If you are looking to sell your home, but haven't done much to upgrade it in the last few

If you are looking to sell your home, but haven't done much to upgrade it in the last few years, you are in for a big surprise. Many homeowners make major improvements, repaint their entire home, install new carpet or hardwood floors, purchase new windows and window treatments, or add a deck or patio to the homestead over the course of the first few years. If you haven't even don't any of that or if it has been a long time since you have, then you need to make some changes and quickly.

What you need to do is to give your home a new look that places it beyond the other homes in the neighborhood that are on the market to sell. Perhaps one of the best things about doing it now is the simple fact that you don't even have to like what it is that you do because you aren't going to be living there. Plus, there are changes you can make that are not going to cost you a significant dollar amount.

Large renovations are typically out of the running. After all, time is of the essence and you don't want to spend any more money than you need to spend. Bright and airy sells, so that is that is the main goal here- every room should be transformed into a brightly lit and spacious living area that exudes the feeling of luxury and comfort.

Since the goal usually is to keep the cost factor as low as possible, peruse the clearance area of every home improvement store in the area. Additionally, you can keep garden centers and discount stores on the list of stores to visit.

Let's start with opening up the rooms to create part of the airy atmosphere that you should aim to achieve. First, think about how much the mover is charging per hour to relocate your stuff from this home to the new home. Then, decide what you can live without and box it up. Take it to a local charity organization and ask for a receipt. You can use this as a tax deduction and save yourself some more money in addition to a lower charge from your mover.

Alternatively, you can run a yard sale and price everything for a dollar or less. You will get rid of most of this stuff, especially if you advertise on the bulletin boards at local stores and on the Internet. Anything that is left can go out to the curb with a giant sized sign that clearly portrays the word "free." Just make sure you clean up after the hordes of people that go through your things looking for something of value.

Never stuff your excess items into your closets, pantries, and bureau drawers. Even the attic and basement are off limits. You might be cleaning up the house by stuffing everything out of sight, but once the people doing a walk through of your home get hit with items falling out of the closet, they may leave and never come back. Plus, it simply makes it look as though your closets, pantries, attic, and basement are too small to store much of anything.

Purchase a few closet organizers or shoe trees. Not only will this neaten up your storage space and give it that airy feel that is desirable, but also, you won't mind leaving them with the house since you only paid a few dollars for them. As you rearrange your closets, toss a few more things into the trash or discard pile.

Now that you have cleaned out the clutter, you can afford to brighten up the rooms to give them that sparkle and glisten that everyone associates with newness. Go on a "scrounge and shop" mission and purchase any of the following items that you can purchase for a significantly reduced price: recessed lighting fixtures, track lighting fixtures, pole lamps, fluorescent lighting fixtures, under the cabinet fluorescent lighting fixtures, solar lights for the yard, and exterior lighting fixtures.

Brightening up your home has a lot to do with placing your lights in the best locations, upgrading from incandescent to fluorescent for a softer yet brighter look, and providing a sufficient number of lights in the home. If you can install these on your own, do so and save yourself some money. If you need to do rewiring though, you will need to hire an electrician so that everything is done to code. Barter with a neighbor, relative, or friend for a reduced rate if you can.

Take a walk through your entire home in the evening and look specifically for the darkest areas of the home. Now, you know where to start. Install lights in areas that need them, replace incandescent with fluorescent fixtures, and brighten the rooms that typically take a lot of traffic such as the kitchen, den, or living room with additional fixtures.

Now, so far, you have opened up some space in your home and brightened it up. It is already beginning to look like new. However, all this new lighting has brought several things to your attention. The carpets are stained, the walls are dingy, and the curtains look like something from the sixties. It is time for another round of "scrounge and shop." Take some measurements before you leave for your mission. Measure every window, doorway, and tiled floor. You never know what you are going to find, and you do not want to come home empty handed.

First, visit the paint department of the store. There is always something on clearance due to unsatisfied customers refusing to purchase an improperly mixed custom color. It's amazing how inexpensive paint becomes when nobody wants it. Only purchase neutral colors for the main living areas. If there aren't any on clearance, buy something on sale. Wait until you visit the last store, however, just in case you find something. Try not to select anything too wild such as eggplant purple or royal blue.

Now, it's time to move to the rest of the clearance items. Look for blinds of any kind to replace the curtains in your home. They are easy to install and most people will be thrilled when you say that you are leaving them and yes, they are brand new. It might be a bit of an unnecessary expense, but most people take their precious curtains with them and the buyer is left with naked windows. Allowing the buyers to keep the blinds is a step in the right direction.

Plus, it's okay if the blinds aren't all the same type with the exception that blinds that are being used in the same room do need to be the same. If you cannot find enough blinds to go around, look at the swags and valances that are on clearance for a substitute.

Next, check out the decor items that are on clearance. If you can find some inexpensive light switch plates, kitchen cabinet knobs, wall mirrors, or pull chains for your ceiling lights, consider purchasing a few. Not only will they add a nice touch, but also, you won't need to clean them when you clean the rest of the home. Plus, you do need to clean the entire home if you want to sell it quickly. A clean home gives the appearance of being well-cared for and this is a big selling feature.

Therefore, search through the clearance and sale items for cleaning solutions for the carpets, the windows, and woodwork. The final things that you need to pick up on this trip are a few clearance mats or rugs for the entryways and trouble spots. Don't worry about the expense. You should be well under three hundred dollars if you have done your searching for the best deals and that is a small price to pay for a six figure sales tag.

Now it is time to paint, clean, and polish up. Prepare your home properly for the painting so that you have less clean up time. Clean the carpets next. Place the throw rugs that you purchased over the "impossible-to-remove" stains and in the entryways. Polish the woodwork for an added shine and sparkle.

It is time to install any replacement items that you have purchased including the light switch plates, kitchen cabinet knobs, wall mirrors, and pull chains. Place the mirrors in the smallest or darkest rooms to help open them up and make them appear to be more spacious and airy than they are.

Before every home showing or open house, do a light dusting, vacuum the house lightly, empty the trash, mow the lawn, and bake something that smells delicious. Arrange a vase of colorful flowers in front of any mirrors that you might have. Avoid leaving dirty dishes in the dishwasher or sink. However, leave a book or magazine on the kitchen table so the potential buyers don't get the idea that you just cleaned house.