Put Yourself In the Buyer's Shoes- First you need to pretend that you are a potential buyer for your home. It is also helpful to know what type of buyer might be looking for a home like yours. Do you think a family with young children would be interested in your home? Or perhaps empty nesters looking to downsize?
Do you think your home appeals to whichever group you picked? If not, what can you do to make it more appealing? For example, my home has a finished basement which would be great for a family with children to play in. But if all that's down there are storage boxes, suitcases and things of that nature, it might be difficult for a buyer to visualize my basement's full potential.
Consider Staging- This is where "staging" comes into play. Now often when people think of staging, they think of professionals, and thus, an expensive endeavor. That doesn't necessarily have to be the case. If you are interested in professional staging, check out http://www.showhomesprinceton.com And where there are instances when professional staging is helpful, often this can be a "do-it-yourself" process.
In my basement example, the first thing I would have to do is to move the boxes and other items to the unfinished part of my basement. Then I would set up the small indoor soccer goals that I have and put a nerf soccer ball down there. I would also put the big bin of blocks and LEGOS in one corner of the basement, and maybe a table and couple of chairs or bean bags. The whole point is to make someone else's children want to play down there!
Begin the De-Personalization Process- You likely still live in your home and you want it to feel comfortable to you, but that doesn't mean there should be dozens of pictures on each wall, and the kids' artwork all over the place. Be selective. A buyer has trouble picturing himself/herself in a home with so many pictures of you! But that being said, your home should appear cozy, inviting, and by no means sterile. I have been in homes before where it's difficult to tell whether or not anyone even lives there!
Tackling That Clutter- One of the most important things to deal with is clutter. You want your home to appear spacious and well cared-for. If your kitchen counters are full of dishes, appliances, etc. it will appear as if you don't have much counter space. So put as many items as you can in cabinets or your pantry. Also, rooms can appear larger depending on the way the furniture is arranged. Perhaps you can get rid of excess furniture, especially if it is hindering the flow of traffic in your home. 
First Impressions Count- You want the curb appeal of your home to be favorable. The outside of your house and front door are the first thing buyers will see. Does the grass need mowing? Yard need raking? Are there toys out all over the lawn? Consider getting a new front door mat just to spruce things up. If it gets closer to spring, buy some pansies and put them in planters near the front door. Do Some Things, But Not Too Much- Speaking of buying items for the house, often small, inexpensive items like new dish towels or indoor plants can make a big difference. Put out a few seasonal or holiday decorations. Do all your lights have light bulbs that work? Is your house at least relatively clean? Things that are obviously broken should be fixed, but don't go crazy updating your home. It's usually not worth the money and your new buyer I'm sure will want to come in and do his/her own updating!
Next time I will discuss choosing an agent to list your house. In the meantime, if you have any real estate-related questions, please contact me!
Anne-Marie Tustin
Realtor Associate in NJ & PA
Keller Williams Realty
Princeton NJ
(609) 987-8889 office
(609) 575-8801 direct
atustin@kw.com
www.Anne-MarieTustin.com
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