It always seems like some people are just organized by nature, and others are challenged by matching up sock pairs. However, people are often amazed to find that the ability to de-clutter is something that can be learned. Usually it involves a change in lifestyle and a new way of thinking about clutter.

The first step is to make a plan and define a schedule. Pick a specific day and time of the week that you will spend on reducing clutter in your home. It really doesn’t matter when as long as it’s a time you can mark out and do nothing else for at least several weeks.

Then pick your first battlefield. It might your desk or the kitchen drawer, or maybe the top shelf in the hall closet. Whatever you choose, don’t pick something you can’t finish in one session. You want to avoid discouragement. If you can start and actually finish something, you’ll be much more likely to continue your quest for a clutter-free house.

Start by organizing items into one of four categories: keep, give away, throw away or sell. Hint: your keep pile should be the smallest of the four. If you have trouble giving some items up, even when you know you should, then enlist some help from a friend. It may seem difficult, but you’re going to need to do this before you move anyway, so you might as well get an early start.

The joy of having a de-cluttered house will become immediately apparent on the day your real estate agent calls and says they want to show the house in 10 minutes. Instead of rushing around like an insane person, you’ll be able to calmly tell them to come ahead, and then relax until they arrive.

First of all, these quick repairs make it clear that you have taken good care of your home. Second, it reassures prospective buyers that they won’t have to spend the first days in their new home repairing things. Most minor home repairs are both inexpensive and easy, yet they will make a significant difference in how quickly your house sells and a what price.

Are any of your walls covered with wallpaper? One of the quickest ways to give any room a facelift is to remove existing wallpaper and give the walls a fresh coat of paint instead. You can never predict what sort of tastes home buyers will have when it comes to décor. In today’s housing market, you want to make your home attractive to as many people as possible. That’s why a coat of neutral-colored paint is much preferred over patterned wallpaper. Of course, if there are any cracks, scuffs or holes in your walls, those need to be fixed as well.

The exterior of your home is another area where a few minor home repairs could have a huge impact. Walk out to the street in front of your home and take a look at your house with a critical eye. If you were driving by your home, would you stop to take a look inside? Check your porch railings, entry stairs or window shutters. Does anything need painting or repair? Even a burned-out porch light can give the impression of a home that hasn’t been properly cared for. Believe me, you’ll get better offers for a dream home than you will for a handyman special.

Remember, home staging is about getting people to like your house, it is not about changing your house into what they like. The key to getting buyers interested in your home above all others is to show them the possibilities. You want them to walk into your place and have them start imagining what they would do if it was their place. Surprisingly, that means that your rooms need to have less, not more. In fact, instead of buying furniture for home staging, you may actually need to move some of your furniture out. The trick is making a room feel open and spacious, without making it feel empty.

To achieve an open look, you have to think light. And I mean that two different ways-light as in “not heavy,” and light as in “well-lit.” Do you want to make a room more attractive? Then move out the big heavy, dark furniture and replace it with some smaller, more lightly-constructed pieces. And then add some accent lamps. These might be attractive table lamps or some up-lights to put behind the plants. You can find lamps like these in second-hand stores, garage sales or even on eBay. The good news is that you will probably only pay a few dollars for each of them. But together, they could mean several thousand extra dollars that buyers are willing to pay for your home. You know, that bright, spacious, well-lit home that their furniture would look perfect in.

However, the advice of most home staging professionals is to pick up all the religious items and put them away while your home is for sale. Many people find this offensive and unnecessary. But the reality is that not everyone in this world believes in the same things. So what’s the right answer?

If your faith is very important to you, then it’s understandable that you might be offended by the need to store your treasured religious items. However, just as you are unhappy about the lack of your items on display, potential home buyers might find their presence to be uncomfortable. “So what?” you might say. “I have a right to display them.” Which, of course, is absolutely true. And at the same time, they have the right to leave your home and buy one in the next block over.

You have to ask yourself what your goal is at this moment. Is it to profess your beliefs to everyone who visits your home? Or is your goal to sell your home at the highest price possible? Once you figure out the answers to these questions, then you’ll know what to do about your religious and cultural items.

Many people are puzzled by the need for making their home impersonal. Doesn’t depersonalized equal cold and uninviting. On the contrary, when you remove your personality from the home you’re selling, it allows potential buyers to project their personality into the home. You’ve left the basics and their imaginations can fill in the details.

If you show them a home cluttered with furniture, artwork and relics from your life, they might not be able to imagine living in it. Proper home staging prepares your home so they can’t imagine not living in it.

Not everyone has the budget to purchase all new appliance, but those who do will find it worth the expense. You don’t have to get top of the line models all around; that could end up costing you thousands. However, updating some of the big items like the refrigerator or dishwasher will make a big impact. Appliances with a stainless steel finish are very popular now and will be a big hit with potential buyers. You will be surprised at how many people might decide to take another look at the rest of your home once they see these new appliances in the kitchen.

Buyers also want a clean kitchen. Making your kitchen look cleaner actually happens on two levels. First of all, make sure there is no dirt or cooking stains. A dirty kitchen gives the impression that you aren’t taking care of the home. Second, get rid of clutter. A fresh coat of paint will renew the walls and painted cabinets. Your kitchen should smell clean and inviting as well. Want to really impress a prospect? Have an apple pie cooling on the countertop when they arrive. The aroma will communicate the sense of being “at home” more quickly than words ever could.

One task you can get started on without waiting for professional advice is painting. Put a fresh coat of paint on the interior walls of your home. But your color choice is important. Home buyers aren’t interested in your favorite color, they want to imagine what they will do with your place. So use light, neutral, non-offensive colors when you paint. Off-white, light blue, light green or similar colors are best. This may not be what you would choose. But buyers want to put their own personality into the home. At the very least, they want to know that the walls will be compatible with their own furniture. Neutral colors have a better chance at coordinating with their stuff. And the fresh paint will cover up any existing damage or imperfections, making your home seem fresh and new.

Want to know another home staging secret weapon? Plants. Adding a few green plants to every room will freshen the air and make your home seem more alive. A bouquet of fresh flowers on the dining table is also a nice touch. But don’t go overboard, just in case some prospective home buyers have allergies.

Landscaping should be your first priority. Your grass should be well manicured and your shrubbery and other plants should be trimmed and healthy. Does your front yard look empty? Consider adding a tree and a few more ornamental plants. Stick with varieties that grow well in your climate area. While your landscaping should look beautiful, it also should look low-maintenance. Most people today don’t have a lot of time for working in the yard. If you aren’t sure what your landscape needs, then hire a designer or talk with the pros at your local garden supply store.

If your home has a front patio, make it look like a place where people can relax. If there is patio furniture there, make sure it’s clean and new looking. Porch swings are highly sought after, but not if the chains are rusty and the paint is peeling. Also, your patio furniture should fit with the design of your home.

Finally, don’t forget the front door. Repair and repaint if necessary. Add a new welcome mat. Everything that makes up the curb appeal of your home should be saying “Come inside for a closer look!”

The number one thing people look for in a bathroom is light. Poorly lit bathrooms are a deal killer for your house. People want bright lights in the bathroom so they can see to shave, apply makeup and complete all of their personal care activities. If your bathroom doesn’t have the lighting it needs, you can add some sconces on either side of the bathroom mirror. They don’t cost a lot and they distribute light evenly throughout the space.

The decorating in your bathroom should be neutral. You may have desire to fix up your bathroom with items that have special interest for you. But potential home buyers may or may not share your taste in décor. So instead of  brightly colored parrots or fish designs, you’ll want to stick with a neutral, simple decorating scheme. It may seem boring to you, but it will allow everyone else looking at your home to imagine adding their own personal touch to the room.

Obviously, if you have any water damage or plumbing issues in the bathroom, you’ll need to get those fixed before showing your home. If buyers think that the first thing they’ll have to do after purchase is fix the toilet, they’ll likely mark your home off the list and move on.

One inexpensive way to dress up the living spaces in your home is buying and hanging artwork. Obviously, you’ll need to stick with pictures that won’t offend your visitors. But if you buy a couple of abstracts, nature scenes or even cityscapes, you will be amazed at the difference it can make in the look of your room. Remember, you’re not searching for the perfect work of art that you want to keep forever. You just need something on the wall that coordinates well with the paint and makes your home look decorated. There are hundreds of sellers on eBay that provide artwork for surprisingly low prices. You can also stop at garage sales and scout out any local thrift shops. Your community may even have “starving artist” sales from time to time.

While we’re talking about the walls, make sure you put up a fresh coat of neutral paint. Fresh paint covers up all the little marks and imperfections that life tends to inflict on the walls. The neutral color means that potential buyers will be able to imagine their own furniture and artwork in your home without the need to repaint right away. Home staging is all about showing buyers that your home can be their home with almost no work required.

First of all, you need to decide why you’re taking the class. Do you just want to pick up some ideas for staging your own home? Or are you thinking about starting a home staging business? If you want to do home staging for others, then you should look for a class that helps you get certification. Being a certified home stager means that you have been fully trained to help people get the most from their home sale. Classes that include certification will go into depth about home staging topics and prepare you for a variety of situations. Once you complete the course, you may want to start your own business working with individuals. Or you may be able to team up with a builder or house flipping contractor.

If you are only interested in picking up pointers for working with your own home, then you may be able to find very inexpensive or free classes in your community. These courses may not teach you everything, but you’re sure to pick up some skills that will pay off when you sell your own home. What you learn will certainly give you some satisfaction as you improve the look of your home’s interior. You may even enjoy it enough to change your mind about going into business.