? Selling your house can be a tiresome process. One important aspect of making your home attractive to buyers is to make is so that the buyer can picture himself living in the home. There are no secrets to staging; most of it is common sense.

? The best way to begin is to imagine how you would want your home to look. Staging a home can bring you a much higher selling price. A home staging professional can be hired to tour your home and direct you to make the changes that will increase your homes marketability. If you were using it to host your child's wedding or another fancy party:

? Clean and tidy: Carpets vacuumed, floors swept and mopped, windows sparking clean. No papers piled up on the kitchen table, no magazines, toys or dirty clothes on the floor.

? If you have a lawn, make sure it's mowed and raked free of leaves, and remove any dead plants from the garden.

? Now, you may be thinking that you just redecorated so your house must be perfect, but staging a home is not redecorating it. Staging focuses on the buyer. It provides the current home owner with the knowledge to rearrange the furnishings, pictures, accessories, etc. in the best possible manner to enhance the rooms function, appearance and balance.

? A staging professional works things from the buyers perspective in order to help the buyer see themselves and their belongings fit into the home they are viewing. They do this by rearranging the home to appeal to a broad base of purchasers. Stagers can be expensive, so if you want to go it alone please follow the tips below.

? Arrange your furniture in a way that makes each room look as large as possible. You may wish to relocate some furniture from one room to another or even store a piece or two in your shed or basement, to achieve this effect. Make sure curtains and blinds are clean, and that each room is as light and bright as possible. If you have heavy drapes, pull them back for showings -- or better yet, buy some light curtains. They're inexpensive and can really brighten up a room.

? Lighting is important so make sure the rooms are well lit, provide some nice ambient lighting with lamps and avoid bright glaring fluorescent overhead lights. If any rooms are dull brighten them up with higher wattage bulbs in lamps.

? Bathrooms should be sparkling! Counters should be clear with no personal items visible. Tub tile grout should be clean and shower curtains and glass shower doors should be free of mildew. Hang fluffy, colorful towels on the towel rods. Put out decorative soaps in cute containers. Buy a new shower curtain and rug for the floor.

? The kitchen is a key selling point in your home and must be spotless. Remove all notes, magnets, etc.off the front of the fridge. Keep counter space clean and clear of all items. Clean out under the sinks and organize the pantry and cupboards. Paint outdated cupboards with a neutral color and put new modern knobs on doors for a fresh look. Dishes on the floor for pet food should be eliminated during a showing.

? Curb appeal is important and the buyer's first impression of your house will be from the outside. Garages and front and back yards should be cleaned and well trimmed. Put away any toys that are laying around in the yard. Plant flowers or shrubs in the yard for a welcoming effect. Prune any shrubs you may already have. Clean the pool if you have one. The lawn should be cut and watered to give the home a well cared for look. A coat of paint on the outside of the house may also be in order.

? If you're still a little challenged regarding decor or furniture arrangement, pick up a copy of Better Homes & Gardens or a regional home and garden publication like Sunset or Southern Living. You don't have to mimic everything you see in the magazines, but they're full of great tips on topics such as making a small home appear larger or brightening up a dark room.