the difference in the amount of work that you end up doing.

4. Whatever plan you made. Go back and DOUBLE the time you said it will take.

Alright maybe not double, but however long you THINK it will take. Add some time to it because again, until you are in the middle of it you will lose all respect for how much work goes into the move. It’s better to give yourself too much time rather than not enough.

5. Plan breaks into that time. 

Don’t fall victim to “Mover’s Fatigue” (that’s a medical term I just made up). Make sure you leave breaks of time throughout your moving schedule for you to take a second to relax, regroup, or just to clear your mind.

6. Take off work (if at all possible)

Again. Moving is hard work. It’s even harder work if you have already used most of the day’s energy at your job. Even if you can only get one day off it will make a difference. Save that day for your heavy lifting perhaps or for the day of the actual move itself.

If I had done these things then the past week would have gone a lot smoother for me. I hope that you’ll consider them when coordinating your move.

Hello people!

Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday (I’m surprised it’s not a national holiday yet but anyway) and I am excited just like everyone else. Well not quite like everyone else I guess. This year my team is actually in the big game for just the second time in their existence (you should know what team it is by now). In the years between I spent more time rooting AGAINST teams (nameley the Patriots and Steelers) more than rooting for them. I’m in a weird place though because before the Ravens existed when I was young I was a 49ers fan. I picked up the Ravens when they came to Baltimore because I wanted to pull for a home town team and Baltimore is home. I naturally still pulled for the 49ers but for the first time in my life I am fully against them. We played them last year and I was semi neutral. I wanted the Ravens to win because the 49ers were safely going to make it into the playoffs anyway where the Ravens NEEDED that game. Anyway, I’m rambling and have lost complete focus on the reason for this blog post.. but yeah, go Ravens.

Alright, so for the first time in my life I will probably not be watching the game at home. Home has been a few different places for me in my life. My freshman year of college I watched the Super Bowl (The Giants vs. the Patriots when the Patriots were undefeated. You know, the helmet catch game) in my dorm with my roommate. That was a fun experience. Our whole hall had the game on in our respective rooms. We all left our doors open and people would be going room to room exchanging food and drink and of course tons of trash talking among the fans. I still remember the way the dorm exploded when the catch was made. I literally got chills, but that was the only time I did not watch the big game from the comfort of my family’s home or the home of a friend.

Until this year of course.

It looks like this year I’ll either be watching the big game from a hotel or from a sports bar and this got me thinking. Where do most people watch the big game?

C-21 Infographic

As luck has it, I stumbled across a blog from the National Association of Realtors which featured an infographic on the subject from Century 21. (right click the image and open in a new tab to view it full size)

According to the charts

• 88% of people say that the home is the best place to watch the game, with 84% saying that they plan to watch the Super Bowl from the comfort of their own home, a friend’s home, or a family member’s home this year.
• 66% say that they prefer to watch it in a home because of the relaxing atmosphere
• 58% say that the ability to find a comfortable chair is the top benefit of watching the game at a home.
• and 76% say that they plan to watch the Super Bowl in pajamas or other comfortable clothes.
• Only 52% said that the quality of the tv they were watching the game on was a critical factor.

So apparently my having never watched it anywhere but at home was normal. I also take this to mean that I shouldn’t expect a large crowd at a sports bar if that was the route I decided to go… somehow I find that difficult to accept. Now if only I could have one of these Mobile Attic Portable Storage Units rigged up with a flat screen* against the wall. Put a couch in it, grill outside of it and I’d be set!

Enjoy your Super Bowl weekend people! No matter where it is you choose to enjoy the game!

*- It is not recommended that you rig your Mobile Attic Portable Storage Unit with a Flat Screen though that would be, indeed, a pretty sweet set up. 

There will be no talk of history in this blog post. Today we’re going to talk about pop culture. Perhaps the reason you came across this post is because you were looking for information on the topic that I am about talk about. In recent years not-so-glamourous jobs have been thrust into the spotlight of reality tv. There are shows about Repo men, shows about pawn shops, shows about bounty hunters and oh yeah shows about storage auctions.

One of most popular shows in this genre is “Storage Wars” which airs on A&E. The show follows a group of bidders who go around to different storage auctions across the United States looking for hidden treasure tucked away in a storage unit. Before getting into the industry I looked at shows like this as completely legitimate but having worked here now for 6 months (I believe there have been 2 or 3 auctions in that time) I have started to question the validity of some of the finds in these units.

Apparently I was onto something.

David Hester, who was one of the star bidders on the show, has filed a lawsuit against A&E stating that the company “stages” the units that are used on the show. Saying that they add items to the units to make the auctions look more lucrative than they really are and though this has yet to be proven I am willing to accept this statement.

Now of course there will be gems in a unit every now and then but most of the time the best you will really do is maybe a really nice television, good furniture, perhaps some vintage music, or a baseball card collection but even these are rarities.

The show creates the appearance that you can expect to find something great in a storage unit at every auction which is just not the case.

Fortunately for A&E there is almost no way for Mr. Hester to prove his claims but any industry expert will tell you that the show is an exaggeration of the process and that in reality auctions very rarely make real money and very rarely will gems be found.

Some would say why would you complain if the show makes people more interested in auctions? To that I say I am not complaining, but there are some storage managers who don’t want a big audience at their auctions. It can be a messy process. After all, the things being auctioned are another person’s personal belongings. The show somewhat desensitizes people to that fact.

All that said… They do make auctions look like so much fun.

The reason for this post is because I am a curious person and I love history. I was tasked with writing a blog about storage and I thought, why not start at the beginning? I was curious as to when the industry became what

1928 print ad about self storage

it is, the factors behind it, and the minds that made it happen. The beauty of the internet is that if you know how to search you can find the answers to just about anything… this however was tricky.

Based on what I was able find I saw that the concept of modern day self storage was first brought up in the late 20′s. It was being pitched as a way to make use of vacant lots. If you look closely at the picture on the right you’ll see the headline says “Make that Vacant lot Pay you a Handsome Profit!” The company that I got this information from Trachte Building Sytsems sold the idea to investors saying that the units could be used to store vehicles. Like a public garage. (Remember mass production of cars was still only 20 or so year’s old at this point. Production of the Model-T Ford stopped in 1927 at over 15 million made.) By 1925 it was noted that houses without garages were slow to sell but they had not yet become as standard as they are today. Though the concept was born in the 1920′s, it appears that self storage facilities didn’t start popping up until the late 1950′s.

Online I get two different answers as to where the first facilities were born. Some say the first was started in Texas in the “late 1950′s” while others say that Lauderdale Storage in Fort Lauderdale, FL which was started in 1958 (and is still running, the link in the name is to their site) was the first. Trachte didn’t end up getting into the industry themselves until the 1970′s and built one of the first “all steel” storage facilities.

Rainn Wilson in Self Storage

The business grew pretty slowly up through the 90′s when demand started to be greater than what the supply was. Between 2000 and 2005 there was a storage EXPLOSION with more than 3,000 new facilities popping up each year on average in the United States.

The short film “Self Storage” starring Rainn Wilson hit the theaters in 2002 and self storage shows up in many places throughout movies and television (Skylar White in the show Breaking Bad uses a storage facility to hide her husband Walter’s illegal stash of money) as it has become a mainstay in our society. I recently was drawn to the UK film “Storage 24″ which is a Thriller set in a storage facility where a government plane crashes, spilling its classified contents throughout a town. The movie centers on the few people stranded inside a self storage facility where something that was on the plane begins to hunt them down. There is an American Horror film titled “Self Storage” set to release later this year as well starring Eric Roberts from “The Dark Knight,” Heroes, and The Young and The Restless. (You may have noticed that all of the movies are horror movies… I guess storage facilities can be a big creepy). I think you get the point.

The industry has changed as it has grown as facilities are becoming larger and larger, the features continue to improve, and the services continue to adapt.

Who knows what the future holds!

We have enjoyed doing the drawings and giveaways for you and are going to continue to do so as long as you stay engaged. We are going to go about the drawing for this month just a little bit differently though. This month we here at the Mobile Attic Portable Storage are going to be giving away these 3 Starbucks Cards!

- Currently have $5 on them

- You can add money to the card online or at Starbucks stores

-They will get you a free drink on your Birthday

- If you register them at Starbucks.com/card you will get great rewards all year long

Here’s how YOU can be a winner!

1. Obviously you must “like” the Mobile Attic on Facebook. (Do so here)

2. We want to reward our most active followers so you gain entries for your likes, comments, and shares.

• 1 entry for a like
• 2 entries for a comment
• 3 entries for a share

And that’s it!

You can gain up to 3 entries per post. For example if you share the post that got you here, like the post, & comment on it you will only get 3 entries. That way you don’t need to share, like, and comment on every post to keep up. (It also makes my life easier lol).

So let’s get this started shall we?

1. Use boxes that are uniform in size. Though it may sound OCD at first, you’ll thank me later…especially when you begin stacking boxes in your storage unit.  Uniform boxes make it easy to stack.  Easy stacking means you can stack high.  Stacking high means you can utilize every bit of space in your storage unit.  See, it’s not that OCD
   

   Look what happens when they aren't uniform

2. Blaze a trail!.. or perhaps a small path.  Leave a little bit of room between your rows of boxes and your furniture so you can make it to the back of your storage unit.  Murphy’s law says that you will unexpectedly need something out of the first box you placed in your storage unit at some later time.  Having a trail to get to that box will keep you from having to unpack and repack your storage unit when that time comes.
   

   These people know what I mean when I talk about trail blazing with boxes.

3. Fill ‘er up…boxes that is. If you’re going to stack high and save space, you need to make sure your boxes have the structural integrity to handle the weight of being stacked.  Best way to do that is to pack your boxes to the top even if it’s with excess padding like newsprint.  How’s that for a “packing boxes architecture lesson”?
   

   I do not endorse the use of children as box padding.

4. Don’t forget the rust protector? That’s right.  Metal can rust.  More than likely you’re putting things like lawn mowers or file cabinets in your storage unit.  Spray them down with a can of rust protector.  Don’t have rust protector handy?  A wipe down with an oily rag will do.
   

   Rust protector. Magician named Rusty. Kid rusty on his magic skills. Punny...(insert another groan)

5. Think about security. Just because the facility said they have 100 cameras that are motion activitated, infrared, face recognition, with “see through your soul” technology, doesn’t mean you can throw caution to the wind.  PRO TIP:  Put your most valuable items all the way in the back of your storage unit.  Make anyone who is daring enough to break into your unit work hard for anything valuable.  Oh yeah, while you’re at it, spend more than $5.00 on a lock.  Get one of those big, thick, round ones.  You won’t regret the extra $ to ensure your belongings safety.
   

   Look how happy he is for spending more than $5 on a lock!

6. Think air circulation.  Believe it or not, storage in Columbia SC can get humid.  A typical day’s flux in temperature can cause condensation to build on the walls.  Leave a small barrier between your belongings and the walls to allow air to circulate within your storage unit.  This is one of the best ways to keep your belongings from getting musty and mildew-y while in storage.

Make your storage in Columbia SC experience a successful one.  Like most things in life, a little planning goes a long way.  We know storage Columbia SC can get hot and humid.  As such, we build a better storage unit to protect your belongings from the Columbia climate.  Check out what makes us different for a little more info about our storage units.

1. We’ve been in business for about the same amount of time.  You need to know the company you do business with is going to be around to complete the service purchased.  Mobile Attic as a corporate entity started about the same time as PODS and Mobile Attic of Columbia opened 8 years ago, the same year as PODS of Columbia SC.
2. We have a better storage unit.  Before you roll your eyes and say, “He gets paid to say that”, look below and see for yourself.  We do 2 things differently:
1. We don’t use any wood in our storage units. Wood absorbes moisture and creates a more humid environment. Humidity posses the greatest threat to furniture…more so than temperature!. Not using wood in our Mobile Attic storage units keeps our storage units less humid in our “Famously Hot” Columbia climate.
2. We don’t use translucent plastic tops. PODS translucent plastic tops allow sunlight into your storage unit which will make for a hotter environment. Allowing UV rays into your storage unit will also bleach colors in your furniture and other exposed items over time. We have solved this problem by using a reflective aluminum top. The aluminum reflects and disperses heat which makes for a cooler environment for your belongings.
   

   PODS Columbia SC Storage Unit

   

   Mobile Attic Columbia SC Storage Unit

3. You ALWAYS talk to someone local.  Unlike PODS in Columbia SC, when you call us, you won’t ever be routed to a call center.  You will always to speak to someone who knows your local area as well as your specific circumstances.
4. We have a lowest price guarantee.  We offer a superior product at a great price.  However, if you ever find that we are more than PODS in Columbia SC, we promise to beat their price by 5%.  If you don’t use our services, I don’t ever want it to be because of price.  Tell us you have been quoted less and we’ll make sure that we are the best deal for you!

If you’d like to see how we compare, fill out the form to the right and we will email you some prices and info.  We understand it’s a big deal when you give someone your email address.  We hate spam as much as you do.  We promise to be respectful of your information.

You can also call us and get an instant quote over the phone at (877) 423-2055.  That’s one of those toll free numbers that tracks calls from our website.  It comes straight to our office in NE Columbia SC.  If you’d prefer to dial locally, our number is 803-553-1663.

For more information about how we stack up against PODS Columbia SC, check out this PODS comparison chart we put together.

You can also see how we compare to PODS Columbia SC by checking out these frequently asked questions.

However, I thought the suggestion was brilliant.  The folks at www.movingscam.com say that nearly all victims who contacted movingscams.com found their moving company online.  I must say, I don’t agree with throwing the baby out with bathwater, but do think you need to take everything you read on the internet with a grain of salt.  In today’s world, it doesn’t take much to put up a website that looks official, fabricate some reviews, and answer the phone sounding official.

With that said, pick up the phone and call a few real estate offices in your area.  Ask for the top 3 moving companies in Columbia SC that they prefer to work with.  I advise trying to find a company that has been at it for more than 10 years.  Find out where their office is located at and verify that it is indeed their place of operation.

Movingscams.com recommended having each moving company give you an in home estimate.  I never thought about leaving each estimate in the open for the other moving companies to see when they come to your home.  Take the time to discuss differences in quotes so you can understand the range of services each moving company intends to provide.

Following some of these simple tips will save you from some challenging pitfalls that have plagued the moving industry.

We have worked with several moving companies in Columbia SC.  Give us a call and we can share a few recommendations.  FYI: We don’t make any money off of the companies that load our Mobile Attics.

Moving in Charleston, SC? We’ll have another tip in the next blog post!

Moving in Charleston, SC? Staty tuned for ANOTHER way a Magic Eraser can help you get ready for your move!

Moving in Charleston, SC? Stay tuned for our next post when we explain yet another way that a Magic Eraser can get you ready to move!

1. Wall Scuffs – a Magic Eraser can remove these marks, sparing you the time and expense of re-painting! Be careful, though. Do not rub the wall TOO hard or you can discolor the underlying paint.

If you are a Charleston mover, home-buyer, seller, or moving out of an apartment in Charleston, SC, we will post 6 more ways that a Magic Eraser can help you spruce up in subsequent blog posts. Stay tuned!

1) Are they licensed, bonded, and insured. This goes without saying. Make sure you discuss upfront the EXACT process that takes place when an item is found to be broken by the hand of their employees.

2) Do they care? – It’s a shame I have to ask this. Big, strong guys doesn’t mean anything when they don’t care. Not caring ends up being expensive to you. It results in nicks and scratches to your furniture, floors, and walls. It results in things being damaged while being transported due to poor packing. It results in slow moving workers that ride the clock, text and talk on their cell phones, and stop for smoke breaks on your precious dime.
How do you know if someone cares? Ask people who have used them. If you are calling movers out of a phone book, ask them for references. My personal preference would be to leave the phonebook alone and get a referral from someone in your community that has recently moved. Network at church, work, with friends, and neighbors. Find out who they used and how it went.

Also, the mover that sells you the service is usually not the guy who will load your portable storage unit. So, how do you ensure that the hired help will work as hard as promised? Cold hard cash. This is an invaluable tip passed along to me by a friend. It is standard to tip your movers. Use this as a means to motivate before the move starts. Have a little pep talk with them when they arrive. Make sure they know that TIPS stands for “To Insure Proper Service”. It is not an entitlement. Tell them how much you are willing to tip them. Then tell them what you require for them to get their tip. It may be that you expect the job could be done in six hours. If they don’t exceed 6 hrs. and get everything loaded in one piece without damage to house or property, they win! Maybe you throw in a bonus if they get done sooner. You get the picture. Appeal to the money motivated side of individuals and you may be surprised if they “care” a little bit more.

3) Are they honest? – I am sad to say that on more than one occasion I have had movers steal from our clients. Once this happens, they don’t ever get recommended again. This is a risk that is taken any time you allow people you don’t know into your home. You have to dig a bit to verify honesty. Again, interview past customers. Second, ask the company about their hiring process. How do they determine who makes it onto their team? Do they require background checks? How about drug tests? What other criteria do they use when hiring to ensure that you and your belongings stay safe? Third, get online and search for “movers name reviews”. Search google for the companies name + address to see reviews on their “Google Places Page”. Check yelp, kudzu, Angie’s list, service magic, yellowpages.com…anywhere someone can leave a review.

4) Get everything in writing. I know this isn’t a question, but I cannot stress it enough. We recently helped a gentleman out who received a price from a moving company. The price was not bonded (it was only an estimate, not a fixed amount). Our customer thought it was. He never got the agreement in writing. The job ended up being $3,000.00 more than was quoted (it was a big job!). The disagreement turned into a “he said, she said” argument. Because nothing was in writing, the moving company held their customer’s belongings hostage as leverage to get the money they felt was owed. It was a mess. Don’t end up in a situation like that. Get it in writing!

One final thought. I have yet to see a move go perfect. When moving, you need to know something will go wrong. Not all of your items will make it to your new home in their present condition. You’re also dealing with humans. To be human is to make mistakes. The measure of a good moving company is not how perfect they tend to be, but rather how well they handle their mistakes. Do they own up to problems and respond with integrity? The best moving companies I have worked with have put the customer first at cost to themselves. Surprise, surprise, these also seem to be the ones that stay in business the longest.

The people at moving guardian have created a list of helpful tips you can easily implement that will help reduce the stress of prepping for movers Columbia SC.  Helpful tips like color coordinating or labeling boxes to help you find where your things are. Preparing a floor plan of your new home can help you prevent not having enough room at your new house. This site even shares some creative ways to save some money that could be as simple as choosing “when” you decide to move.  See the whole list of 20 Moving Tips You REALLY Need To Know to prep for movers Columbia SC!

Here are 7 reasons why:

1. A PRE- inspection can identify any potential problems with the  house EARLY. This allows the seller to seek multiple bids to fix the problems, rather than rushing to fix everything just days before a closing. The seller can get a better deal this way, saving REAL MONEY.
2. A potential buyer may opt to rely on the seller’s inspection and decline to have it inspected themselves. This can dramatically speed up a closing date.
3. Negotiations between buyers and sellers are streamlined with a PRE inspection. There are fewer issues on the table with an inspection “in hand”.
4. Buyers have more confidence when looking at a house that has already been inspected. More confidence means  MORE OFFERS!
5. The report generated by a PRE- inspection can contain many more positive elements than a typical, bland  inspection report. In effect, the report becomes an additional marketing tool, highlighting the unique features of the house.
6. If there are issues found in a PRE-inspection, the seller can have repair quotes from reliable contractors printed out and ready, even stapling the quotes to the PRE- inspection report. This will mitigate any attempts by buyers to “lowball” excessively based on the condition of the house.
7. Some home inspectors will use the PRE- inspection as a foundation to issue a 120-day home warranty FREE to the new home buyer.  This is a POWERFUL tool to help get the house to a closing date quickly!

Traditionally, it was the home-buyer that initiated a home inspection prior to closing. In the current market, home-sellers look for ANY advantage to sell the house at the best price possible. A home PRE- inspection, completed even before the house is listed, can be a powerful tool in closing the deal!

(Thanks to Jeff Donaldson at Ace Preferred Home Inspections! Visit them at http://www.acepreferredinspections.com/)

©2012 The Mobile Attic. All rights reserved

1. Will I ever wear that item again? – Not just “will I wear it again?” but “Should I wear it again?” Let’s be real, those multi-colored parachute pants are not coming back in style and if they are, you’re not the one to champion the cause.

2. Can I see continual use out of this item? – Just like my backpacking pack, we all have items that represent who we want to be but don’t represent who we actually are. If you haven’t used it in the last 5 years you’re probably not going to use it again. Get rid of it.

4. Is this broken item really worth holding on to?

5. How much does this item mean to me? Is any sentimental value attached to this item? Will grandma know if I got rid of this sweater she bought me 2 Christmas’ ago?

6. When was the last time this item was even put to use? Is this a seasonal item? Can this be used for that holiday again?

As sentimental as I get with my belongings, I have found my attachments to begin to wane in light of the answers these questions bring.  Don’t make putting your stuff in a storage unit in Columbia SC complicated.  Take the extra time to think through the purpose of your items so that you only pay to store items that are worth it!

Learn more about Mobile Attics Storage Units Columbia SC.

Reserve Storage Units Columbia SC

We   contacted a Charleston, SC staging expert, Cynthia Pulsifer with “A Charleston   House” Home Staging and Interior Redesign (www.acharlestonhouse.com ). Cynthia   told us that there staged homes typically SELL FASTER and for MORE   MONEY!  Cynthia told us about a client she worked with   in the Mt Pleasant, SC area.  This client took the necessary steps   to spruce up the landscaping, paint the walls the right colors, and de-clutter   (Three Basics of Home-Staging),  BEFORE putting it on the real estate   market. The house sold in 2 weeks!…IN A DOWN MARKET!

We   asked Cynthia to elaborate a bit, and to tell us some specifics of the right   way to stage a home. “Some of the things we ask clients to do are:    First, remove most of your personal items. Buyers need to envision their   own things in your house. Pictures of your family and friends can be a   distraction to them seeing the home as potentially theirs. Also, paint the   walls in neutral colors, tans & taupes are good but painting the walls   off-white is boring!”.  Cynthia also explained , “One of the   most important things to do with any given room is to envision the room as the   buyer sees it”.  She went on,  “ask yourself : if you   are the buyer, what bothers you about this room?   Things like hairs   in the bathtub and an unclean kitchen can cause buyers to think twice about   your home.”

One   of our favorite tips from Cynthia concerns household odors. She told us, “have   a friend come by your house. Have them walk through and smell the house.   Sometimes there can be odors in your house that you have gotten used to…and   sometimes an honest friend may be able to pick up the scent , and you can take   the necessary steps to try to remove the odors”.

Concerning pets, Cynthia told us “if possible, take them out of the   house while showing it.  They make buyers uncomfortable, especially   dogs”.

On   the subject of cleanliness, Cynthia could not be more emphatic. She said, “the   house must be spotless before it is shown”.

Looking to stage your house before your next move in Charleston,   SC?  Give Cynthia at “A Charleston House” a visit at her website   (www.acharlestonhouse.com ). Looking for mover’s, moving companies or services in Charleston SC?   Visit us at http://mobileattic.net.

MY BONUS   TIP:

Here’s a great cleaning tip to get   all the hairs out of the bathroom. Turn out the lights and shine a flashlight   along the surfaces in the bathroom. Hairs will instantly become visible, and   can be removed!