If you’re planning to sell, the weeks before your listing goes live are where you can create the biggest shift in buyer perception, and that perception is what drives inspections, competition, and price.

Most buyers scroll listings fast. They decide in seconds whether your home feels “worth seeing.”

The goal of preparation isn’t perfection. It’s removing friction.

You want buyers to walk in and think: This feels easy. This feels right. I can see myself here.

This quick-read guide covers the five highest-impact steps to prepare your property for sale. Use this as your practical checklist to improve presentation, attract more buyers, and support a stronger sale result.

1) Declutter: Create Space Buyers Can “Read”

Decluttering is the fastest way to make a home feel bigger, brighter, and more valuable. It’s also one of the most overlooked steps, because owners often don’t realise how much “visual noise” they live with.

Buyers aren’t just looking at your furniture and belongings, they’re scanning for storage, layout, and lifestyle. Clutter interrupts that. It makes rooms feel smaller and can create the impression the home doesn’t have enough space, even when it does.

What to focus on

Start with high-impact zones first:

Kitchen benchtops (aim for mostly clear surfaces)
Entryway (shoes, bags, keys, “drop zone” items)
Living room (too many cushions, decor clusters, excess furniture)
Bathrooms (products, bottles, hair tools)
Bedrooms (overfilled wardrobes, bedside clutter)
Laundry (baskets, detergents, cleaning items on display)

The rule that works

A simple benchmark: remove 30% of what’s visible in each room.

That usually gets you to “open and calm” without making the home feel empty.

Don’t forget hidden clutter

Buyers open cupboards. Overstuffed storage makes them assume the home lacks space. Before inspections:

Thin out wardrobes
Neaten linen cupboards
Organise pantry shelves
Clear under-sink areas

Quick wins

Put personal photos into a box (you can bring them back later)
Remove bulky, unused furniture to improve flow
Hide pet items where possible (beds, bowls, litter trays)
Store kids’ toys in lidded baskets or a single tub per zone

Decluttering isn’t about making your home sterile. It’s about making it easy for someone else to imagine living there.

2) Repairs: Fix The “Small Things” That Create Doubt

Buyers interpret small defects as signals. A dripping tap, sticky door, loose handle, or cracked switch plate doesn’t just look minor, it can plant a bigger thought: What else hasn’t been looked after?

Repairs build confidence. Confidence drives stronger offers.

What repairs matter most

You don’t need a renovation. You need to remove obvious “red flags” and distractions.

Prioritise:

Doors that don’t close properly
Sticking locks, damaged handles, broken latches
Leaking taps and toilets that run
Loose towel rails, wobbly railings, creaky steps
Cracked tiles, missing grout, silicone mould in wet areas
Burnt-out lights (replace with consistent colour temperature if possible)
Holes in walls, scuffs, chipped paint on trims
Broken screens, torn flywire
Faulty fans, rattling exhausts

The psychology behind it

Buyers don’t mind an older home. They mind uncertainty.

When the small stuff is fixed, the whole home feels “maintained”, and that reduces resistance during negotiation.

When to get help

If you have multiple issues, book a handyman for a half-day and knock them out in one visit. It’s often one of the best-value costs in a pre-sale plan.

A smart boundary

Avoid starting big projects late (major bathroom upgrades, full kitchen changes) unless you’ve planned it properly.

Last-minute renovations can spiral and delay your listing. Small repairs, on the other hand, are predictable, affordable, and high-impact.

3) Clean: Make The Home Feel Fresh, Bright, And Cared For

A proper clean is one of the highest-return steps you can take. Buyers may forgive dated finishes, but they rarely forgive grime. Cleanliness is emotional. It signals pride of ownership and makes the property feel more “move-in ready.”

Think of cleaning in two layers:

Deep clean (once, before photos)
Maintenance clean (before each open home)

Deep clean checklist (the stuff buyers notice)

Windows inside and out (if possible)
Skirting boards, door frames, light switches
Fans, vents, air con filters
Shower screens, grout, drains
Oven, rangehood filters, cooktop
Dust on top of cupboards and high shelves
Mirrors and glass (streak-free)
Cobwebs under eaves and in corners
Floors, edges, and under furniture

The smell factor (huge)

Scent is a deal-maker or deal-breaker. Aim for “neutral clean,” not heavy fragrance.

Remove sources first:

Pet odours (wash bedding, clean litter areas thoroughly)
Damp/mould smells (treat the cause, ventilate, use dehumidifier if needed)
Bin smells (clean bins, especially in cupboards)
Old food smells (clean fridge, pantry, and under appliances)

Open windows before inspections and keep the home smelling simply fresh.

Consider professional cleaning

If your budget allows, a professional clean before photography often pays for itself by lifting the perceived quality in photos and at inspections. Clean listings feel more premium, and premium attracts better buyers.

4) Staging: Help Buyers Picture The Lifestyle (Not Just The Rooms)

Staging is about guiding attention. It helps buyers understand how the home works and how it will feel to live there.

Great staging creates a sense of ease, warmth, and aspiration, without buyers consciously noticing why.

This doesn’t always mean hiring furniture. Many homes can be staged effectively using what you already have, with a few key upgrades.

What staging does (in plain terms)

Makes rooms feel larger and more functional
Creates flow between spaces
Highlights natural light
Helps buyers emotionally connect
Improves photography dramatically

The five staging priorities

1) Define each space clearly
If a room is used as a dumping ground or has mixed purposes, buyers get confused. Make it obvious:

Dining area looks like dining
Study looks like study
Spare room looks like a bedroom

2) Create clear walkways
Reposition furniture so movement feels easy. If buyers have to squeeze past a couch, the room feels too small.

3) Balance the room (not too full, not too empty)
A common mistake is leaving a room under-furnished. Empty rooms don’t always feel bigger, they can feel cold or awkward.

4) Use simple styling anchors
A few items go a long way:

Cushions and throws (neutral, textured)
A rug to define living zones
Fresh towels in bathrooms
A simple centrepiece (bowl, book stack, small plant)
Fresh bedding with clean, hotel-style layers

5) Focus on the hero areas
If you do nothing else, stage these first:

Entry
Living room
Kitchen
Main bedroom
Outdoor entertaining (even small patios)

The staging “don’ts”

Don’t over-decorate (buyers need breathing space)
Don’t use loud colours or personal themes
Don’t fill every wall with art
Don’t leave family admin on display (notes, calendars, paperwork)

Staging should make buyers feel like the home is easy to move into, and easy to love.

5) Photography: Make The Listing Stop The Scroll

Photography is where your preparation gets converted into enquiry. Most buyers form their opinion before they ever step inside.

If your photos don’t show the home at its best, you can lose the strongest buyers before the first open home.

In a market where listings compete side-by-side online, quality photography is not optional. It’s the sales tool.

Why professional photography matters

Professional photographers know how to:

Use correct angles so rooms look realistic (not distorted)
Balance light so spaces feel bright but natural
Capture flow and layout properly
Edit consistently for a premium finish

Phone photos and poorly lit images can make a good home look average. And once the “average” impression forms, it’s hard to change.

Best practice before the photographer arrives

Do a full “photo-ready sweep” of the home:

Benches clear (especially kitchen and laundry)
Beds made perfectly (tight corners, layered pillows)
Bins removed from view
Toilet lids down
Cords, remotes, and chargers hidden
Bath mats removed (unless they’re styled and crisp)
Remove cars from driveway if possible
Put pets away (and hide pet items)
Turn on all lights (replace blown bulbs beforehand)

Timing and light

Ask your agent or photographer about the best time of day for your property. Light direction changes everything, especially for:

Living areas
Outdoor entertaining
Street/front facade

Consider the extras (only if they suit the property)

Depending on your home and location, these can help:

Floor plan (highly recommended for layout clarity)
Twilight/front facade shot (great for street appeal)
Drone photography (useful for acreage, views, proximity to water)
Video walkthrough (works best for lifestyle properties)

Photography is the final polish, and it’s only as good as the preparation that happens before it.

A Simple Prep Timeline (So It Doesn’t Feel Overwhelming)

If you want a practical way to tackle this, here’s a clean order that works for most homes:

Declutter first (so you can access what needs cleaning/repairing)
Complete repairs (before deep cleaning, so dust doesn’t undo your work)
Deep clean (then maintain)
Stage and style (final setup)
Photography (once everything is “listing ready”)

Final Thought: Preparation Creates Competition

Preparing your property for sale is about creating a clear, confident first impression, online and in person. When a home feels cared for, clean, and easy to live in, buyers relax. When buyers relax, they stay longer. When they stay longer, they imagine a future there. And that’s what drives offers.

If you want, tell me:

Your property type (house/unit/acreage),
Your target buyer (families/downsizers/investors),
And your timeline (weeks until listing),

…and I’ll turn this into a simple, week-by-week prep plan you can follow.

Top 5 Things To Do To Prepare Your Property For Sale (Before You List)