Prospective buyers make up their minds about your house even before they get out of the car. To ensure they have the right idea, clean up your yard, get rid of unsightly weeds, and sweep your driveway and porches. Get out the rags and cleanser and spend 30 minutes scouring your front door, porch, railings and steps. Then tuck away all your recycling cans and bins at the back of the house or in a corner of the garage.

A common phrase used to describe the importance of uncluttering is: Clutter eats equity. So purge your closets, empty cupboards and box up small appliances. You may even want to rent a storage locker to keep items you simply cannot part with, while throwing out items you've collected over the years that you do not want to take with you to your next home. This will also save you valuable time leading up to your moving date. Ensure you pay close attention to your countertops and coffee tables as well.

You want buyers to imagine themselves living in your home, so stash anything connected to your family or personal interests. Hide your son's hockey trophies, store family photos and remove all traces of day-to-day life. This also included removing personal effects from the bathrooms.

There's nothing worse than stepping into a house that smells of smoke, dampness or pet odors. The easy solution is to keep your windows open for 10 minutes a day. This strategy works better than deodorizers since a lot of people have allergies to artificial room fresheners. The oldest trick of all involves baking a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies. When they're almost ready, turn off the oven and let them cool down. The scent will permeate the house and welcome visitors.

Cleanliness helps put a buyer's mind at ease since it suggests that you've probably take good care of your residence in other ways as well. So clean everything: walls, door handles, light fixtures and cupboards. And don't forget to dust your furnace room and furnace, since this makes your furnace look newer. Power washing windows, walkways, eaves troughs and pathways can also do wonders for your home's exterior.

If you don't have the time or expertise to deal with the aesthetics of your home, consider hiring a professional. Dripping faucets, cracked tiles and mouldy caulking around the bathtub can knock thousands of dollars off the price of your home.

Your single best investment may be a fresh coat of paint in key areas of your home. Try painting your front door and placing some urns with brightly coloured flowers on your front step or just inside the entryway. Remember that small touches can make a house seem cared for and important.

An easy way to create a sense of space is to get rid of some furniture. Moving a sofa and end tables into storage can give a small room some much-needed breathing space. If your furniture dates from the Mulroney era, consider packing it away and renting or borrowing some modern, stylish furniture or a couple of well-chosen pieces of wall art. Keep your rooms clean and simple like a hotel room or the showroom for a new house.

The brighter and sunnier a space, the easier it is to sell. If you don't have the time or energy to clean all of your windows - inside and out - it may be a wise investment to hire a professional window-cleaning company. Thoroughly clean the shades on your light fixtures, change light bulbs and add floor lamps if an area seems dim. Finally, when it comes time to show your home, make sure all the lights are on, especially in hallways.

A couple of planters on your front porch, a vase of flowers on your dining room table, or even a simple rose in a vase can warm up a room. Candles can also do wonders in lighting and warming a room. Make sure, of course, that they're located in safe areas and will not cause a fire. Using essential oils with reed diffusers are a safer alternative to candles if you want to freshen up the air within your home.