Few adventures are as fun and exhilarating as looking for and buying a new house. But if you already own a home that you need to sell, that fun and exhilaration can quickly turn to headaches and panic if you can’t sell as fast as you’d like to. The old real estate agent slogan of “location, location, location” may not apply if your house isn’t ready to sell.

You can do a lot to put your house in a more sellable condition. The question, however, is how much value will some of those last-minute home improvement projects bring in the long run?

Staging a house simply means getting it ready to sell, and it’s likely that your real estate agent has an expert in the field that he or she works with. And even though it may not take major home repair and remodeling to get your house ready, a few key projects can go a long way to getting your house sold.

1. Clean and de-clutter – It can be emotionally difficult to sell your house, especially if you have a lot of memories of special milestones. But taking steps like minimizing the furniture in certain rooms to make them look more spacious, and taking down personal touches like family portraits or religious items, may make it easier for prospective buyers to imagine themselves in your house.

2. A fresh coat of paint – Painting is one of the most inexpensive home improvement projects you can take on. New paint can help lighten almost any room, and is terrific in covering scuffs or marks that build up over time.

3. Maximize curb appeal – Depending on where you live and what time of year you’re looking to sell, spend some time on the outside of the house to make sure it looks good. Simple items like making sure the lawn is mowed, and bushes and trees trimmed, can make a big difference. If you’re selling in the winter, make sure the driveway is clear of ice and snow.

4. Spend wisely – Make sure you don’t make big fixes that won’t pay you back in the sale of the house. Experts feel you’re more likely to recoup the cost of paint or deep cleaning the house then you are a new roof, air conditioning or heating system.

The vast majority of home-shoppers decide on whether they want to view your house in-person depending on the pictures they see online, according to homestagingresource.com, which means simple home repairs and a tidy, de-cluttered house can make the difference in your home selling quickly or not.