A well-prepared home produces a noticeably better sale. Here are the small things you can do in the week before — and the things you should never do.
The week before
- Leave utilities on. Electricity, water, and climate control make the sale comfortable and safer for everyone.
- Clear driveway access. Move personal vehicles off-street where possible.
- Secure pets. Most sales run with pets off-site or fully closed off.
- Notify neighbors. A quick card in mailboxes the week before goes a long way.
- Alert the HOA. Many HOAs require notification of estate or garage sales.
- Check for local permit rules. Some St. Louis municipalities require a permit for weekend sales. We handle this when it applies.
Do not
- Do not vacuum or dust obsessively. Buyers expect estate sale environments. Clean is good; stripped is not.
- Do not rearrange the furniture. We have already staged.
- Do not re-price items once our tags are on.
- Do not add “extras” last-minute without telling us — any item in the sale needs to be appraised and tagged.
- Do not show the sale to friends before opening. Reserve a separate walkthrough time if needed.
Parking and logistics
For busy sales on quiet streets we often post discreet signs requesting buyers park one direction only. If street parking is tight, we may coordinate with a nearby church or lot. All of this is handled by us, but being aware helps you set expectations with neighbors.
Security during the sale
- All cash handled by our trained checkout staff — not in the open.
- One entrance, one exit whenever possible.
- High-value items behind glass or on the checkout table.
- Uniformed staff throughout the home.
- Owner belongings (not for sale) in a locked room or clearly-marked zone.
After the sale closes
On Sunday at 2:00 PM the sale ends. Our team handles:
- Final buyer pickups through 3:00 PM if prearranged.
- Breakdown of tables, displays, and signage.
- Light cleaning and vacuuming.
- Loading of donation items for scheduled charity pickup.
- Keys returned to you, your realtor, or your attorney per plan.
Our commitment: the home is left in the condition you expected — often cleaner than when we arrived.