The Rental Make-Ready Checklist Landlords Actually Use

A rental make-ready is just a sequence, and the sequence is the whole game. Do the steps in the right order, repairs before paint, paint before flooring, cleaning last, and the whole turn moves in 4 to 7 days. Do them out of order and you repaint a wall you just dinged, or clean a floor before the installers track through it. Here is the checklist, in the order that keeps vacancy days low.

Step 1 — Walk-through and scope (Day 1)

• Photograph every room for the move-out condition record
• Note damage vs. wear and tear for the deposit (how to tell them apart in Tennessee)
• Build the punch list: everything broken, missing, or worn
• Decide the tier: refresh, standard turn, or full make-ready

Step 2 — Repairs and punch list (Days 1–2)

• Drywall patches, nail holes, and any wall damage
• Doors, locks, handles, and cabinet hardware
• Plumbing: faucets, toilets, shut-off valves, supply lines
• Electrical: outlets, switches, light fixtures, smoke and CO detectors
• HVAC filter swap and a quick system check
• Caulk and grout in kitchens and baths

Repairs come first because everything after this covers them up.

Step 3 — Paint (Days 2–3)

• Touch up scuffs and marks, or full repaint if needed
• Prime any stains or patched drywall first
• Use one standard portfolio color so future turns are touch-ups, not repaints
• Paint before flooring so drips do not land on new floors

Step 4 — Flooring (Day 3–4)

• Clean carpet, or replace if stains or matting will not come out
• Install LVP if upgrading, it outlasts carpet across several tenants
• Replace worn transition strips and baseboards

Step 5 — Deep clean (Day 4–5)

• Full move-out clean: kitchens, baths, floors, baseboards, fixtures
• Appliance deep clean inside and out
• Windows, blinds, and light bulbs (replace any dead ones)
• Cleaning goes last so no trade tracks through a clean unit

Step 6 — Curb appeal and final inspection (Day 5–7)

• Mow, edge, trim, and clear beds; pressure wash if needed
• Final walk-through against this checklist
• Move-in condition photos for the next tenant's baseline
• Confirm it is listing-ready and shoot listing photos

The bottom line

Work the list in order, keep one crew moving through it, and a make-ready stays fast and predictable. Upkeep runs packaged make-readies across Middle Tennessee on exactly this sequence, with a flat quote before the unit is vacant. One service request gets it scheduled.