Houses are filled with objects we love and treasure. Look in just about every home and you'll find a shelf stuffed with favorite books, a mantel loaded with trinkets, a closet full of shoes or a wall covered in family photos.

But when it is time to sell a house, those items we cherish may look like just plain clutter to prospective buyers. In today's market, when you are competing with so many homes on the market, curb appeal goes a long way. Creating an ideal home for buyers can be as simple as painting the walls, rearranging furniture or clearing the countertops.

What really is “staging a property?”  Home staging is the process of preparing a home for sale, regardless of price or location. Staging focuses on simple steps to make your home show like a model house without spending a lot of money.

Even though it's your home and you have to live there till it sells, it's a good idea to get used to the fact that your house is now a product. It has pluses and minuses, as well as competition. To be competitive, your house should be priced right and look better than the others.

It's essential to present your house in the best possible light. Just try to remember how you felt when looking for a home and how many you passed over because they didn't look good. You have to look at your home with a buyer’s eyes.

Get a head start in your packing, because you are going to move anyway. This lets you to pack up unwanted materials, thus reducing clutter, and makes the rooms look larger. Talk about killing 2 birds with 1 stone! If you need room to store extra possessions use the garage or rent a storage space.

First impressions: Never truer is the statement "you never have a second chance to make a first impression" than when trying to sell a home. From the moment a potential buyer drives up, they should see a manicured lawn with no debris in sight; a clear entrance including well kept doors and foyer. They should be  “wowed!”

Kitchen: A great looking kitchen can be a selling point in a house. The kitchen of a home for sale should only have the bare essentials. Just keep what you need and pack the remaining up. This will also save you time later in the moving process. The kitchen should have good aromas or no smell at all times. Sinks and floors should be clean and dirty dishes out of sight. The cabinets should be wiped down and the appliances free of food and crumbs.

If you are like us, and cook spicy Indian food at home, make sure you stop cooking Indian dishes weeks before you plan to put your house on the market. Eat out . Then every night bake some homemade cookies/cake. This would very soon mask the old spicy odors and will make your house much more presentable to the buyers when it comes on the market!

Bathrooms: If there is a leaky faucet or toilet, get it fixed. If the tub or sink has a chip in it, get it repaired. Replace worn out or dirty grout. Make the fixtures sparkle and clean the mirrors and vanities. Put out fresh towels and coordinate them in one or two colors. Have a clean shower curtain or doors, with no mildew. Remove any unnecessary items from countertops, tubs, shower stalls and toilet tops. Keep only your most needed cosmetics, brushes, perfumes etc..., in one small group on the counter. Bathrooms are so important,. "So many times a dirty faucet or unkempt toilet can break a deal.

Closets: They look larger when there are fewer items stored in them. Neat, well-organized closets show there is ample space available for the new homeowner and their things. This is a great area to get ahead on packing.
Garage and basement: Keep everything neat and uncluttered. Put everything away that is not part of the decor. Oil squeaking door hinges, tighten loose cabinet knobs and fix faulty wall switches. Organize or pack away tools not in use and discard boxes and scrap materials.

The follow-up article will provide tips for inside and staging the outside of the home.

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