What is Home Styling?

BY SCOTT MOORE, REALTOR

Home styling is a key part of our services at The Moore Group. Before listing a home, we guide our clients through a number of steps to be sure we show the home at its best. One of the key steps is a consultation with our home stylist, Heather Bélanger.

Many people are curious about what home styling includes, so I sat down with Heather to discuss.

Scott: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your background

Heather: I am a certified professional organizer specializing in decluttering. I was trained by KonMari and I am the only person in Manitoba certified to work with the KonMari Method®. Most people know about Marie Kondo’s best selling books and Netflix series. Prior to my formal training, I studied Interior Design for several years. I am passionate about mental health and wellness, and combine all of these elements in my approach to help clients. 

On the personal side: I love to work with dog rescues, fostering and adopting animals, and I also love the outdoors - I am an avid birder.

Scott: How long have you been working with The Moore Group?

Heather: I’ve been working with the Moore Group since September 2022! It’s very fun, I love to meet new people and see the many diverse and beautiful homes.

Scott: How do you help our clients here at The Moore Group?

Heather: I do styling and decluttering consultations for clients who are preparing to sell their home. We walk through the home together and I advise on placement of furniture, how to style for photos, and provide a plan for what to prioritize as far as packing and removing excess items. I leave them with a customized checklist of tasks, based on their home and their timeline.

Believe it or not, I most often give advice on closets and pantries! People tend to use those spaces to hide clutter, which has to be faced once it's time to sell. It helps to remember: if things are falling or you can't see the floor, your closet is too full.

Scott: Do you tell people they need to buy new furniture?

Heather: If a client wants to buy new furniture for the home, I can definitely guide them on styles and materials that will work best in their space. But my game plan is to help them use the items they already have in the best possible way to make the home shine. Often that requires putting away items rather than adding new ones. The Moore Group has a lending library of artwork and decor items (throw pillows, blankets, etc) and I am happy to use those tools when we need a pop of colour or a fresh look for a room.

Scott: What other services does your business offer?

Heather: I offer specialized custom decluttering plans and coaching. My clients often feel they have too much “stuff,” and don’t know where or how to begin to go through it all. I support them through the entire journey, which can be hours or months long. A typical client is often people who are recently retired and tackling years of accumulated items, or those who have had a loved one pass on and are struggling to go through the items left behind.

I use my KonMari training to help them hone decision making skills, finding what brings them joy and what can be let go. I also teach clients how to style items in a functional and pleasing way, including space-saving folding techniques.

I think Marie became massively popular because she offers a simple solution to a very relatable problem. We all know what it's like to struggle to let something go. I decided to train with her company after seeing how adopting her mindset changed my own life.

My main services are KonMari Coaching (in-person appointment, virtual check-in, or a monthly membership), as well as Home Styling Consultation (by the hour). I am also creating online courses in order to reach more folks outside of Manitoba.

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Reach Scott at 204 995 7355.

Heather can be found via her website.