Feeling Overwhelmed? You Might Be Doing Too Much

If you’re running a home staging business and feel like you're always busy but never truly caught up, there’s a good reason: you’re probably doing too much yourself.

The problem? It’s not sustainable. And it’s definitely not scalable.

I used to think hiring help was a luxury. Now I know it’s a necessity. One of the best decisions I’ve made in my business was hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA). And while not every experience was perfect (I’ve had a few misses), finding the right VA can be a game-changer for your staging business.

Why Home Stagers Should Consider Hiring a Virtual Assistant

• Time is money. Every minute you spend doing admin or social media is a minute you’re not designing, selling, or strategizing.
• Delegating lets you stay in your zone of genius. Focus on staging and selling. Let someone else manage the background noise.
• VAs are affordable. Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork make it easy to find skilled professionals at a price that fits your budget.

Tasks You Can (and Should) Delegate to a Virtual Assistant

You don’t need to hand over your entire business. Start small by outsourcing these high-impact, time-consuming tasks.

Marketing & Social Media

• Scheduling posts across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn
• Creating reels, stories, and carousel posts (using Canva or templates you provide)
• Engaging with followers by replying to DMs and comments
• Repurposing blog content into captions or social posts
• Researching trending hashtags and industry content

Content Creation & Blogging

• Uploading and formatting blog posts (I trained my VA to do this with Loom)

• Finding royalty-free images or creating graphics for blog headers

• Basic SEO formatting (meta descriptions, internal linking)

• Drafting simple blog outlines based on your voice and topics

Admin & Client Support

• Responding to client inquiries with pre-written scripts or templates you create or they help you create

• Following up with staging leads and reminding clients of next steps

• Scheduling consultations and sending calendar invites

• Researching vendors, wholesale options, cleaning companies or local movers

Operations & Organization

• Creating checklists, SOPs, or client intake forms

• Managing email inbox and flagging priority messages

• Organizing your Dropbox, Drive, or inventory photos on Stageforce

• Helping build marketing assets (presentations, lookbooks, one-sheets)

My Experience with Virtual Assistants (The Good, The Bad & The Lessons)

Not every VA is going to be a great fit — and that’s OK.

I’ve had some hires that didn’t work out. One agency I worked with kept switching my VAs. Sometimes I didn’t give enough direction. Either way, I learned to treat the hiring process like dating: try one project and see if it works before going all in.

Then I found Mary on Upwork.

How I Trained My VA (Mary)

Mary helps me manage my social media and uploads my blog posts. I trained her using Loom videos, walking through each process step-by-step. Now, she works almost independently — and that’s the goal. A little upfront training goes a long way. She's super (and no, I'm not sharing, so don't ask!). She gets access to my accounts via a password manager. She never sees the actual passwords.

How to Choose the Right VA (and Set Them Up for Success)

Where to Find VAs

• Fiverr.com – Great for task-based work like social media graphics or blog formatting

• Upwork.com – Better for long-term or ongoing VA relationships

What to Look For

• Strong communication skills, proper English, punctuation and grammar

• A portfolio or work samples (especially for design or writing tasks)

• Positive reviews and testimonials

• Familiarity with tools you already use (Google Drive, Calendar, Canva, Slack, Loom, etc.)

• Responds promptly (keep in mind time zones may affect response times)

Tips for Onboarding and Supervision

• Use Loom to create short screen-recorded tutorials

• Start small – give them a test project before diving in

• Set clear expectations – deadlines, tone of voice, brand standards

• Check in regularly at first, then give space once trust is built

• Use project management tools like Trello, Asana, or Google Sheets to track tasks

How Much Supervision Do VAs Really Need?

It depends. A well-trained VA who understands your business can work almost autonomously. In the beginning, you’ll spend more time explaining. But if you invest that time up front, it pays off in the long run.

Think of it as buying your time back.

Final Thoughts: Your Time Is Too Valuable to Waste

Running a home staging business isn’t easy — and wearing all the hats will eventually burn you out or slow your growth.

Hiring a virtual assistant isn’t just for “big” businesses. It’s a smart, scalable move for any stager who wants to stay focused on the high-value work only they can do.

Start by outsourcing one thing. Just one. You’ll be shocked how much lighter your week feels.