Planning to sell your home soon? One of the most important aspects for doing it is to make the house appealing to buyers. You do this through what’s known as home staging. What’s this, you ask? Good question. Read on to find out.

With the aim of getting prospective buyers of your home to imagine themselves living there, home staging makes this possible by making your home look move-in ready and inviting. Curb appeal, interior design, and other things are common areas in which home staging improves your house’s buyer appeal.

A basic part of staging a house to sell is cleaning. Think spring cleaning to get a better idea of how intensive the cleaning needs to be for full impact on potential buyers. While cleaning your house to impress open house guests, tackle your abode’s organization and clutter while you’re at it.

While cleaning to sell your home, never assume buyers won’t look “there.” Be thorough in your efforts to make your house look appealing.

There are methods for staging each room of your home. From the bedroom to the living room, making your home look like it belongs to someone else (think prospective buyers) should be your objective.

Speaking of the living room, a well-staged living room should make buyers feel like they’re at home as soon as they set foot in the space. Color scheme, furniture, and decor pieces can all help do this. There are many resources on the Web that can help with your staging approach to this common area.

Additionally, in the living room, don’t block the flow of traffic. As buyers navigate your living room, they should be able to do so easily and without obstacles.

The best approach for staging your home’s bedrooms will depend on whose bedroom it is. For example, you’ll stage a kids’ bedroom differently than you would an adult’s or teenager’s room.

In the kitchen, don’t hesitate to add character to the space. A kitchen with personality is more likely to catch the attention of buyers. Pops of color and a bright palette can accomplish this objective.

Now comes the bathroom, which can be tricky to stage. Simplify the process by aiming to transform the space into a spa. Calming scents, houseplants, and soft linens are good choices, as are beige and pale blue for the space’s walls.

When it comes to staging a house to sell, the outdoor spaces are just as important as the indoor spaces. Improving your home’s landscaping with colorful flowers and well-manicured lawns can improve what’s known as curb appeal. Don’t skimp on this part of home staging because it’s the first impression potential buyers get of your house.

Another important thing to keep in mind while staging your house is pets. As much as you love them, they should be elsewhere when showing your staged home to buyers.

Home staging may seem daunting, but it’s effective if it’s done right. If you don’t trust your ability to do it, you can always hire a professional home stager—or at least hire one to guide you through the process.

Now that you’ve decided to sell your home, it’s time to make it look good for buyers. Do your homework and study up on home staging and its finer points. If all goes well, your house won’t last long on the market.