"Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success." - Henry Ford

Why not ask a professional what they think will be your best bang for the buck when selling your house.  You want to get the most for it, sure...but you don't have to overdo it either.  A realtor can tell you what buyers are looking for in today's market, what is outdated and what is good about your house.  

Some items can actually be broken and need to be replaced or fixed and some items are outdated and should be updated to get the best offer on your property.  Here is a short list of some of the things that get the highest return: updated kitchens/bathrooms, new garage doors, updated lighting, paint, cabinet/door/window hardware and more.

It's always nice to leave the new homeowners (once you close) pertinent documents like warranty info on appliances and other things, copies of surveys, older pictures of the property, legal documents, HOA documents, a list of need-to-know things like postal or garbage details and whatever might come up later down the road for the buyers.

A clean house will do miracles with selling a home.  Real estate has a lot to do with psychology and when potential buyers visit your house, and they see it is clean the get a good vibe about the property.  A dirty house will only turn people away because they can't feel comfortable in the space.  Remember to always lock up items of value when showing your house too. This includes firearms, money, jewelry, keep sakes and medications.  Make sure to put away all pictures of your family too, 1. for security and 2. psychologically, you want buyers to see themselves in the house.  They don't want to envision another family there.

Spending a little extra or putting in the extra effort on staging the property can go a long way in helping people envision the space and what can or can't fit in each room.  It also makes the house feel more complete, lived in - again back to how psychology plays a role in selling a house.

Before a buyer steps into your house, they had to walk through your yard.  Meaning they saw the outside of your house first and they saw the lawn and landscaping all before they stepped foot into the house.  Many buyers will make up their minds in the driveway before they get out of the car based on what they see outside.  There are plenty of potential buyers who will simply drive by a property to get a feel of the property and neighborhood, and you can lose them before they even step in the door if your property curb appeal isn't up to standard.