We get so used to our homes. I am so comfortable here. We know every nook and cranny. Also each flaw, and anomaly. Like when " we" decided to put our house up for sale . I just thought it was a lot of trouble to go through. Sometimes it's easier to just stay where you are. If we put this house up for sale, then there is going to be a lot of work to do. Work is not my thing. Easy is more my style.. Then there are the "lookers: Will there be minions of people marching through my house? Will they turn up their noses, and leave. looking for a nicer house, a better deal, or did they even intend to buy in the first place?
" Will they even want this place" ? I thought . My husband, however, thinks this place is pretty neat, but a house on the lake would be neater. So he launched a campain to get me interested in selling our house. he also decided we didn't have to pay a real estate agent for what we could do ourselves So I let him talk me into selling it ourselves. I must admit, it is a scary undertaking. He however, has his usual confidence, and it's contagious. Of course I've been saying for years we need new carpeting, and after the unfortunate " incident", with Fluffy, we really need it now. So O. K. then .
I wanted to paint the walls an aqua blue, to go along with my furniture, and drapes, he wants red. Thank god my next door neighbor dropped in as we were headed to the hardware store. Yes! I thought. Here will be the voice of reason. Surely she will know blue beats red any day. She decided to go with us as my moral support, and I thought, someone on my side, who bought into the blue scheme thing. Turns out she was somewhat of a traitor. O.k., so she knows a little about decorating, but blue is good. right?
Turns out, I learned after much discussion, people have to be able to relate to your house. To be able to see themselves living there. What if they don't have blue furniture? " Maybe they will like red" my husband said hopefully. And personal items. You have to put them away. Out of view. Turns out the family pictures and the many years of mothers day knick knacks, make it my house, not theirs.
I have to make them think it could be their house, picture themselves there . Alright, what do I know? We went with the neutral color scheme, light beige carpets, off white walls. We hid the knick knacks, and most of the photos. Put a few, well placed scarfs, and plants. Lighting was important. We got a few lamps and I must admit it didn't cost anywhere near what I thought.
It wasn't as much work as I thought it would be either. I also went through the kitchen. Put away all the cook books and mountains of coupons. An area rug under the table. We left out only a few appliances. A hanging plant, in the window, and it was beautiful. We had our nephew mow the lawn, and trim the shrubs, and it was ready. It made me remember, why we bought the house in the first place. We sold our dear house a few days later, and they were so glad to get it. "Couldn't you just picture our furniture here" the wife said. " I sure can "said the husband," I sure can."
