When preparing your home for sale, the experts say to strip the personality, charm, and neutralize the rooms to appeal to the masses.  There is a little truth to that...but not much. The important thing is to make your home appeal to everyone, but if your home inviting, who wouldn't be able to envision themselves there.  

To neutralize your home does not mean that everything needs to be beige, empty,and sterile.  Not real inviting. There are so many colors that are appealing and will work with most peoples decor.  To warm up a dark space try using colors like , ambers, golds, and creams.  Or for a little more dimension grey, olive, or slate blue, these colors look awesome teamed with white trim.  If you look at the paint swatches at your local home improvement store , the color goes from the darkest saturation and gradually changes to the lightest tint.  

Stay away from bold statements like red or orange, try rust or persimmon. Keep your sofa neutral, and add texture.  By some new throw pillows in bold geometric shapes.  Clean off those "catch all" coffee tables and  place a few vintage books and a bouquet of fresh seasonal flowers.  Its that easy. 

How do  you live your life in a house that has to be picture perfect at anytime.  Easier said then done,  I assume.  But believe it or not its possible.  Lets start with your kitchen, "the center of the home"......its hard to de-personalize and de-clutter this space, but it can be done.  Kitchen increase the property value of your home so if the stainless steel appliances are covered with hardened spaghetti stains, and little Maddy paper mache ocean floor project has taken over the quaint breakfast nook.....you could be in trouble.

First of all, the refrigerator or information board take your pick.  Usually this huge magnetic space if covered with PATT memo's, shopping list, hand draw art, and tacky moose magnets.  The top of the fridge is usually the catch all for cereal boxes, bread, and dusty baskets......get rid of it all.  This screams to potential homeowners, WE HAVE NO STORAGE!!!!!!    The solution clean off the top  of the fridge and try using a decorative table runner and as runner for the fridge.  They come in a variety of textures and prints and while it hangs down on either side of the fridge it can hide those paper work schedules, school lunch menu's, and PATT memos.  

A clean kitchen speaks volumes, when you are about to show your home....do your dishes, please. I don't think there is ever a good place for a cat box, but I'm pretty sure its a turn-off in a kitchen.    Cleaning off the the counter and places perhaps a glass bowl of lemons or now that we are approaching fall some pumpkins or apples.  The  buyer need to be able to envision themselves there, hard to do if they can't get past all the unnecessary stuff.  In the meantime, I know you still have to live...but its kind of nice living clutter free.