What is important when selling your home?  The short answer is getting the maximum amount of dollars for it.  One of the most effective and cheapest ways is to stage your home to attract buyers.

According to experts, staging a home can add 6 – 20% in value compared to a non-staged home. [source: Staged Homes]. More than 90% of homes staged by accredited professionals sell in one month or less and professional home staging companies charge about $5,000.

However, here are some tips how to get the most for your home if you don’t to hire someone to stage your house for you:

• Start planning: To start with, be very objective when evaluating every room.  Plan what you would like to do, what the costs are and what your budget is.
• Size Up: One of the most important things to do is to make a small space appear larger.   Since you are not going to add an addition, you might think of adding a mirror (half, or full wall) to the living room or dining room.  Relocating furniture is another ideal way of increasing space.
• De-clutter. Remove personal knick-knacks and clutter to have buyers envision themselves living there.
• Organize: Think about the pieces you are not using frequently, and place them in the basement, or garage.  Better yet, donate them to a favorite charity.
• Freshen-up: Consider adding fresh flowers on the kitchen table or counter, and in the dining room.  Use scented candles in the bathrooms that look pretty and match the décor.   Remove any soiled or torn drapes, tablecloths, or towels.

Your buyers will feel very comfortable walking through your home. Happy staging!