Selling a house is no walk in the park. A tremendous amount of work is involved in staging a house to sell it, especially if you want to bring in the top dollar for your home. With a bit of cautious planning, you can make your home look amazing from the inside out in less than two weeks. Take these steps to prepare your house efficiently.

Step 1: Remember that it is just a house, not an extension of you.

If you never “let go” of the home, you will have trouble setting it up to be sold. Imagine yourself handing over the keys to the home and feeling happy about it. It is also wise to avoid potential distractions for buyers. Pack up personal photographs that might distract buyers. Your goal is for buyers to envision their own photos gracing the walls of the home.

Step 2: Eliminate the clutter.

You might not even realize how much “junk” you have out in the open. Box up, donate or trash those items that don’t add a positive, open vibe to the house. This includes books, knickknacks and anything taking up precious counter space. Don't have enough space? Consider renting a storage unit until you can sell the house.

Step 3: Make your house snoop-free.

You never know when buyers are going to take a peek in your closets and cabinets. Ensure that anything potentially embarrassing is hidden away, and take a few moments to clean out each cabinet. Get those spice jars in order and stack those bowls. Line up the shoes and hang up all those clean clothes on the floor.

Step 4: Remove any fixtures you aren’t leaving behind.

It would be difficult to tell a buyer that you are taking built-in appliances and fixtures with you once they have seen them. Remove the potential for nitpicking and heartbreak by removing these items, including chandeliers, window coverings and faucet handles, before you even show the house.

Step 5: Fix small problems around the house.

Notice cracked floor tiles? What about a hole in the wall or a leaky faucet? Fix those problems right away. You don’t want to give your buyers reason to remember your home as one with faults; leave a good impression instead!

No matter your goals for your home, taking time to prepare it for viewings will save you time, stress and money.