Eclectic KitchenEclectic Kitchen, Burlington

Kitchen stuff. Our kitchens can be magnets for paraphernalia. Since it is likely that your downsized kitchen will be substantially smaller than your current one, simply apply the same criteria as you did to clothes. (And then keep your guard up: You will probably have to divest things several times because the cook in your family will undoubtedly whine and complain and raid the disposal pile.)

4. Clear away all clutter. If you are serious about staging your home, all clutter must go, end of story. It’s not easy, and it may even require utilizing offsite storage (or a nice relative’s garage) temporarily, but it is well worth the trouble. Clean and clear surfaces, floors, cupboards and closets equal more space in the eyes of potential buyers, so purge anything unnecessary or unsightly.But it’s my style! Guess what? It may not be the style of those seeking to buy a house in your neighborhood. So even if you have an awesome vintage-chic look going on, rein it in for the sake of appealing to the most number of people. You can bring your personal style back into play in your new home.Find a home stager

A floral patterned rug makes a room instantly seasonal and requires nary a paint brush.

"When we bought the house the kitchen was very dated and we couldn't afford anything too expensive, so we decided to go to IKEA," she says. "That was 4 years ago and the kitchen is still like new and works beautifully!" Tam recently purchased the rug at Urban Outfitters for a great price. It came with black lace on two edges, which she opted to remove.

example of what open shelves can turn into