Guest blog by Kris at http://parentingwithkris.com/
The ultimate guide to keeping a home clean for realtor showings when you’re busy with kids can be a game-changer. Creating a plan before the chaos ensues will give you peace of mind moving forward.
Major life changes are always stressful. Selling your home, buying a new one, and moving is among the most significant stressors we endure. When you add kids into the mix, those stress levels can reach new heights. For tips that will help you to keep your home clean and organized so your home sells fast and stress is minimized, read on!
Reduce Your Stuff to Keep your Home Clean
To minimize the amount of time you’ll spend cleaning between showings with potential buyers, declutter your home and move much of your family’s personal belongings into storage. Especially anything out-of-season, personalized, bulky, kid-themed, or pet-related. Then, hide these items discreetly or rent a portable storage unit. Keep in mind; you don’t want an eyesore in your garage or yard, so you might want to stash your stuff with a neighbor or friend.
In most cases, you’ll want to remove anything from the home that makes it feel cluttered, cramped, or unorganized. Allstate points out you shouldn’t stop there—make sure that you pull personal items. Family photos, unusual artwork, theme decor, and collections are a few examples of things that will remind buyers you live in the house, and they don’t.
Stage Your Kids’ Rooms
To declutter the kids’ toys in your home, for instance, you might choose to invest in a few bins or baskets. These can easily be hidden under beds or moved into storage until the house sells. Keep in mind that your kids’ rooms can be the toughest to keep up. Take a few proactive measures to make things easier for them and you:
- ● Remove bulkier items like high chairs, dollhouses, bean bags, bikes, and sports equipment from home.
- ● Banish the remaining toys to the kids’ bedrooms or playroom and have a convenient place to stash them like a storage trunk.
- ● Keep kids’ bedrooms as gender-neutral as possible, and remove any themed decor or murals.
Keep the Home in Near-Perfect Condition
Next, you’ll need to deep clean your home—paying close attention to the entryway, bathrooms, kitchen, and main living areas. Then, keep the home in near-perfect condition by devoting at least 20 minutes a day to tidying up—as this will help you to prepare for any last-minute showings that may come your way. Even better, clean as you go throughout the day, and when you get late calls, you’ll be ready to roll!
To ensure that your home is in excellent condition immediately before a showing or open house, create a task list that you can refer to before you head out the door. For example, your list might include the following:
- ● Checking for odors and minimizing them
- ● Taking out the trash
- ● Loading dirty dishes into the dishwasher
- ● Wiping down kitchen and bathroom countertops
- ● Opening curtains or blinds to let in natural light
- ● Turning on lights throughout the home
- ● Removing pets and their belongings from the home
- ● Securing your valuables
Leave for the Weekend
If multiple showings are scheduled over the weekend and/or you have an open house planned, pack up your bags on Friday evening and leave for the weekend to avoid having to clean your home repeatedly. Plan something fun but inexpensive for each day; Kiplinger suggests taking in a movie or visiting a skating rink, park, or museum.
In an ideal world, your family could move out of your current home before listing it for sale—but this option isn’t feasible for everyone. As such, you may need to juggle other things like parenting and working at the same time. If you keep these tips in mind as you attempt to sell your home, however, you’ll reduce your stress levels while keeping your family happy and your home clean and clutter-free.
