No, not the rock band; the philsophy. Keep It Simple, Silly. Well, that second S varies, depending who you ask, but we’ll leave it at that.

We know you live in your house. Prospective buyers know you live in your house. Well, really, deep in their subconscious, prospective buyers try to envision themselves living in your house. Having as few personal effects visible as possible makes it a whole lot easier for them to do so.

With this in mind, pack up and store all but the most prized nick-nacks. Then, go back and pack up half of what you left out. If it’s something you’re likely to use before you move, or packing it away would leave a wall or display case completely bare, by all means, leave it. But, if it’s not in a display case or it’s not the last thing hanging on that wall, pack it and get it out of the house. Storage units aren’t that expensive and many are climate controlled and feature gated access and on-site security.

You’ve just made your house a whole lot more inviting to buyers and, as a wonderful side-effect, protected your most treasured posessions from damage or theft.

If you have pets, there are a few things you definitely need to keep in mind when selling your home. I know you love them and don’t want to be without them, but your options are limited if you want to get top dollar for your home and sell as quickly as possible.

When a prospective buyer sees a cat or dog, the first thing they think is pet stains. You know, those stains and odors which (although there are a number of products on the market that remove them permanently) everyone just knows will never come out. That thought alone is often enough to turn someone off of buying your home.

If you’re living in your house while you sell it, ask a friend or family member to take care of your pets. If you can’t find someone willing to watch them for a while, find a reputable kennel or pet motel where they can stay in the interim. If you’re moving out of the house while you sell, all is good, take them with you.

Once you have your pets out of the house, you’re almost home free. Be sure to vacuum everything, carpet, rugs, hard floors, drapes, furniture, lamps; everything. You want to get up every bit of pet hair.

Once you’ve done this, look around for anything that may have been scratched or chewed by your favorite furry (or hairless) friend and get it out of the house. If what’s been damaged is part of the house, repair it.

If there are any pet stains, use an enzyme-based product, such as OdorOut-222, to remove them. OdorOut does not contain any alcohol or perfumes, it does not hide or mask stains or odors; it chemically breaks them down, removing them permanently. There are many other products on the market that can do this, but I’ve used OdorOut and know it works, not just on pet stains, but on smoke odors and nicotine film, as well (I don’t smoke, but the previous resident of my apartment did). A little off-topic, but it also does wonders for cooking odors that may have been absorbed into walls.

Once you’ve moved your pets out, buyers can picture themselves moving in. You’re well on your way to selling faster, for the highest price you can get!