I've always loved the warmth and character of old homes with their high ceilings, wide moldings and tall windows so was thrilled when I had the opportunity to stage this beauty (click on the first photo for a slideshow).

As a professional organizer in the Gig Harbor, Washington area, I see many homes with piles of shoes, coats, backpacks and more cluttering the entrances of homes of all sizes. Many homes in this area have no dedicated mudroom or organizational system for storing the many items needed on a regular basis that flow in and out of the home. Here I've gathered some ideas from Houzz to get you started thinking about ways you can improve your entry organization and create a more functional and welcoming space for you and your guests.

Looking for some easy ways to add the warmth of fall to your home? Here are a few ideas I found on Houzz to help you get started. 

We're proud to be featured in Thumbtack's Spotlight Interview and as their Most Popular Seattle Staging Company! You can read our interview below or click on the link at the bottom of the page to see it and our listing on Thumbtack. Thank You Thumbtack!

Recently, I had the pleasure of staging this lovely condo in Lakewood. I so enjoyed the time spent there, even though I was busy working. The weather was very warm but the breeze flowing through the open glass doors felt wonderful and the soft rippling sounds of the creek were so peaceful and relaxing...

Click on the first photo for a slideshow. 

Have you tried all kinds of furniture arrangements in your long but narrow room and just can’t seem to find one that feels right? The owners of this Tacoma, Washington home had tried everything they could think of to make their living room feel comfortable and inviting. Nothing seemed to work so they had pretty much given up on the space and it sat empty of furniture until they decided to put the home on the market.

Newly staged and move-in ready for your family- this great home is just steps away from gorgeous Point Defiance Park in a lovely, quiet neighborhood. You should see the views of the Sound and Mt Rainier on a sunny day from the big deck off of the breakfast area! With it's large windows, the inside is always light and bright (even on cloudy days).

Click on first photo for slideshow.

Trying to attract a new tenant for your rental home? Try staging it! This home has was lightly staged using vignette scenes and advertised on Craig's List with beautiful photos of the staged rooms that caught the attention of many online viewers looking for a home to rent. The result- a great new tenant and happy homeowner!

Spaces Streamlined recently staged these two beautiful, newly built homes in Tacoma. With quick and easy access to I-5, this location is great for commuters.

On this beautiful Spring day, I happened across this photo show from Houzz of natural gardens. Living in the northwest, I am constantly inspired by the awesome natural beauty around me! Driving almost anywhere in my area there are fantastic views of mountains, the sound and tall green firs.

Believe in Home Staging - it sets your house apart from your competition. Buyers are sure to be attracted to beautifully presented homes that look inviting and move-in ready. Click on the photo below to view photos of this home staged by Spaces Streamlined that sold just five days after being listed.

Newly staged and listed, this home is just an easy five minute drive from highway 16 in a beautiful wooded setting. With twenty one hundred square feet, 4 bedrooms, slate fireplace and granite counters, this spacious home is gorgeous! Just $278,000. Check out the links below for more information.

Update- Offer accepted and pending inspection twelve days after being staged and listed- staging works! Watch the video below and see these rooms vacant of color, furniture and personality transformed by home staging. Nine out of ten buyers choose which homes to go look at after sifting through hundreds of photos online first- vacant rooms soon begin to all look the same. Having photos of staged rooms will differentiate your home from the masses- staging is key! 

Has your messy and care-free teen suddenly morphed into a thoughtful and looking-to- the-future young woman? This is the story of one young lady's bedroom make-over journey from teenage turmoil into a more calm, sophisticated look and lifestyle.

We recently had the pleasure of staging this wonderful 2600 square foot view home on Newberry Hill in Silverdale, Wa. Click on the photo below to see a photo show and flyer. Listing info

When trying to sell an unoccupied home it's critical to dfferentiate your home from other vacant homes on the market. Over 90% of potential buyers search online first to find the homes they will actually go look at. Photos of empty rooms quickly begin to all look the same in your buyers' eyes, so having beautifully staged rooms will be sure to capture their attention and interest.

Spaces Streamlined staged this beautiful rambler on a quiet lane in Allyn, Washington's Lakeland Village Community. By filling the rooms with a beautiful mix of contemporary furnishings and accessories, we created a vision for how potential buyers could enjoy living in this wonderful property- stepping inside the entry foyer, they'll instantly feel at home! They can imagine relaxing in front of the fire, entertaining in the lovely dining space and having fun cooking in a large and inviting kitchen while visiting with family and friends. The adjoining den/ sitting room with patio doors opening onto a covered deck has been staged with just a few pieces of colorful and comfortable furniture to highlight the warm and cozy atmosphere. A spacious and romantic master bedroom suite is sure to delight. By staging to create friendly and memorable impressions in a buyer's mind, we've ensured this home will be a standout among the many homes on the market in this community.

People often ask me if my house is perfectly organized and my answer is no, of course not. I deal with all of the same challenges as everyone else (not enough space, not enough time, too much stuff!). But I find having an organized home makes life so much easier so it is a priority for me to come up with solutions to make my home and its’ limitations work for me. A good example is my master bedroom closet. It is a very small walk-in I share with my husband that holds ALL of our clothing (everything but our coats and everyday shoes that we keep in the coat closet near the front door). We removed the dresser in our bedroom space in order to make room for a sitting area (my refuge when our daughter has a bunch of teenage friends over!) so we added some drawers to the existing shelves to hold socks, underwear, t-shirts, etc that used to be stored in the dresser. Needless to say, this small closet has to be super organized in order to hold everything. Here are some of my strategies for dealing with this limited space:

Being a professional organizer, my home is usually pretty neat and well organized but like anyone, when life gets busy I tend to let some things slide. Before I know it, I find certain areas of my home (usually closets, cupboards, drawers- places visitors don't usually see) have become somewhat cluttered. Having a family and a business to run, it's easy to put off dealing with them.

By Mary Fasnacht

Would you love to create an oasis of calm apart from the busy everyday happenings in your home? Put two simple rules to work in your bedroom to begin and end each day in a restful and peaceful-feeling space.

When you are marketing your home to sell don't neglect to stage your outdoor spaces. Creating a backyard sanctuary is one of the smartest things you can do to make your home stand out from the crowd.

When people ask me what I do, I’m surprised when they often ask “What is home staging?”

As an avid watcher of all of the TV home improvement shows it seems as if home staging should be a common term but I’ve found that to many people it’s a novel concept. So for those new to the idea, here is a little information about this valuable service.