Living Room & Family Room Decluttering

Furniture	Remove all furniture but a couch and loveseat, one or two lamp tables and an overstuffed chair or rocker. If it's a smaller room, leave only the love seat.
Pictures or Photos	Leave only one or two that will blend in with your decor. Even though you may have an extensive art collection you're proud of, your goal is to sell your home, not to wow your buyers who come through. Putting them in storage can be a good security move.
Carpets	Make sure your carpets are professionally cleaned and there are no sports or worn areas. Using plastic runners can keep traffic lanes clean. If carpets are badly worn, replace with a light, neutral color.
Hand Railings	Railings are high profile. If they are made of wood and in good condition, wax may be all you need. If they are worn, sand and refinish, so they look like new. Metal can be spray painted to look new.
Trophies	These are emotional items with many sellers. Yes, you did spend a lot of time, talent, and money getting them. But they're a big distraction with many buyers. The big trophy you caught in Baja may alienate a buyer who might otherwise make a full-price offer.
End Tables	One lamp and maybe one or two smaller items. No framed photos or large figurines. Groups of three items (rule of three) seem to resonate the best - that is, two chairs with an end table between them. Flower vase and two small figurines on an end table and so on.
Mantels	Fireplace mantels are great collectors of distracting memorabilia. Clear them off and depending on the material, clean them thoroughly and replace a few small items so you don't get a stark, bare look.
Drapes & Blinds	Some sellers have drapes, sheers, and blinds. In many rooms, it's best to remove the drapes and sheers and leave only the blinds up. Clean the blinds and replace damaged parts. Heavy drapes often make a room look smaller and darker. The more light the better!
Potted Plants	If you have many potted plants, leave only a few that are in perfect condition and scaled to the room - that is, not too big. Absolutely no dead, dying, or wilted plants
Curio Cabinets	If you have valuable crystals, figurines, antiques, or other collectibles, pack them up and put then into secure storage or the garage. This not only removes a distraction, but also gives you some security in case thieves were posing as buyers.