There's no doubt about it, when your home is for sale, it needs to be set up like a show home. That means it must be clean, tidy and sparsely furnished. Think about it on these terms: the buyer wants to purchase a home, not your stuff. Eliminating extra stuff helps them clearly see the home they are considering buying, whereas a cluttered home becomes unappealing.

Another aspect of this is that your home can no longer be about your personality. This goes beyond mere decorating, and in fact, it is beneficial to keep your paint colors neutral. If you have a bold paint job, some people might really like that. But the majority of people would rather have neutral colors in their home, or decide on their own bold color schemes. So if you want to sell faster, consider painting over your bold colors with tones of off-white. That way, a buyer sees this as a blank canvas waiting for them to fill.

First impressions are important, and that means you need to consider how your yard, the front of your home, and especially the front door and door step appear. Faded paint needs to be re-done. A sticky door will imprint the buyer with the impression that repairs are needed. Avoid this by doing any minor repairs and paint jobs that will improve the first impression of your home.

Finally, consider things like smell and overall ambiance. Pet or tobacco smells should be eliminated by professional carpet and drapery cleaning, and possibly a nice, but not overpowering, air freshener. Make sure kids and pets aren't bustling about, making messes and distracting buyers when they view your home.

It might be best to plan showing days when no one, including yourself is around. Let the agent describe your home in terms that match what the buyer is looking for, without the distraction of too much clutter or noise to distract them from what they are looking at: a new home to buy.