Preparing Your Home for Sale: A Checklist

• Use "home wash" (a hose attachment that is available at any home improvement store) to clean the outside of the house.

• Clean rain gutters as well as outside windows and screens.

• Make sure the front door is inviting. Paint it if needed. Also, replace any outdated exterior lighting fixtures.

• Buy new house numbers if the old ones are dated or faded. Be sure buyers can see the new ones from the curb.

• Buy a new welcome mat.

• Eliminate half of your belongings - clutter can cost you a sale. Rent a storage unit or portable pod for extraneous pieces of furniture or knickknacks. Another idea is to ask a friend if you can borrow some space in his or her garage.

• Organize all closets and drawers. Buyers might look there.

• Make any necessary repairs so that buyers don't have to add that to their mental list of post-purchase expenses.

• Rearrange furniture to make rooms appear as large as possible.

• Make every surface shine, from ceiling fans to baseboards. Don't forget interior windows, mirrors, and floors.

• Scrub every inch of the kitchen and bathrooms.

• Depersonalize each room, removing photo frames and posters or artwork.

• Buy new linens and pillows if necessary. Be certain they are a neutral color.

• Buy an air neutralizer and spray it often.

• Let go emotionally of your home, and get ready for an offer!

Courtesy of Sabrina Soto, home-staging expert and host of HGTV's Get It Sold