Planning on putting your home on the market? Highlighting your home's strengths while downplaying its weaknesses can be the keys to boosting the value of your home and can help it sell quickly. Home staging can inspire prospective buyers and help them envision their future, but it doesn't have to be a time-consuming, costly process. Take a look at these five home staging tips from real estate companies in Baton Rouge that can help sell your home quickly and for a higher price.

Deep Clean Your Home

A messy, disorganized home creates a poor first impression. Since you won't have time for a complete deep cleaning before every house showing, perform a major cleaning when you first list your home. Then, you'll only have to clean your home periodically as needed. You'll want to clean every part of your house, from the ceilings to the floors and everywhere in between. Follow these deep cleaning tips to ensure that every surface in your home sparkles:

- Wipe down all light fixtures, baseboards, blinds, and ceiling fans
- Clean the windows and mirrors
- Vacuum the vents and registers
- Scrub the grout, sinks, bathtubs, showers, and toilets
- Clean the refrigerator and stove
- Shampoo all carpets and rugs

Let in Natural Light

Try to make your home feel as light and bright as possible. You want to make each room in your home feel warm and welcoming, but this won't be possible if a room is poorly lit. Open all of the curtains and blinds before a house showing to allow natural light to shine into your home. Add mirrors or turn on all the lights in your home if it lacks natural light. Letting more light into your home will make it seem more open and spacious.

Get Rid of Clutter

Clutter makes your home seem smaller and distracts buyers from your home's features. Now is the time to evaluate the items in your home and put into storage anything that you don't use on a day-to-day basis. This includes any knickknacks, seasonal clothes, papers, games, and personal photographs.

Organize Closets and Cupboards

Storage space is one of the top features homebuyers look for. Try to free up as much space as possible in closets, cupboards, and the pantry by removing about half of the items you currently have stored. Organize the rest of your items so your storage areas are neat and appear spacious. Consider using shoe racks, under-shelf baskets, and matching cloth bins to highlight the versatility of your storage space.

Focus on Creating a Positive First Impression

How your home looks from the outside is the first thing homebuyers will notice. Focus on improving your home's curb appeal to make your home more inviting and create a positive first impression. Power wash the exterior, wash all of the windows, and clean the gutters. Mow the grass, trim trees, hedges, and other plants, and remove any weeds. You can also paint the front door and shutters, add colorful potted plants, replace old house numbers, or add a welcome mat.

Talk to your real estate agent about specific changes you can make that will entice buyers and add value to your home.