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You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

If you are planning to put your home on the real estate market this spring and it has the "lived-in" look, resembles the television set for 'That '70s Show', or needs a general sprucing up, consider a new trend called "home staging".

Staged homes, those redecorated and de-cluttered for a better presentation, generally sell faster and at a higher price. The role of the professional Home Stager is to analyze the décor and home and make changes and updates to help a home sell.

While home staging starts with clearing the clutter, packing personal items and rearranging the furniture for a better presentation, it can also mean fresh paint, new carpet and landscape changes or additions.

Since prospective home buyers make a decision within 5 seconds of walking through your front door, you want to appeal the widest possible range of people previewing your home and you want the buyers to imagine themselves living in the house.

Lori Matzke, a professional home stager and owner of Center Stage Home Presentation Services, offers consulting services with various pricing from hourly to daily rates. She provides this list of tips, culled from her years of experience, to help the do-it-yourselfer create the right scenes and scents to make the home attractive to home buyers:

1. Room Editing - Rooms oftentimes get overcrowded with stuff. If you had planned on discarding any furnishings before moving, do it before your home goes on the market.

   If you simply have too much furniture, move it to the basement, garage or put it in storage. This will free up the room and make it seem more spacious and airy -- an appealing selling point.

2. Furniture Arrangement - As in room editing, well-placed furnishings can also open up a room. Avoid lining furniture along all four walls. Try placing a piece or two on an angle. In the living areas, include an area for cozy conversation or an out-of-the-way corner for reading.

3. Clutter Elimination - Since you want potential buyers to be noticing the house itself, and not your belongings, this is the perfect time for significant collections such as knick-knacks, trophies, and overstuffed book cases to be boxed up for the move.

   Clear off kitchen and bath countertops from small appliances, little jars, bottles, and tubes of stuff to create a feeling of spaciousness in a room.

4. Making Scents - Just like certain smells can trigger memories in a person, the scent of your home can leave a lasting impression on a potential buyer. For this reason, avoid cooking smelly foods such as fish, liver, garlic, onions, or anything fried or spicy before showing your home.

   If weather permits, open windows and doors to let in some fresh air. During winter months, baking a frozen loaf of bread, cookies, or pie can be an inviting fragrance. And though you never want to over-perfume your home, you may want to light a candle as a quick and aromatic remedy. Stay away from sharp floral scents and stick with a vanilla or cinnamon fragrance.

5. Lighting - Show your rooms in the best possible light...natural! If heavy drapes or curtains block the view, leave them open. The same goes for any kind of blind. Light makes a room seem bright and cheery.

   Clean windows and screens, inside and out, to make a big impact on the light coming into a room. If you have a room or two with dark walls or no windows, leave a few of the lights on at all times during showings. If overhead lighting seems too stark, try just leaving on a lamp or two for drama.

6. Material Things - Stained, dingy towels are a no-no for a home showing. In the kitchen and bath, consider setting out guest towels and soaps. Inevitably, a visitor or two will be in need during the showing.

   Throw rugs and carpets should also be in good condition. And if they are not completely necessary, they should be removed altogether. Never lay a rug over carpeting. Tattered or worn bedspreads should be removed and beds should always be made.

7. Using Flora - In spring and summer, an outdoor container garden or lush hanging planter is appealing and can add a lot of impact. If your house is going on the market early in the season, consider purchasing mature plants rather than starting from scratch.

   A home's interior can benefit from flowers and greenery, as well. A simple market bouquet can brighten up any room of the home and has a charming appeal.

8. Clean! - There is nothing more appealing than a clean home. If you are not into cleaning, consider hiring a professional. Make a list for each room, paying particular attention to your homes entry, kitchen, and bath areas.

9. Curb Appeal - It all comes down to first impressions and this is the very first impression you are going to make on a potential buyer. Make sure house numbers are easy to read. Clear any clutter in the yard such as kids toys, lawn and garden tools, etc. Trim over-grown trees and shrubs.

   If your mailbox is looking a little shabby, a fresh coat of rustproof paint is a quick and inexpensive investment that should do the trick. Any fences that need mending, or are in need of a quick coat of paint, should be taken care of as well. In summer, make sure lawn is kept mowed and green, sidewalks are clean and mud-free. In winter, sidewalks and steps should be snow and ice-free.

10. Opening Doors - Pay particular attention to the allure of the entrance to your home. This will be the buyers' first up-close and personal view. Make your entrance welcoming. The exterior itself should be dirt and cobweb free. Either sweep or hose off steps and siding.

    The door should be cleaned or repainted. Doorknobs, doorbells, and lighting fixtures should be polished. Any glass in the door or entryway area should be sparkling. If you keep a rug in front of the door and it has seen better days, invest in a new one.

11. Appliance Reliance (especially important if appliances are built-in or being sold with the home) - Ovens, stovetops, and range fans should be well cleaned and grease-free. If drip pans have burnt-on grease and are unsalvageable, they should be replaced with new ones from any national discount store. Clean out the refrigerator fan grate, which can collect a lot of dust. It is easy to remove and may be cleaned with a damp cloth.

12. Floor to Ceiling - If carpeting is looking tired and old, have it professionally cleaned or rent a carpet cleaner from your local hardware or rental store and do it yourself. Pay particular attention to high traffic areas and/or stains. If carpeting in a particular area is well worn and stains cannot be cleaned, consider replacing it. A medium grade, neutral color will prove quite cost effective in the long run. Ditto for vinyl flooring.

    Walls should be free of dirt and nicks. Use SoftScrub and a damp cloth on marks. For light-colored walls, use a non-abrasive cleanser with bleach. If walls and ceilings have permanent stains or nicks, consider repainting. Choose light, neutral colors, instead of stark white. Add a tinge of cream to warm up the room and make it feel more homey and inviting.

13. Mr. Fix-It - Small repairs should be made before selling your home. Loose railings, leaky faucets, broken hinges, and damaged gutters should be repaired or replaced. In the long run, these little renovations can make a big impact by showing that your home has been well cared for.

14. The Pet Zone - If you have pets, keep cages, dishes, and litter boxes clean at all times. Pet hair should be frequently vacuumed. Doggy droppings should be scooped up from the front lawn and disposed of. And always cage or kennel pets when your house is being shown.

15. Stage Left! - Visuals are important and should be kept in mind when home staging efforts are underway. Well-placed furnishings can make even cramped rooms seem generous. If you were thinking of editing your furnishings before moving on, consider doing it now.

    Nice, homey touches such as fresh cut flowers, elegant guest towels, and the tempting indulgence of hard candies or mints left on the counter as a thank-you can provide an overall ambiance that is sure to make a lasting impression.

Pat Rioux

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