All homebuyers want as much house for their money as they can 
get. Many buyers are looking for a larger home because they've 
outgrown their current one, and especially desire more closet 
and cupboard space as well as larger rooms.

Visual space makes your home appear larger by allowing the 
buyer's eye to move from one side of the room to the other 
without interruption, giving the illusion of more space and 
openness. In contrast, a cluttered room stops the eye repeatedly 
and gives the illusion of less space.

In order to make your home appear larger, decluttering and 
removing unnecessary furniture is essential. The goal is to 
create a comforting atmosphere in which buyers can imagine 
their furniture and belongings easily fitting in. Once a buyer 
has this image in their mind, you're one step closer to a sale!

Follow these easy tips to add space and openness:

1. Pack away family photographs and small accessories.  Family 
   photographs make your house personal, but you want the buyer 
   to see the house as theirs, so pack away all family pictures 
   and mementos, including awards, trophies, plaques, etc. Small 
   accessories (knickknacks, collections, figurines) distract 
   the buyer by focusing on many small items instead of large, 
   open spaces. These items should also be stored away.

2. Take small pictures off the walls. Small pictures break up 
   the space of a wall and cause the buyer to stop and look at 
   the pictures instead of allowing their eyes to see the wall 
   without interruption. Keep large pictures above areas you 
   want to highlight, such as over the bed, fireplace or sofa.

3. Leave accessories that add color and interest. A room without 
   any accessories feels cold and sterile. Large accessories such 
   as books, chunky candles and silk flowers should be left to 
   give the room warmth and character.

4. Store small and unnecessary furniture.  Many pieces of 
   furniture, such as TV trays, end tables, and magazine racks 
   can be put in a storage facility or at a friend's until you 
   move. This immediately creates space between the larger 
   pieces and makes the room appear more spacious. Now is a 
   good time to decide what you'll take with you when you move 
   and what you want to get rid of. Keep larger pieces of 
   furniture in place (sofas, dining room tables) so the buyers 
   can get a better idea of how their furniture will look in 
   the space.

5. Clear off countertops.  Remove all personal items in the 
   bathrooms and kitchen.  Items such as makeup, medicine and 
   toothbrushes can be left in baskets on a shelf, to be brought 
   out when you need them. In the kitchen, remove salt and 
   pepper shakers, the dish rack, and small items on windowsills 
   and on top of the stove. Clear countertops of all but large 
   items such as canisters, a colorful cookie jar or a decorative
   plate. Have as few items as possible on the countertops to 
   give the illusion of extra space.

6. Show off your closets.  Perhaps number one on the buyer's 
   "must have" list is more closet space. To make even small 
   closets appear large, show shelf and clothes pole space by 
   packing up and storing out-of-season clothes and sporting 
   equipment, and donating unneeded items to charity. Now is 
   the time to sort through all that clutter and decide what 
   to keep and what to discard. You'll be amazed at how big 
   your closets will look to you and your buyers!

You may think after all these changes that your house doesn't 
look like your own, but remember, the house you sell is not the 
same as the house you live in. By creating visual space, you are 
allowing the buyer to easily imagine integrating their life into 
your home - the first step to selling your home faster and for 
more money! 

Sharon Wong is President of Ready Set SellŪ and an accomplished 
interior designer. Since 1991, her company has helped home 
sellers get the quickest sale and the highest price for their 
homes. Sharon also teaches RealtorsŪ how to ready their 
customers' homes for a fast and profitable sale. Her company 
offers in-home consultations, seminars, videos and articles to 
help in the home selling process. For more information about 
her services and products, visit her website at: 
http://www.ReadySetSell.com.