What to Do and What Not to Do Before We Arrive
If you’ve never been through an estate sale before, one of the first questions is usually: “What am I
supposed to do with everything before you get here?”
The answer is usually less than you think. Before you start cleaning out rooms, filling donation boxes,
or throwing things away, use this guide to know what to handle yourself and what to leave for us to
evaluate.
Before You Do Anything Else: Don’t Throw Anything Away
This is the single most important thing we can tell you.
What looks like clutter to you may look completely different to a buyer. Old tools, vintage
kitchenware, costume jewelry, collectibles, clothing, and other everyday items can have a market.
Once they’re donated or thrown away, we never get the opportunity to evaluate them.
When in doubt, leave it where it is until the walkthrough. If something is staying with you or the
family, set it aside and tell us. We’ll help identify what may be saleable before anything is donated or
discarded. It is much easier to remove something later than recover something that is already gone.
What to Do Before We Arrive
Remove Personal Documents and Medications
Before preparation begins, remove anything private or sensitive that should never enter the sale
environment: identification, financial records, legal documents, prescription medications, family
photographs, and other personal materials you intend to keep.
Identify What’s Not for Sale
If something is staying with you or another family member, identify it before pricing begins.
Whenever possible, place those belongings together in a clearly designated “Not for Sale” area. That
creates a clean boundary between what stays and what we are authorized to prepare for sale.
Keep Utilities On
Keep electricity, water, and climate control active through the end of the sale. We need adequate
lighting, access to water, and the ability to test applicable appliances and equipment. A comfortable,
functioning property also creates a better environment for buyers to spend time shopping.
A Few Things to Avoid
Don’t Negotiate With Neighbors or Friends Beforehand
Once people hear an estate sale is coming, neighbors, friends, or acquaintances may ask to buy
something before the sale opens. It may seem harmless, but removing items after evaluation or
pricing can complicate inventory records and disrupt the sale plan. If someone is interested in an
item, let us know rather than arranging the transaction separately.
Don’t Assume the Timeline Is Short
The amount of preparation depends on the size, contents, and complexity of the estate. During your
consultation, we’ll discuss the timeline so you know what needs to happen before sale day. Give the
process the time it needs rather than making major decisions based on an assumed sale date.
And Don’t Clean Out the House for Us
You do not need to make the property look empty before the walkthrough. In fact, removing too
much beforehand can make our job harder if potentially saleable items disappear with the cleanout.
Take care of the personal belongings and sensitive materials you know you need to remove. Let us
evaluate the rest.
What Happens on Sale Day
For every SATX Select estate sale, we release the property address approximately three hours before
the doors open. We intentionally do not publish the address the night before. The shorter window
helps reduce premature crowds and limits the amount of time the public knows where sale inventory
is being held before the property opens. It also helps reduce the opportunity for unwanted activity or
a break-in overnight.
Buyers can still know a sale is coming. What they don’t receive until approximately three hours
before opening is the exact property address.
Once the doors open, our team manages the sale: organized entry, assigned staff responsibilities,
structured checkout, cash-control procedures, and electronic transaction recording throughout the
event. We explain the sale-day process beforehand so you know what will happen without having to
manage it yourself.
After the Sale
The end of the sale does not mean we simply hand you a check and leave you with everything that
remains.
For eligible remaining contents, SATX Select arranges removal through a trusted third party at no
cost to you. You do not have to find the service, schedule it, or coordinate the removal yourself.
This does not include trash removal or house cleaning. If excessive trash removal or a dumpster is
needed, any additional cost is discussed with you and approved before it is incurred.
Our goal is to leave you with fewer loose ends after the sale, not another list of vendors you have to
find and coordinate yourself.
The Simplest Rule: When in Doubt, Leave It
You don’t need to know what every item is worth before we arrive. You don’t need to organize the
entire house. And you don’t need to decide what looks valuable enough to keep for the sale.
Remove anything personal, private, or that definitely stays with the family. Then let us evaluate the rest.
If you’re preparing an estate and aren’t sure what should happen next, start with a private
walkthrough. We’ll look at the property with you and explain what to do from there.
Because SATX Select conducts only two estate sales per month, available dates are limited. If you’re
working toward a move, probate deadline, property closing, or other important date, start the
conversation early.
Not Sure Where to Start?
That’s exactly what the consultation is for. We’ll walk the property with you, answer every question, and put together a clear plan before you commit to anything.
📞 210-783-7900