Question: If you're thinking about selling your home, how can you make it "bigger" and better looking without spending a cent?

Answer: One sure way for your house to appear larger and more appealing is if clutter is eliminated and furniture and household goods are reorganized.

In fact, the time to have a garage sale is before you put your house on the market, not after it is sold! When you decide to sell, start going through your closets and cupboards, eliminating items you don't want to keep. Do the same in the garage and in your side or backyard. Get rid of or store the odds and ends. It's interesting to note that the longer someone lives in a home, they become used to the clutter. Unfortunately, closets, cupboards and garages brimming with "old treasures" make a home look small and cramped to a prospective buyer. Sellers should also carefully examine their furniture, and consign items that are not needed to the storage or the garage sale. Most homes occupied by the same owner for several years tend to be somewhat overfurnished. Erring on the side of space, not clutter, makes for a more marketable home.

Another "item" that adds to the clutter of a home is excess knickknacks. Scrutinize the kitchen for rarely used utensils/gadgets; miscellaneous items in closets and cupboards, even small furniture and throw rugs, can be neatly stored. Pack or give away clothing that will not be worn as well.

Rearrange and organize. Remove as many articles as possible from the kitchen and bathroom countertops to the cupboards below they'll still be within handy reach in the newly created space. Organize closets. Clear off your nightstands and bureaus. Size up the arrangement of your furniture any room for improvement there?

Examine the walls and windows. Do they need repainting or new window coverings? For some expert, objective advice, have your real estate agent go through the home. Agents know what enhances a property's appearance and what hinders it.