Snake Plant

When we were selling our home in Northern VA our realtor had a stager come to our home. I asked what he thought the stager would be changing. He told me probably remove my sofa table. I found that odd. But I listened to his few suggestions and then he added, "well what do I know. She is an expert and she will walk you through it all and she will have  your home ready to sell." 

The stager set up an appointment and came to our home. The first thing she said was what a gorgeous home we had.  Yes, that was very nice and I figured she says that to everyone selling their homes. I'm not a fool.  I did not take this as a compliment to me as much as my builder, who actually won an award for the design of this home. She was just blowing smoke up my butt. I knew what she was doing but I wasn't paying her the realtor was paying her, so she didn't have to do this. 

As we walked every room and all 3 floors she told me there was nothing she would change. She asked if I was going to leave a picture that hung over my credenza in my office and I said no, it's going with me. She asked if she could buy it. I laughed and said, "no I like it a lot" (now I wish I had sold it, no room for it here)

As we stood around my kitchen island she said, "so I can say I did something, how about we make a vignette on the island. She grabbed my big butcher block cutting board, put a dish towel across it on the diagonal, and put a cookbook in a cookbook holder on the cutting board with a beautiful bottle of oil I had on the counter. 

She stepped back and admired her work and said, "that is all we need to do, your  home is just fine the way it is" 

At this point I am thinking, you are being paid for this crap? I want this job and get paid for nothing when a client has it done already.

Then she asked if I wanted a job. Did I just say that out loud?

I said I would LOVE to stage but I'm moving out of state. She again told me my home was very nice and I should do this for a living if I liked the idea. Hmm....I discuss with her that I have no degree in design. She asked who did my home. I said me. She said you know what you need to take away to sell. You know what to leave. Ah, but this is how I live, I did not stage my home for you. 

When I was flipping I did it all day every day because I loved it. 

I did not stage my home. So that ruins your theory. She said she would hire me on the spot to assist her. Boy, I loved that idea. I love design, and I read and watch this stuff ad nauseam, at least that is Rick's comment.

So that got me thinking. How about a job being a stager? Now that I am feeling better and getting out and about I have looked at part-time jobs with stagers. 

The money would be nice and I could get of the house.

I've called a few. Most of them here have 1 or 2 people doing this in a firm. Basically, they are all only the owner and 1 employee. I have not found a big company like the one that came to my house up north. I contacted my realtor and discussed it with him. He referred me to someone. I called but she has 1 employee and no need for another. One told me they were thinking of bringing on an intern but hadn't decided. I am assuming an intern does not get paid. 

So it's all small potatoes here. But since the market is changing stagers are used more, so it could change. I just thought maybe doing something I love like design/color/textiles etc. would be fun. It was a nice try. 

Sunday Rick and I hopped in the car and went to this place that shall remain nameless now. It's a plant store with a bar inside. The adverts were so misleading. It showed a two-story store filled with plants (house plants) and a place to buy and pot your own if you pick out a pot in one of their rooms filled with beautiful ornate planters to plain planters. 

We arrived at a full parking lot. We get inside and there is nothing much. A very minimal amount of houseplants. Lots of succulents. It was not overflowing with greenery.  

I wanted a snake plant. It doesn't require a lot of light and this house has no light so I thought that would be perfect. The small ones were $65.00. 

Their size was not much larger than a clipping.

I assumed this size to be $30 at the very top of the range due to its small size.  

The one Rick grabbed, which was the size I originally wanted, was over $150.  

No, this was too rich for my blood. I am not paying $150 for a snake plant. 

The shelves were not bare but sparse. We walked upstairs to the pottery room, plant food, some tables, and the bar. It was laid out nicely but the whole vibe was weird.

We saw the glass of wine the bartender poured for the patron and it was a sip. The cost was $20. We did not drink either. It just wasn't a comfortable place I can't explain it. I didn't want to sit here besides I can drink a whole bottle of wine at home for the same price. 

Normally when I go to a plant store or nursery, the folks are chill, bohemian-like, or hippie-like. They can't wait to talk about their plants. This was like a hedge fund guy running this. It was so not all back-to-nature type feel. 

It was incredibly odd and not welcoming. In fact, Rick said it was cold and he could never imagine a place filled with plants feeling cold but this did the trick.

He was on to something.

We walked the entire place and even attempted to ask a couple of questions, but no one was helpful and then we left. So we can cross this off our lists of things we wanted to see.  

Come March the plants will be brought back into the farmers market and I will go buy my plants from The Raleigh Farmers Market.

They are healthier looking, and far less expensive and that place brings me joy, joy, joy. I don't need a $20 sip of wine with my teeny tiny $65 snake plant.