The process of staging your home for sale is very much like preparing the set of what will be an Award winning movie. You must set the scene and atmosphere with the props and lighting before you begin filming. When you have attended to the behind the scene details you can then call for Lights, Camera and Action!

A properly staged home can maximize your selling price and minimize time on the market by standing apart from the competition. Potential home buyers need to see your home as a place where they could live. Home staging facilitates this by creating a mood in which the buyer can envision living in your space by removing clutter, dirt and over-personalization. Professional home stagers live by the motto of de-clutter, de-personalize and clean, clean, clean!

Home staging taps into the proven psychology of selling. Car dealers allow you to test drive a car so that you can experience what it would be like to own and drive the car daily. Clothing manufacturers allow you try on clothes so that you can see yourself in the garments. These experiences create an emotional connection with the product and set the stage for a sale. While potential home buyers cannot take your house for a test drive, or try it on (move in for a day), you can engage their emotions by properly staging your home so that they can visualize what it would be like to call your house "home".

Step 1: De-clutter

We never seem to realize how much we have accumulated until it is time to move. The good news about de-cluttering your home is that you can begin to sort through what you truly need and want to move to your new location. The bad news is that you have to be the one to sort through it! People that are buying a home are typically looking for more space. Clutter eats space and can make rooms feel cramped and small. Remove excess furniture, knick knacks and items that are not being used. Remember to ensure that the cupboards and closets only house the essentials. Sort everything into three piles, garbage, good will or garage sale, and those items to be packed and stored ready for the move into your new home. If you’re not sure what to pack, ask yourself this simple question. Am I going to use this in the next 1 –2 months? If no, package it up for the move. Not only does this actively get your house in tip top shape for the market, but you can use the money from the garage sale to buy things for your new home.

De-cluttering can pose special issues for children. Children may find it difficult to part with toys or clothing. Everything is special even if they have not used or worn it in a long time.

Step 2: De-Personalize

This part of prepping your home for sale can turn into a special trip down memory lane. All those pictures and memorabilia are always in view, but people seldom take time to reconnect with their meaning. This is one of life’s opportunities to smell the roses, so go ahead, and take a few moments to enjoy! But make sure in the end that you do pack your personal mementos, family pictures and miscellaneous memorabilia. Generally, it’s an excellent rule of thumb to pack religious items, knick knacks, and small to medium pictures and items. Larger accessories and art work should be placed to one side for consideration when the home is later staged. Remember that you are showcasing your home as a canvas to which the buyer can insert their own style.

Step 3: Clean, Clean, Clean

Unfortunately for most home sellers, cleanliness is a major factor for buyers since other people’s dirt registers much higher on their ick radar. There’s really no way around it, to sell your home quicker and for the best possible price, it needs to sparkle. Buyers will pay special attention to the kitchen, bathrooms and windows. The following guidelines are recommended to get your home thoroughly clean.

• Start at the top of your home and work down
• Clean bedrooms, studies, and seldom used rooms first, the bathrooms, kitchen and utility rooms next. Save the porch, garage, shed, and attic for last.
• Pull all furniture and appliances into the middle of the rooms that you can clean behind and underneath
• Clean each room starting at the top and working down (ceiling, walls, trim and floor)
• Do the wet work first – Washing paintwork, windows, laundering and shampooing
• Do the dry work next – dusting, polishing, waxing
• Save the vacuuming until last – this step removes all traces of dust and debris

Once your home has been thoroughly cleaned, set a cleaning schedule that will allow you to maintain the look on an ongoing basis.