Every seller wants to sell their home fast and for top dollar. That’s what I would want and I’m sure that sounds good to you too. The question is, “What do I do?”

The easiest answer is to Stage your home. Staging has been gaining popularity by Real Estate Agents for years. It really can help you achieve your goals and get top dollar. The problems are where to start and how much is this going to cost. The truth is, sometimes you have to spend money to make money. I know this isn’t what you probably want to hear, so I’ve come up with two solutions that shouldn’t cost a penny.

The first is a no-brainer, clean. And I mean really clean, not just sweep it under the rug. Your house should sparkle, as if your mother-in-law were coming to town. Make sure the wastebaskets are always empty. Keep your soap dish pretty, keep a new one around to switch when your house is being shown. No one wants to see someone else’s trash or dirt.

You will also need to clean out your closets and cabinets. If something falls out, it will leave an impression, just not a good one. Clutter makes your house appear small. People today need storage space. If your clothing doesn’t fit in there, how is theirs supposed to?

And another part to cleaning, make sure your house smells great. Strong odors such as pet and cigarette smells have a strong impact on buyers. I have personal experience with this. I don’t smoke, so when I’m showing a house or walking into an open house filled with the smell of smoke I want to leave as soon as I can. We become so accustomed to certain smells that we no longer notice them, but someone else always does. And the same goes with pets. I have a dog and two cats, so I’m comfortable in a house that smells like it has pets. Some of you are the opposite of me. I understand. The best way to find out if your house smells is inviting someone over who either is a non-smoker if you are or a non- pet owner if you are. Ask them for their opinion. Ask for their honest opinion and don’t let your feelings get hurt. They are helping you in your house sale.

Second, de-personalize. I know you love your knick-knacks and personal belongings; the problem is the buyers coming into your house might not. Your treasured salt and pepper shaker collection all over your house might distract the buyers. You want them to imagine their clutter in your house and their pictures on the walls, so make it easy for them. De-clutter.

There’s another part to this that might cost you money. It’s totally optional. Do you have a cherished family chandelier hanging in your dining room? Do you want to keep it? Then you should seriously consider packing it up and replacing it now. If a buyer walks through that door and loves the chandelier, they might fight for it in negotiations. You don’t want to lose a treasured family heirloom over a technicality or a potential buyer in the end. And this goes for any curtains, built-in appliances or fixtures you want to take with you.

I hope this gets you started on the right track. There’s always more; painting your walls neutral colors, fixing anything broken, or maybe replacing worn carpets. I know we all don’t have the money needed for these types of fixes, so I wanted to give you some ideas that should help. One more thing, it’s never too early to start these things when you are thinking about selling your house. Good luck.