Staging is an important part of the home selling process, but you don’t have to break the bank to make cost effective improvements to your property before going on the market.

First, remove the clutter. As buyers tour your home and try to visualize living there, clutter catches the buyer’s gaze, distracting them from your home’s fine features. Remember the last model home you toured; less is more.

Pick up some boxes and start packing up and store what you can’t bear to part with in the garage or rent off site storage space. Clear overstuffed closets and organize to show the maximum amount of open storage available.

Give your home the white glove treatment and clean, clean, clean. Even if your property hasn’t seen an upgrade in 20 years, walking in to a spotless squeaky clean home is instantly refreshing to any homebuyer.

Kitchens and bathrooms are essential spaces in the home where homebuyers will be won-or lost. Kitchen appliances, cabinets and drawers need to be clean and organized; sinks, toilets and tubs should sparkle.

Don’t forget blinds, baseboards and windowsills, and what a difference clean windows and screens make!

Light and bright is my showing mantra. Take a look around to see what you can do to maximize the natural light in your home.

Prune outside trees or shrubs if they are overgrown and darkening rooms. Check all blinds and window coverings to make sure they work properly and can be opened during showings.

Increase the wattage of all bulbs to the max in light fixtures, especially dark hallways or baths. Clean all ceiling fan and light fixture globes; chandeliers should shimmer.

Update or modernize where necessary with low cost fix-it projects. Dated or worn cabinetry can get an instant face lift with a new coat of paint and hardware.

If your kitchen appliances are visibly worn out replace them with new moderately priced ones. Kitchen or bathroom faucets and outdated light fixtures that have lost their luster can be changed to stylish new ones without much expense.

Is it time to paint? If the exterior of your property has peeling paint or cracked out areas of stucco, particularly in the front or entry, get out the paint brush or hire a professional to get it done.

Interior rooms that are wild or show oddball colors should be toned down to a soft neutral, and wallpaper that is torn or separating at the seams removed.

Adriana Donofrio Podley Properties Glendora 626 926-9700 adrianad@podley.com