Your new home is everything you dreamed of – perfect location, lovely architecture and plenty of space for the family to thrive. But there's one big problem -- it's not going to be available to move into right away. And your real estate agent insists she must get your current house on the market right away to ensure it sells quickly and profitably. Now you've got a challenge! How are you going to manage staging one house so it's attractive to prospective buyers when the new house isn't ready to live in yet? Although it might seem there's a lot of juggling and worry in your near future, now isn't the time to panic. Instead, make a detailed plan for staging, and turn to your local moving and storage company for experienced, time-tested solutions.

Planning What Goes and What Stays for House Staging

The purpose of staging your home is for prospective buyers to imagine their own family living in the space. You want to show off the home's architectural features and dimensions. What they see should give hints of how comfortable and convenient the whole place will be when they move in. Each room should be empty enough that prospects can envision how they would furnish the space themselves, yet a few carefully positioned pieces of furniture can give the living spaces an inviting sense of warmth and livability. Everything else must go, and for that you'll need a plan for each room.

• Select only one comfortable chair or small couch, an end table, a painting for the wall and a lamp to remain in each room. When all the other furnishings are removed, use these items to create a cozy scene, illuminated by lamp light, in one of the room's far corners. This arrangement allows a full view of each room's space, while the little scene you've staged adds an element of emotional appeal.
• Mark the furnishings you'll keep in the house by tying a big bow on them with flagging tape or colorful yarn. Neither of these has adhesive, so they won't leave marks on your valuable furniture. And they can't be missed when the movers are taking away all the other furniture and boxes.
• Tuck a few vases and ornamental pieces away in a kitchen cupboard. Just before open houses and scheduled showings, you'll be able to add an extra personal touch to the staged scenes with fresh flowers, a couple coffee table books and plump, colorful throw pillows.

NOTE: It's easiest to stage a home if you and your family live elsewhere temporarily. But if you can't stay with family or friends, or move into a short-stay hotel suite until the new house is ready, modify your staging plan so that only the most essential pieces of furniture are in the house. You'll also need to organize your schedule so there's time for a thorough cleaning before each house showing.

Coordinating With the Moving Company

Connect with several local moving and storage companies to get pricing estimates. Because you are waiting for your new home to be ready before the move can be completed, you'll need to work with a company that offers storage-in-transit (SIT) services. There may be fees for storing the furniture and household goods, so make sure you get a clear explanation of the terms and conditions before you select this option. To reduce the stress of the move even further, consider additional services the company can provide such as:

• packing and unpacking
• disassembly and reassembly of large furniture items
• special handling for pianos, antiques and heirlooms

Along with your real estate agent and your moving company staff, don't forget to include family and friends in you support team. Together they'll help you make the transition into the home of your dreams. For more information, contact a company like Allen's Transfer.