• Add touches of luxury.  Bring in real plants in beautiful pots; the best linens; and big, white, fluffy towels.
• Paint walls, trim, and ceilings.  Keep adjoining rooms in the same color palette to make the home appear larger and flow better. 
• Use slipcovers on mismatched furniture. It's an inexpensive way to creat visual unity.
• Replace mismatched or poor fitting door handles and cabinet pulls. Buyers rarely get beyond a knob that comes off in their hand.
• Install bamboo floors in contemporary settings.  Bamboo is outpacing maple as the new light-colored wood floor.  Forget parquet and veneered wood flooring; Parquet is still out of favor, and buyers are aware that thin wood veneer can't handle many sandings.
• Refresh closets with organizers and paint them a neutral color.  Make sure closets are lighted and buyers can see the back of all closets and cupboards.
• Identify wall spaces for large and flat-screen televisions.  They're a must-have for most buyers today.
• Clean, organize, and paint basements, attics, and garages.  Many buyers pass on a home because of a "creepy" attic or basement.
• Edit furniture and accessories, including family photos.  Less is more.
• Install new light switch covers.  Most buyersinteract with these during showings.  Worn covers show inattention to detail.
• Purchase the best quality carpet pad.  It can make any new carpeting cushy, and buyers love cushy.

Source:  Mark Nash, Coldwell Banker Residential, Central Street Office, Evanston, IL., author of 1001 Tips for Buying & Selling a Home (South-Western Educational Publishing, 2004)