The very first vacant staging contract my company was awarded also just happens to be the largest home we've staged to date. It won us two industry awards (unusual for a staging company's first project), and got the sellers an offer in just 4 days for $94,000 over asking ($200,000 more than any of the comps that sold the same year in the same neighborhood).
In the end, we were all thrilled (my team as well as the sellers and their Realtor), but that project also took a pretty big toll on my health, causing me to lose several days of work afterward while I recovered. It also almost cost me two movers/assistants, who threatened to quit on me by the end of their first day on the job. Why? One word: HEAT.
We spent two and half days in late summer staging that house, which was three stories and had no air conditioning whatsoever. No central AC, no mini split units.... it didn't even have ceiling fans in any of the rooms except for the breakfast nook on the bottom floor, where it was least needed. I required emergency medical care by the end of day three, and spent another three days on bed rest. In addition to the extreme fatigue and migraine headache the heat caused, my face broke out in a severe, ugly rash from wiping the sweat off of it so frequently with paper towels. It took days for the rash to heal, and several weeks for the redness to fade.
We were all literally dripping sweat all three days of that project. Not only does that make for a miserable crew and put all our health at risk, it puts my staging inventory at risk. For example, I don't want anyone's sweat dripping on my white upholstered furniture. Furthermore, one of the biggest issues we had was my movers inability to keep a firm grasp on the furniture while it was still covered in plastic and they were trying to unload and carry it into the house. We used four sofas for this house, and I'm pretty sure each one of them was dropped at least two or three times as the plastic they were covered in slipped through their sweaty palms and fingers.
Luckily, none of us and none of my inventory suffered any permanent damage, but I vowed to myself and to my crew that going forward I would reconsider taking on any projects in the summertime for a home that either a) isn't equipped with air conditioning; or b) is owned or managed by someone who won't allow us to use the air conditioning. Those times that I do agree to it, I still make sure we come well prepared, not just for the heat, but for other minor injuries and ailments that may arise.
Below are items we pack and take with us now. Most of these items come with us every time, but some of them only when the weather is warmer. The list includes items that help us stay cool, stay as comfortable as one can while laboring, prevent injuries, and treat minor injuries and ailments such as cuts, headaches, muscle aches, allergy symptoms, or heartburn. If you own and/or manage a staging company, and you'd like the template for this list to customize and use in your own business, I sell them in my Etsy shop here.
Cooling Aides
I'll start with the items we bring with us to keep ourselves from overheating. If I'm asked to staged a house without air conditioning and I feel the temperature will get so hot that these items won't be enough, I simply decline to take the project.
Wireless, Rechargeable Neck Fans - These are amazing! I use them on job sites and when I'm working in the warehouse. They come with USB charging cords. I purchased one for each member of my team.
Cooling Neck Towels - The neck fans can get a little noisy, so some of my team members prefer these cooling towels instead. There have been days when I've used both at the same time.
Fans - Just keeping the air circulating in the house will help a lot. I purchased two of the model shown below and bring them with us on job sites if the outdoor temperature is expected to get over 70 degrees Fahrenheit. (It didn't get above 85 degrees outside the three days that we were staging that 3-story house, but inside it felt like it was at least 100). These fans also come in handy in the warehouse on warmer days. They come with a mounting bracket if you want to keep one permanently at your warehouse, but I don't use the bracket since I bring these to job sites with us. I just set them on the floor. Don't forget to bring extension cords with you!
Water - We bring plenty of water with us no matter what the temperature will be. If you're concerned about the environment, but you still want to provide filtered water, consider bringing jugs of filtered water instead of individual bottles. Then your team members can refill their own reusable bottles or insulated cups from the jugs. If you bring distilled water, which is drinkable, you can also use it to refill the water tanks on your fabric steamers. Distilled water is recommended for steamers to avoid the build-up of mineral deposits, which will shorten the life-span of the device.
Cooler - I prefer soft-sided coolers with wheels and handles.
Ice Packs - Not only can these be used to keep water and lunches cool, they might come in handy to treat an injury.
Or, instead of a cooler with ice packs, you could bring an insulated water dispenser like the Igloo model below. Or bring both and let each crew member decide if they want to bring the own refillable container or grab a plastic bottle from the cooler, which can also be used to keep lunches cool if anyone is bringing a packed lunch from home.
Electrolyte Powder - I purchase these in single-serving packets. The watermelon flavor is my personal favorite, but you can find these powders in many other flavors. Electrolytes can help stave off the headaches that come from being overheated and dehydrated.
I have yet to purchase a portable air conditioning unit like the one below, but it is something I've considered.
If you have more suggestions for ways to keep yourself and your crew safe, cool, and comfortable while staging, let me know in the comments!