As a professional organizer and Home Stager, I spend my time educating clients about clutter. I also create systems that allow them to maintain a clean and organized environment, and I share tips on decorating and transformation. There are 10 things you can do to make your home ready to sell, or just enjoy it yourself. These tips are small efforts to create a more aesthetic overall look that provides harmony, balance, and organization.

1. A fresh coat of paint- The most effective thing you can do to change the appearance of a room is to use paint. If you’ve been suffering in a home that’s been stuck with the same paint color for 10 years or worse, if you’ve lived with off-white builders paint since you moved into your home, it’s time for a change! When selecting a color, ask yourself what colors make you feel calm, alive, happy, vibrant, etc. If you’re preparing to sell a home, it’s always best to wear neutral colors like taupe, cappuccino, warm butter yellow—nothing fancy like lime green or bright orange. A good coat of bright white paint can often add freshness to a bathroom or other space, exuding cleanliness in a room full of color. It is relatively inexpensive and can be done at any time. Ask a few friends for help and you’ll be done in no time. If you’re remodeling a room, it’s best to choose furniture and rugs/rugs/hardwood first, then paint color. It’s much easier to select a color when you’re done, then try to match your furniture to the walls you just painted.

2. Change your lighting- If your home has any form of fluorescent lighting, track lighting, or an ugly builder’s bedroom lamp, it’s time to make a little investment. Planter lighting, floor lamps, table lamps, and providing more natural lighting with a skylight are all great options. An essential element in any room is a dimmer switch. You can really set a mood with lighting, which is why candles are so popular, be sure to add a dimmer so you can maximize your new lighting and the room. Hang a fairly inexpensive chandelier over the bed or over the dining room table for a bit of flair. You can find lots of great pieces at both Salvation Army and garage sales. Perhaps you like the base of the lamp and not the lampshade, or vice versa. Invest in one piece and replace the other. Symmetry is also important. Always try to look for side table lamp sets in bedrooms and living room areas to maintain a sense of balance.

3. Cover your walls- If your walls are bare and lacking in paintings, photos, or art pieces, now is the time to add some warmth and character to the room by adding a few pieces. The important thing here is to find items that you personally love. I love black and white shots of my family framed in a plain black frame, but I use them sparingly so my house doesn’t look like a museum. Find some interesting mirrors, a framed world map for an office, or pretty floral prints of a single flower. If you have a collection of African masks that has been gathering dust, take it out for display. It’s also a great way to add color to a room. There is nothing worse than walking into a house with all white walls, no art on the walls or pictures, and boring furniture. Add some personality! You can even make inexpensive window boxes that are frames with a deep box covered with glass for displaying items. I like baby items like a rattle, baby blocks for a child’s room, or shells for a bathroom or bedroom. The possibilities are endless. If you have a fireplace, I highly recommend putting something on top of it. A good mirror can add the appearance of more space to the room, as well as a stylish touch.

4. Eliminate clutter- This can be a small or huge undertaking depending on how much stuff you have. You can do this on your own in small increments or hire a professional to do it in a fraction of the time, showing you tips and systems along the way. Removing clutter not only gives you more physical space to walk and move around, but your home will immediately appear larger. This is great news if you are preparing for a move. What is disorder? Trinkets, knickknacks, mail from 2 months ago, junk, items you or your kids have outgrown. This will give you a greater sense of peace and less stress. It’s hard to work on anything in a messy room without feeling distracted or stressed by the extra things you know you need to do. Please do not just move items from room to room. It will still be there waiting for you later. I always make a point in my own home to constantly get rid of clothes, unnecessary items, and messy mail. I know that one day we will move and that life will be much easier if I do it little by little instead of feeling overwhelmed later.

5. Organize decoration items- One thing you will notice in any show home you visit is that the decor items are sizable and well placed. This can be accomplished in your own home as well with a few easy to follow steps. First of all, remove all the little trinkets and knick-knacks. Having a cabinet full of little figurines is not the way to go. Have a room for these items if you’re a collector instead of having a trail all over your house. For example, use your living room as an example. Side tables might have a large plate of potpourri on one with a small family frame and coaster, and the other has two small hardcover books on top of each other for display and a 3-pointed chandelier. Keep it simple! Your bedroom dressers should not be littered with receipts, tealights, keys, a jewelry box, books with bookends, and a potpourri dish. Eliminate all small items and have 2-3 items max on any piece of furniture, unless it is quite large. Another example is a master bath. Use a large prominent shell on the counter and have 3 glass apothecary jars filled with sand and shells or cotton balls etc. Maybe a small vase with a single flower and a box of tissues and a soap pump. Using larger decorative items allows you and others to appreciate the items instead of getting lost in a collection of small spoons.

6. New Flooring Makes a Big Difference-Whether you realize it or not, the floors get a lot of foot traffic. If you have carpeting, linoleum tile, or ceramic tile, it might be time to replace them with a new countertop of the same material or a new one. If you live in an older home, see if you have hardwood buried under the old rug you have now. It may require some sanding and a new glossy varnish, but hardwood adds a richness that rug can’t. If you’re replacing the carpet, make sure you get a new one that will wear well and hold its shape. Also, you’ll want to invest in a good thickness of padding underneath. If you’re going the tile route, there are plenty of options. There is ceramic tile that is peel and stick as well as real and linoleum. Either way, fresh new floors that look clean and untrodden are much more attractive. Be sure to match the color to any furniture, cabinets, etc. to make sure everything blends in harmoniously.

7. Crown molding provides richnessWalk around your house right now and look at the baseboards that are currently installed. You most likely have the constructor style. If you’re happy with it and you live in a newer house, keep it. If you’re looking at old baseboards that have been painted multiple times, it’s time to replace them. You will then want to match the baseboard on it to the new trim on it. I love the classic white trim against a nice neutral colored wall. However, the options are endless. In some cases, you may want to leave the trim unpainted or use a slightly lighter shade to avoid contrasting the white with a bright or dark color. This gives you a rich, finished look that you’ll love and buyers will notice and appreciate.

8. Exterior Structural Appearance- It’s time to tackle the exterior of your home. Plus, the curb appeal is huge and chances are you stop at your house and walk away from it every day, it could look great too. Take a look at your porch, steps, and driveway and if any need repair or replacement, you’ll know. Look for rusted, worn or cracked steps or driveways, or discoloration. It can be as simple as resurfacing your driveway or repairing loose or cracked steps. Next look at the lighting, the symmetry of the lighting around the garage is great or one light in the center. Also, no tacky red illuminated street numbers. This is better for you and the resale value. Take a look at the garage and the front door along with the shutters. Is it time for a paint job? If you like the color and it matches the house, just give it a fresh coat. However, if the paint is chipping and fading and you hate the color, now is the time to paint them yourself or have a professional come in. Drastically changed the appearance. It’s best to stick with neutral colors, but black and red are great too. Make your house stand out from the street!

9. Loving your landscaping-Equally important to the structural appearance of the house is the general landscape. Remember the backyard in this review. If there are weeds where there should be grass and grass growing through your walkway interlock, it’s time to get to work. Similarly, if you notice that you have dying trees, plants, and flowers in your yard, then it’s time to replace them. Again, use symmetry as a guide in planning your lawn. I think two large urns with small trees or lots of flowers are great. Use them on either side of the front door or on either side of the garage door. Another tip is to remember multiples. It’s good to buy four or five of the same tree and then you can experiment with rocks and flowers. Using a good crushed rock in a deep mahogany or some wood chips is also great and easier on your mower. After investing in this project, remember to keep your lawn neatly trimmed and edged, as well as any shrubs or shrubs for a nice finish.

10 The investment room If you’re moving and wondering which room will give you the most value for your money, or just want to improve the look of your home and don’t know where to start, I’d start with the kitchen. When most people look at houses, their focus is ultimately on the entire house, but investments in kitchens and baths seem to have the biggest impact on their minds. A beautiful array of cabinets with marble countertops and superior appliances and undermount sink faucets will really wow people. The bathrooms do the same with spa-like tubs and the feeling of a retreat. In our busy worlds we want easy, fast, relaxing and enjoyable. This would be my recommendation, however if you have an obvious room that needs help, such as a master bedroom, start there and work your way up as your budget allows.