When you put your home on the market, you'll have to be prepared to let plenty of people through the front door. Interested buyers will usually want to see the property in person, either at an open house or a private showing arranged by a real estate agent.

Sellers may be concerned about strangers looking through their home while it is on the market. Taking steps to protect your privacy can help alleviate your unease during this time, and also keep you from accidentally giving the buyer an advantage in the transaction.

When selling their residence, homeowners are usually encouraged to keep family photos and other personal items out of sight. Not only will this help a potential buyer picture themselves in the home, it will also keep them from seeing who lives there.

Sellers may overlook other ways they have imprinted their personality on a home, though. Robyn Moser & Associates, a Canadian real estate company, recommends stowing away items that could reveal your age, religion, political leanings, or other personal qualities. A buyer might become biased against the property due to these items and decide not to consider your home.

Diplomas and other certificates or awards are often overlooked when taking down personal items. Homestead Realty, a company in Green Bay, Wisconsin, says a diploma or plaque can reveal information about you and potentially give the buyer an edge when negotiating an offer.

Buyers are unlikely to look through your mail, but they can still glean information about you if the mail is simply kept in the open. The ARAG Insurance Company of Des Moines, Iowa, says documents left on the table can let buyers know your name and what associations you belong to. They may also be able to learn if you are facing any issues, such as a divorce or substantial debt, which may be motivating you to sell. With this information, a buyer could easily determine that you are more likely to accept a lower offer.

Move your mail and other sensitive materials to a secure location. Buyers are encouraged to be a little nosy when perusing a property and will often open built-in drawers and other features that are part of the home. They won't have any reason to look inside a desk drawer or other items that will be leaving with the seller.

Don't relocate all of your personal items to a closet. Buyers will naturally be interested in the home's storage capacity, and will almost certainly check out each of the closets.

Put away any personal planners or calendars. Robyn Moser & Associates says these items can reveal important information about your lifestyle, schedule, and motivation to sell.

If you have a fax machine or answering machine, make sure they are turned off before you allow an agent to show the home. If someone calls during the showing, a buyer can easily find out more about you when they leave a message. Personal information may also be left in plain sight if a fax arrives during a showing.