If you are planning to put your house on the market, it goes without saying that you want to sell your home as quickly as possible and get as close to asking price as you can.  The best way to ensure a quick and successful home sale is by staging your home.  Staging often brings a higher price for the home and helps the home to sell much faster.  Set the stage for success with these smart tips for styling your home.

1. Boost Curb Appeal
   The exterior of your home is the first thing buyers will see and you want to make a god first impression.  Many buyers will also do a quick drive-by before touring your home so you want to lure them in by boosting your home’s curb appeal.  Make sure your lawn is well-maintained and take time to clean out flower beds and pull any weeds.  Power-wash the driveway and walkways and stain or repaint the front porch if needed.  You can also add a fresh coat of paint to the front door to brighten it up.  Update outdoor light fixtures if needed.  Plant a few colorful flowers and put fresh mulch in your flower beds.
2. Make it Welcoming

   Little things like a nice doormat, a wreath on the front door, a couple of decorative flower pots, and front porch chairs can go a long way in making your home feel welcoming.  You want potential buyers to feel “at home” from the moment they arrive at the front door. 

3. Clear Away the Clutter

   The last thing you want is for buyers to be distracted by all of the “stuff” in your home.  Pack up as much as you can ahead of time and put it in storage.  Clear off counters in the kitchen and bathrooms.  Store all of your appliances and any other countertop clutter so your kitchen countertop is almost empty.  You can set out a nice cookbook on a stand and a platter of fresh baked cookies to cozy up the space, but eliminating all of the clutter will make the kitchen feel brighter and bigger.  Remove any personal belongings from bathroom counters and place everything under the sink or in storage.  Use the space for staging with a nice candle or decorative towels instead.  Make sure your bookcases and shelves are free of clutter and only have a few decorative pieces on them. Stacks of mail, paperwork, charging cords, and any other personal items should be neatly stored away. Finally, depersonalize your home by removing family portraits and picture frames.  Remember, potential buyers are trying to envision their family living in the home.

4. Rearrange Your Furniture

   You want your living room and sitting room to be arranged in such a way that invites conversation.  Pull your furniture off the walls and use pairs of chairs, sofas, lamps, and end tables to create conversation areas.  Store any excess or extremely large pieces of furniture to make your rooms appear larger.  Make sure bedrooms are set up as bedrooms instead of exercise rooms or storage rooms.  You want buyers to see each space as it was intended. 

5. Go with Neutral Colors

   One of the easiest and best ways to stage your home is to give each room a fresh coat of paint.  Stick with neutral colors that are clean and classic.  This is not the time to experiment with bright and bold colors.  Neutral colors will create a sophisticated backdrop that makes everything look more pulled together.  You can accent with colorful pillows, flower arrangements, and fun accent pieces.

6. Style Your Tables
   Decorating your dining tables can increase the overall appeal of the room.  This includes your kitchen table and your dining room table.  Place a nice table runner and a vase of fresh flower on the kitchen table to warm up the space.  Set your dining room table with neutral dishes, tasteful placemats, and a trio of small floral arrangements.  This immediately makes each room feel more inviting.