I was asked to stage a vacant house which had been on the market for 6+ months with no offers.  It definitely needed furniture in place to give it some "oomph" and show how lovely the property truly is. 

As I toured the house to take measurements and devise a plan of action, I discovered this in the main floor bedroom:

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not sure a potential home buyer would find that to be a positive feature.  I suspect some would be quite turned off by it, in fact. 

Upon further inspection of the house, I found these in the bedrooms upstairs:

Not as offensive, but still not an asset most home buyers would emotionally connect with. 

Most amazingly, the Realtor seemed surprised that I was so adamant that they be changed!  I got the sense that she didn't realize how distracting they could be to a buyer.  Needless to say, I purchased and installed new switch plates.

So, let's review.  A house on the market must be neutral if it has any hopes of selling quickly.  Any objects that may be seen as offensive MUST be removed (Playboy Bunnies would fit into this category).  Items that are taste-specific, childish, or sports-related must go as well (custom cars and cutsie kissing kids qualify here).  Nude artwork absolutely has to be replaced, no matter how "tasteful" it may be.  In addition, family photos and religious articles must be packed away.  Ideally, potential buyers should not be able to surmise anything about the current owners of the property. 

Bottom line......don't give buyers a reason to say "Thanks, but no thanks".