Even if hiring a professional stager is beyond your budget, know that many offer one-hour consultations at reasonable rates and can be particularly helpful tackling challenging issues specific to your space. The first, and most basic, step is to clear the clutter and deep clean floors, baseboards, walls, window sills, windows, bookshelves, and lighting fixtures. Cobwebs in the corner and dingy door handles make a home look neglected.
"Streamline" the space, removing excess furniture and any potentially distracting functional pieces from every room. "No clocks or printers, things like that," Goodrich said. Make sure remaining pieces are not too close to the windows so potential buyers can see the views. "It also makes the space look bigger," he said, which is always a plus.
