In today's unsteady economy most of us try to save a penny here and there. And when the time comes to put the home on the market, some homeowners opt for not hiring a professional home stager. No judgment here, we all decide ourselves what is best for us. But for do-it-yourself homeowners, let me share some advice on how to prepare your home for sale if you are on a budget.

1. Start with a curb appeal. Your house should look well maintained and neat: mow the lawn, remove all dry or dead flowers and plants, power spray the entire house to get rid of cobwebs and dirt, it will give the house a freshly painted look.

2. Inside, remove all personal items: photos, collections, achievement awards, antique. It will distract potential buyers' attention from the house and will not let them mentally move in.

3. Remove all clutter and extra furniture. Additional sitting furniture, side tables, statues, books, magazines - it all creates clutter and you want rooms to appear as open and large as possible. For example, most dining sets can go with four chairs instead of six.

4. In the kitchen remove everything from the countertops. All small appliances, paper-towel holders, cutting boards, etc. - hide it all in the cabinets. You will increase the appearance of your countertop space - exactly what the buyers' are looking for. A nice vase with fruits or couple of knick-knacks will give your kitchen a more welcoming look.

5. In the bathroom put all your personal items into the basket and hide it under the sink. Freshen up the look of your bathroom with fresh flowers, clean white towels, and, preferably, new shower curtain.

6. If you want to give your house a totally new fresh look, painting is one of the cheapest way to do it. You don't have to break the bank to buy a gallon or two of paint. The return on this kind of investment will be huge. The trick here is that you need to choose the right color of paint, that will appeal to most buyers. If you need help choosing the right color scheme for your home makeover - please, contact Studio 74.

7. And remember: the cleaner the house - the newer it looks. So, while staging homes for sale, scrub everything top to bottom, it all pays off at the end.

For more tips and ideas on staging homes for sale, call Studio 74.