It’s hard to be a nomad when you have to clean house every day. Why so clean? Here’s why —
I’ve been downsizing for a long time now, but the last several weeks have put frantic full-time-focus on getting ready to sell. Finally getting a chance to get back to the blogging world is a good sign. I’m hoping my state of transience comes soon.
Staging is the rage for real estate marketing. Now, every morning I get up and set about obliterating all traces of my habitation. I polish the tub, shower, and sinks, sweep the hardwood floors, tidy up my workstation and put away all papers I had out the night before. Did I drink some coffee? Wash that cup! (or hide it in the dishwasher) Then, the very last thing — I vacuum the upstairs carpet. It’s new carpet, just installed June 5.
Here’s the thing — it tracks. I was so focused on getting a good neutral color that I didn’t even think about tracking. Now I see everywhere I’ve been. At first I cursed myself for not spending a bit more time to come up with a firmer weave carpet that wouldn’t show tracks. Then I realized, this could be an advantage. When someone looks at the house, I can see where they’ve been! Were they interested enough to look in the closets? Did they check the view out the window? Now I’m vacuum-obsessed.
Bigfoot was here…(that’s me)
My staging-advisor asked what I was reading. “Get out an interesting book or two, put them on your nightstand,” she said, “make it look more home-like.” Mind you, this is after we’d de-cluttered like mad and (under duress) I’d sold, donated, or stored away most of the books. But, I’d hidden a secret stash in my car, so I took a quick look and came up with this —
Can you see the title on the bottom book?
Here it is in close-up —
How’s this for inspiration as I do my morning vacuum and step-erasure?
Wish me luck?
P.S. The top book is Chasing the Nightbird, by friend Krista Russell
More on the Weekly Photo Challenge: Transient
Hoarder Comes Clean 