Staging a home before buyers come through is an important topic for the real estate professional and seller to discuss. Implementing some of the items on the list may take time and be some expense, but ultimately can make an enormous difference in the price and timing of the sale of your home.

Purging the home of clutter is probably one of the most difficult and demanding tasks.For many sellers, the best option is to rent a storage unit so there is a place to put those personal items you want to keep, but that are not appropriate to a home on the market.

When you are doing your 1^st  walkthrough your home, consider personal décor to be removed such as photos, overloaded book shelves, overfilled linen closets, coat closets, and drawers. Your collections may be treasures to you, but they are a distraction to buyers. Knicknacks, newpapers, magazine stacks, and unfinished projects all need to be boxed up and taken to storage.

Open the drapes and blinds. Sunshine is the world's best decorator and nothing is more depressing than walking into a home where shades, curtains and drapes are closed.

Wash the windows - inside and out and be sure you keep them clean for every showing.

Clean up the yard. You've heard of curb appeal? How about unseen from the curb? Cut out  overgrown shrubs, particularly those that obscure windows or make it difficult to get to the front door.  Put in fresh new plants and mow the grass. Rake or pick up downed leaves and branches. Buy a new umbrella and chair covers to freshen the outside dining area. Replace a worn out barbecue..  If season and funds permit, put down some colorful annuals or put a few nicely planted containers on or near the front porch

Clean your kitchen and bathrooms. Scrub like crazy, particularly the kitchen and bath(s). The kitchen may be old but it can still sparkle. Clean the stovetop with a good degreaser and all countertops with whatever it takes to remove stains and discoloration. Wash the front of all cupboards and appliances and keep the floor swept and scrubbed for the life of the listing. De-clutter here too, especially the refrigerator door. If you haven’t taken those refrigerator magnets, photos and kids school art work down, now is the time to do it. Ditch countertop appliances, canisters, etc and keep cupboard doors and drawers closed if your hand is not actually in them.

It is critical that the bathrooms sparkle.  Old bathrooms can be charming, and if you are lucky you may need little more than fresh flowers.  If not, consider remodeling, or at least replacing some of the less expensive items such as toilets, faucets, showercurtains, and rugs. Put out your best towels and, if you have young children, please enforce the flush rule. Clean bathrooms are a must.

The next few items may cost a few dollars, but the return is much greater.  Do as much as your budget allows.

• Refinish hardwood floors. These are a major selling point when selling your home and sometimes a home's most compelling feature. Often they don't need complete refinishing, just to be roughed up and polyurethaned to obtain a great shine.
• Paint Your Home. Nuetral is the main color key for selling a home, it may pay you to hire a professional to tone down some of the more dramatic color rooms. Many people love dark red dining rooms, but none of them may be looking at your house.
• Buy, borrow or rent what you need. If your furniture shows the effect of kids think about storing or getting rid of your existing furniture and finding more attractive items.  A rocker, table lamp, and a few books in an otherwise bare room gives it the feel of a cozy study. There are companies that will rent a roomful or a houseful of furniture on short term contracts.

Next post we will talk about the staging for the client showing.