You have made the decision to move and now it is time to thin out, sign listing papers and prepare your home for the "right buyer". The following tips offer suggestions on how to stage your home like a professional, and being show ready for those first buyers as they walk through the door:
Section off a room. Do this by using area rugs and floating furniture away from the walls. Don't close off paths to navigate a room, though. Allow at least three-feet of walk-through space around furniture arrangements.
Group solid furnishings. For example, group sectionals or bookcases group together with lighter pieces, such as a glass slide table or raised bench. This will help "convey spaciousness over sparseness,".
Don't over-accessorize. Use only a handful of books with similar colored bindings on shelves and add only one house plant to a side table. Hang one statement piece of artwork over a bed or fireplace but refrain from overdoing it.
Add more light fixtures. Have at least one light fixture for every 100 square feet of space. "Use pure white lamp shades on all light fixtures, and replace any incandescent bulbs with CFLs,".
Source: "Selling? 6 Staging Secrets of Model Homes," RISMedia (Feb. 28, 2016)