How to stage your home: Room layout and space planning can be a daunting experience, especially if you are undertaking a remodelling project to maximise the value of your home in advance of putting it on the market.

Before talking to your architect or builder make sure you know what you want, is the advice from Dublin designer and architectural model maker Katie Galvin. "Make a list of what does work and what doesn't work in your home and outline what you want and why. Is it to get more light or to maximise space, or example?" The more information you give to the professionals the more you get, she explains. Simple design tips such as creating a "work triangle" between the cooker, fridge and sink are the key to a successful kitchen, according to Galvin.

Getting these units as close together as possible to each other will make your kitchen more user friendly. Allowing 1.2 metres (4ft) of circulation space where people are likely to pass each other is another tip from Galvin.

This week she is launching a new planning kit to help people remodel the living space in their homes and assist in getting the message across to advisors and the professionals. Called Modelrooms, Galvin's kit comprises magnetic boards, magnetised scale pieces (including set-to-scale furniture, appliances, doors, windows, stairs and walls) that can be used to create your room plan.

You can move pieces around and get advice from inspiration cards. It allows you to create a clear room plan without any skill or training and more importantly, share these design ideas easily with an interior designer, architect or bathroom sales company. A full house kit costs €120 and a bathroom kit 70. The kit will be on display at the Spring Home and Garden Show at the RDS this weekend.

www.modelrooms.com 01 2804228