Merry Maids are your friends. Hire them to come and clean the following
Base Boards
Door frames
ledges
corners (cobbwebs)
scrub the bathtubs
ceiling fans
Clean is always good.
You need to
Paint. White/off white or Neutral colors, nothing crazy. Don't be afraid of color as long as it matches the room and the carpet/flooring, but bright pink might send potential buyers running for the door. My wife and I looked at a house that was way too small for us, but because it was so nicely done, we almost bought it. I had to step outside and think about it for almost an hour before I really convinced myself it just wasn't our house.
Don't forget about the exterior. Doorframes, trim, and fencing.
Get a storage unit.
Declutter. Stay simple, cut down on personalization. I've passed on homes because they were religiously decorated, country decorated, and theme decorated. I don't care to see your stupid porcelin duck collection. Cut back on the family photos, also. It needs to feel like a home, but I should be able to immediately put myself into it.
No *interesting* things. If I get too involved in checking out your nice book collection, or exotic game mounts, I might forget to check out the house. Likewise, remember, you might have people who despise your hobbies. No game mounts, no fishing gear, no hunting gear, no political or religious materials anywhere in sight.
On the same note, every room should have a purpose. If its a bedroom you use as an office, pull your office stuff out and put a bed in there.
Yard: Needs to be picked up. No poop, no tools, no toys. Even if its not a great yard, it better not look like a white-trash-yardsale when I roll up. No broken down cars, no washers or refigerators. Likewise, move your toys (ATV's, boats, etc) to storage. Thats just personal clutter.
Repairs. Make them before you show the house.
Have an open house when it goes on the market. Having competition can encourage people to poop-or-get-off-the-pot.
