However, if you find it hard to edit your own stuff, then either ask a friend to help or hire a professional home stager.
Call in the Pros
You can locate a professional home stager "much like you would find any other professional service," says Ms. Matzke. Ask around and get referrals. Check with your real estate agent. Many real estate firms keep lists of professionals who can do everything from clean a home to repair a leaking kitchen faucet and will probably have information on home stagers in your area as well.
Professional home stagers or interior redesigners charge by the scope of the work, anywhere from a few hundred dollars for one room to a few thousand dollars for an entire home. It will depend on the size and scale of the work involved.
Most will empty one room at a time then begin to bring back your furnishings and accessories to make a more cohesive design statement.
If you decide to do the work yourself, approach the job the same way. Home staging is home staging, no matter who does it.
Plan to do one room at a time. Remove anything and everything that is personal, shabby, soiled, or crowded. Clean all surfaces thoroughly, then replace only the pieces that look wonderful. In this case, less is more.
