Like most things a matter of opinion
 

Our previous home. I had a plan. I had a time frame of a year to get it ready to sell and six months to sell it.

Being a pack rat, the wife said call a dumpster and toss it all.
We did the traditional garage sales as well as visiting a local metal scrap yard. If, I recall copper was scrapping for 2.30 a pound, lead was about .25 a pound, aluminum I don't recall but it is high
and steel was ???? like a nickle a pound. We made 3-4 trips to the scrapper and each time left with $300. Garage sales we did that 4-5 times and averaged roughly $1000 each time. Far less work to have people buy my stuff hopefully enjoy it and leave money far easier to transport. In that year, I also sold stuff on ebay. An adventure, far more work than many expect but that too was several thousands.

As to showing a home empty. That is debatable. I for one cannot visualize how my furniture will fit in an empty home.
Also, due to walk patterns, sunshine etc. When you move pictures and furniture you and the buyer will be shocked to see how dirty and faded a thought to be clean house is.

Oh as to a plan. Selling a house, you plan but you have to count on many unknowns. We priced the home PROPERLY. We had a good broker.
They told us what to do and what not to do and in one week it sold for full asking price, a cash buyer. My PLAN, we gave away a lot of stuff and I was on a first name basis with the guy at the town dump having made soooo many trips.