When you’re selling your home, keeping it spotless for showings can be tough. But making sure it stays clean, especially when you have kids, can seem downright impossible. But there is hope! By having a plan and sticking to it, you can keep your home ready for visits, even at a moment’s notice. Here’s how.
Have a checklist
Trying to live in your home while you’re selling it can be a little chaotic. Tame that chaos by knowing exactly what to do before a buyer comes over. Create a simple checklist of tasks you need to do each time you have a showing. Ideally, these tasks should take you no longer than 15 minutes to complete. Knowing what to do will save you the headache of frantically running around at the last minute, trying to remember everything.
Start clean
You never know when you’ll get a call at 9 a.m. with a new showing for 9:30. Treat yourself to a less stressful morning by making sure the house is clean before you go to bed. That way, if you have to leave even before you’ve had your coffee, you know the house is ready and looking its best.
Pack up toys
Kids and toys – LOTS of toys – go hand in hand. It’s unbelievable how quickly those toys can get out of control. And the truth is your kids probably don’t play with all of them all the time. Save their favorites and pack up or donate the rest. Keep the unused toys out of sight, either in bins under the bed or offsite at a storage unit.
Have more picnics
Little kids make messes. It’s just what they do. Keep your kitchen and dining room clean and ready to show by eating outside whenever possible. Set up a picnic area and treat it like a special occasion. Chances are, you’re kids will love it, and it will save you precious cleaning time.
Create a stash zone
Make designated areas in your home where you can quickly stash things like toys and dirty laundry before a showing. The best places are the ones least likely for buyers to look, like bins stored in a closet or empty dresser drawers.
Only use one bathroom
Bathrooms are probably the most difficult rooms to keep consistently clean. If you have more than one bathroom in your home, choose one bathroom that everyone in the family will use. This will cut down significantly on the amount of time you spend cleaning them.
Know where to go
Finally, have a list of places you know you can go to when you need to quickly leave the house. Some great choices include a local museum or park, story time at the library, grandma’s house or even just a nice long walk around the neighborhood. If you choose activities that are fun, you’ll get less resistance from the kids when it’s time to go.
Although selling a home while you and your family are living in it can be a challenge, it is not an impossible one. By preparing ahead of time and adhering to some timesaving tricks, you’ll make sure your kids are happy and your home is always ready to show.
Compliments of Virtual Results
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