Top 3 staging tips to help your Boston home sell

It's pretty simple - Boston real estate that is staged or decorated well sells faster and for more money. There have been many articles about the importance of staging a home for sale, but I wanted to give a few quick tips to help you along in the process to make the sale of your home here in Boston seamless and less stressful.

1) Get organized: Find a system that makes cleanup a breeze. Underbed storage totes and baskets are valuable tools to help make cleaning up for a last-minute showing easy. A basket for the desk can tuck in front of the chair, and books and magazines can quickly be tossed from a bedside table into an underbed tote so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.

2) Throw it out!: If you're thinking of selling, don't wait until you are under contract to host your yard sale or put things on Craigslist. Get that out of the way prior to the photography even being shot. From the time I sign a contract with a seller, we gameplan to ensure that the house is show-worthy on day one, and that means when the photographer and videographer arrive for their shoot.

3) Neutralize: The bright purple room? We may want to tone it down a bit. Though it may seem silly to paint something you'll be moving out of so soon, something as simple as a personal paint color can turn off a buyer. In addition, the fridge should be cleaned off and any personal photography should be minimized (my general rule of thumb is 1-3 pieces per room, depending on size). We want your house to feel like a home for buyers, but they need to be able to picture making their own memories there, not sharing in yours.

Following these quick and easy tips will likely lead to your home selling faster and potentially for a higher price. What are your thoughts on "staging"? Has anyone out there had a negative reaction to a certain home that wasn't staged?