Have you ever bought a bottle of wine just because you liked the label? Corporations spend millions of dollars creating the right packaging for a new product launch. Publishers spend top dollar creating provocative book jackets to help their titles stand out on the shelf. This is marketing at its most fundamental level, and the same principles apply when selling a home.

The first step in obtaining the best price on your home is to stop thinking about it as. . . your home. Instead, try to think about it as a product in a competitive market. You want your home to stand apart from the crowd. There are several very simple steps that can be taken to improve the prospects of selling your home see the same flowers that can be seen for free almost anywhere from May into September.

While it may be too soon to start spring planting, it's not too early to welcome the brighter days by lightening up your environment. One of the quickest ways to accomplish this is by exchanging heavy winter drapes for light, airy sheers or lace panels. Simple, white cotton curtains conjure those lovely days when the windows are open to a breeze carrying the scent of newly mowed grass or the salt air. The last thing we want on days such as these is to block the sunshine! Lightly colored curtains allow diffused light to filter into a space, making the most of available sunshine. Even the daylight from an early spring snowstorm will filter through white curtains in an attractive manner. You can also brighten up your day quickly by choosing throw pillows, slipcovers or light blankets in colors such as cheery yellow, grass green or robin's egg blue. A pretty vase filled with daffodils, or a bucket with a spray of forsythia blooms, will lighten moods all around. Best of all, many of these suggestions cost very little or nothing. Remember, when you're selling your home, you're selling a fantasy.

Cleanliness sells! Be sure all major appliances, cupboards, heating units, air-conditioning vents and the like sparkle the entire time your house is on the market. All beds should be made every day. Replace shower curtains and liners and say goodbye to all that mildew. Have all windows professionally cleaned, inside and out, and don't forget any skylights. Everyday odors -- from pets, tobacco smoke and strong cooking -- can turn off potential buyers. Drapery and carpeting should be cleaned in every room where smoking occurs; once this is done, smoking should not take place anywhere inside the home while it is on the market. Remove, clean and store all ashtrays. Be sure to run the fan while cooking in the kitchen; if necessary, open the windows for a while, regardless of season, to clear out strong cooking odors. Have all wall-to-wall carpeting shampooed by a professional. If the carpeting is very old, consider replacing it with something in a neutral color. This is not an inexpensive step, but it will greatly improve your home's appeal to house shoppers.

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Lighten up - prospective buyers will be attracted to a bright and cheery home. Start by removing heavy drapes to admit as much sunlight as possible. If the view from your home is beautiful, take full advantage of what Mother Nature offers; if it's less than ideal, consider adding sheers or blinds that admit light but partially obscure the view. Pay attention to how artificial lighting adds, or detracts, from the home's appeal. Keep several lights on at all times, especially in hallways, entryways and small rooms. Make sure all closet lights work. Consider brightening lights by increasing wattage, but be careful -- don't exceed the capacity rating on the lamp or fixture. Re-arrange table and floor lamps to create an even distribution of light around the Prospective buyers frequently drive by properties being offered for sale in the evening. Make sure all outside lights are on and several rooms are lit from within, even if no one is in them. A brightly lit home is a welcoming home. Space, or the perception of it You want to show off all the space your house has to offer.