“Let’s face it. Selling a home in today’s marketplace takes more than a good price. Your house must stand out from the crowd and shout ‘take me, I’m yours!’ The best way to create this irresistible appeal is through effective staging. Melissa Spangler, acclaimed staging expert and owner of Spangler Design and Development, offers these 10 tips on how to give your home the look that sells.

• Depersonalize – Your home may be a palace, but if it has too much of the YOU in it, buyers will turn their heads. Guaranteed. You’ve got de-personalize your happy home. This means, kick it into high gear and remove all photos of your kids’ camp out from the fridge, all event schedules from the walls, etc. In other words, anything that screams YOU must go.
• De-Clutter – This goes hand in hand with depersonalization. Out go all the little knick-knacks crowded into shelves, carelessly discarded skateboards, etc. To create the image of more closet space, remove all those garments that have been collecting dust since the turn of the century. Buyers are attracted to clean, clear spaces.
• Shift It Into Neutral – You may adore your screaming pink walls with psychedelic accents. But it’s a good bet this color scheme will send prospective buyers fleeing. So make sure your Laguna Beach home is dressed in soft, neutral shades such as beige, gentle greens, etc. The idea here is to create a soothing feel and easy flow from room to room.
• Deep Clean – You’re on a cleaning mission, and you’re going in deep. Ready? Rub, wipe, rinse, and repeat. This means everything – floor, windows, fridge. Leave no spot untouched by your cleansing hands. The sale of your home depends on it.
• Touch Up Where Necessary – When selling a home, even the little things count. So cover spots with touch-up paint, fill in those holes and nicks with plaster, and polish doorknobs until they shine like the stars.
• Spruce Up the Cabinetry – Polish the wood surfaces, clean the glass, and dress it all up with attractive pulls and handles. And make sure you give all appliances the same first-class treatment.
• Display Bedding and Towels With Care – Make sure these household essentials match and are neatly displayed. And while you’re at it, add a special touch such as accent pillows to liven things up.
• Accentuate Your Home’s Best Features – A major factor in generating sales appeal is drawing attention to the positive, and away from the negative. If a room is small, add a mirror to create the impression of more space. Or shift a buyer’s focus to a point of interest, such as a strategically-placed vase of flowers.
• Create a Great First Impression – Prospective buyers should experience a warm, inviting vibe when they approach your home. A new doormat and well-manicured lawns are all par for the course. And it certainly wouldn’t hurt to dress things up with flowers for a little seasonal color.
• Make Your Staging Task as Easy and Seamless as Possible – A great way to accomplish this is by letting an experienced designer simplify your life with proven staging expertise.”