Are you thinking about having an estate sale but unsure how to prepare your home before interviewing estate sale companies? Here are some easy and practical tips to make sure both you and your home are ready for the process.
What You Don’t Need to Do:
No need to donate items yet
Start by deciding which belongings you and your family want to keep. Don’t worry about donating or tossing anything just yet—most estate sale companies handle that for you. If something might sell, leave it. Donation and clean-out should happen after the sale.
No need to organize your home
You may feel tempted to organize closets or the kitchen before meeting with a company. But estate sale professionals use strategic staging and interior design techniques to highlight valuable items and create a visually appealing flow. Save your energy for more important tasks—organizing is part of the service you’re hiring.
No need to group similar items together
Avoid moving all frames into one room or consolidating decor from different parts of the house. During the staging process, estate sale companies thoughtfully place and style items to create themes and improve the shopper experience. Let the experts do what they do best.
What You Should Do:
Remove personal and sentimental items
Take the time to go through your home and remove anything you don’t want to sell. This includes family photos, tax documents, personal paperwork, sentimental keepsakes, checkbooks, and anything you plan to take with you.
Clearly mark items not for sale
For anything you’re keeping but haven’t removed yet, use sticky notes or painter’s tape to clearly indicate what’s off-limits. This helps the estate sale company understand what stays and what goes.
Dispose of obvious trash (but use judgment)
If you’re certain something is trash, feel free to throw it away. But don’t toss household items like gently used furniture, home decor, cleaning products, clothing, or shoes—these can often sell and should be assessed by professionals first.
Helpful Resources to Get Started:
- ✅ Download Our Estate Sale Interview Checklist – Ready to start interviewing companies? Use our free checklist to guide you through the process.
- 📝 Read Our Blog – Recycling Common Estate Sale Finds
- ⭐ Find the Right Team – Learn how to choose the right estate sale company with our blog: 3 Easy Ways To Guarantee You Hire The Best Estate Sale Company
Trust the Process—And the Pros:
Hiring the right estate sale company should feel like a relief, not a burden. A hands-off, stress-free experience is part of what you’re paying for—so take a deep breath and let the experts step in. You can learn more about how to hire the best estate sale company here.
