So what do you do after you've removed clutter and personal items?  Then the real fun begins. 

The next thing to do is to make sure that closets, cabinets and storage spaces aren't overstuffed (I know, that's where you stored all the personal items and clutter you just removed).  One rule of thumb is to remove 1/3 to 1/2 of items in closets, etc.  This is to highlight how much space there actually is.  If buyers see spaces crammed full, they'll think there isn't enough storage space. 

It's then time to remove excess furniture and simplify the layout.  Again, staging a home for sale is not the same as decorating for living.

Let me illustrate with some before and after pictures, kindly provided by Linda Esposito of Housesetters, a local staging professional.

The photo below is the before picture.  The room is almost claustrophic, with the closed curtains, full bookcase, and the amount of furniture.

Now lets look at the same room after Linda has worked her magic.  Heavy curtains removed, the others open to let in the light and highlight the large window (that was almost invisible before). Open space, a simple display of a few items, no cluttered bookcase, no curio cabinet.  Which room would you prefer?

Let's look at another example:

And after:

And one last one: