This is the time of year when many houses are either listed or people are contemplating putting their homes on the market. As a child I watched my parents sell over 15 homes and I have bought and sold 9 personal homes. Along the way I learned some tricks to help the home to sell faster. And it is not just the bread baking trick!

Selling a home can be a stressful time for the entire family. Having to keep it neat and tidy all the time waiting for the prospective purchaser to show up can cause everyone in the family to be a little on edge. But there are some ways you can reduce the stress, if you begin early. If you know you are going to be listing your home, try implementing some of the following before you call your agent.

1. Un-clutter Kitchen Counters. Have a place for utensils and even appliances. The less on the counter the better, and the bigger and cleaner the kitchen will look.
2. Begin to get rid of old stacks of magazines. If you have a shelf units in your home, empty them off as much as possible, but make sure there are a few books on each shelf
3. Reduce, and eliminate if you can large plants. They may make you feel at home but they use up visual space.
4. Have a garage sale and get rid of old clothes and un-used toys. Have the kids decide what they want to sell (within reason) and let them bargain and keep the money for the things they purge.
5. Clear Bathroom counters of flower arrangements, brushes, make-up etc. (see kitchen)
6. Stand at the entry to every room. Does it look like there is too much furniture in the room? Think about eliminating that second dresser or second night table. (at least for now) Sometimes re-arranging the furniture helps.
7. Entry to all rooms should be open. In other words, walking into a room one should not have to walk around a chair or the foot of the bed that is too close to the door. A room should look spacious from the hallway.
8. Pack away most knick-knacks and family photos. Clear off the tops of dressers, window sills and corners of 'stuff' .
9. Open all the curtains. Make sure the windows are sparkling!
10. Make sure all the shoes are eliminated from the front door, and it is easy to walk into.
11. Eliminate all long hallway rugs, and area rugs if you can. They break up the room and make it look smaller.
12. And finally - yes a good smell in a house is a must. Try popping something that has cinnamon in it in the oven, or use the smell ofvanilla. Those two aromas are pleasing to almost everyone.

Moving does not have to cause a lot of stress. If you plan things out, step by step and start early, you will be surprised at how easy it can be. Staging your home can also make you feel less stressed. Getting rid of clutter makes a room much more peaceful to be in.

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