Selling your home? How to keep it clean for showings - Guest Post
Happy Sunday, Y’all!
We have a hot real estate market for a change, which is welcome news for all of us. However, that can lead to additional stress with last minute showings and narrow time windows. How is a busy family supposed to keep pace? The last thing you want is your potential buyer scared away by greasy dishes, dirty bathrooms, and that lingering “what smell is that?” feeling!
The challenge of keeping your home clean is hard enough, but when you add kids into the mix, it adds another layer of complexity. Not only are you trying to minimize the stress of moving and the impact it has on them, but also they have stuff…like lots of stuff…and it seems to reproduce on its own. I am pretty sure every room of our home has at least 3 nerf gun darts, 3 crayons, and who knows how many legos stashed around. What’s a busy parent to do?
Fortunately, Kris Louis, from Parentingwithkris.com, has a wonderful game plan for busy parents who are trying to sell their home. Following her tips (even just some of them!), can really help ease the work and the stress of selling your home. Read on for her ideas and strategies that are sure to decrease the stress and hopefully increase your offers! If you want more tips from Kris, please be sure to visit her website!
-Casey
How Busy Parents Can Keep Their Homes Looking Clean and Clutter-Free for Real Estate Showings
Image via Unsplash
You may be wondering how you’re supposed to keep your home looking clean and organized for realtor showings while you’re still living there—especially when a typical day consists of food messes, sticky doorknobs and walls, and dirty paw prints on your hardwood floors and carpeting. But with a few smart strategies, even busy families can be ready when house hunters call. Here’s what you need to know.
Upgrade Your Household Products
Cleaning is obviously going to take a starring role in your daily life for a while, and when you’re busy parenting, working, and attempting to sell your home, there are a few household products that will help keep things simple when you’re short on time or preparing for a last-minute showing. For instance, a robot vacuum can keep your floors clean and free of crumbs, pet hair, dirt, and dust—even on days where you don’t have time to run a traditional vacuum cleaner.
If your realtor contacts you about a last-minute showing, however, you’ll need a tool that’s on deck for quick tidy-ups. As such, a stick vacuum may be an excellent investment—especially if you’re looking for something lightweight, cordless, and easy to operate. Some will even convert to hand vacs, which is a serious boon in any busy family household.
Lastly, purchase an apron with large pockets in the front and store your essential cleaning supplies in them. This way, you can grab the apron in a hurry and get to cleaning your home in no time.
Focus on the Areas That Matter Most
After working with Haymount Homes to stage your home beautifully, your next step is keeping it that way. But with kids and pets in the mix, you’ll need to take a few minutes out of each day to clean, organize, and keep up on household tasks—such as cleaning the kitchen, bathrooms, and entryway to your home.
By moving much of your personal belongings into storage, however, you’ll make life a whole lot easier before showings—especially if you only keep the items that you and your family use on a daily basis. SmartBox Moving and Storage recommends pulling extra furniture, personal things like mementos and photos, and taste-specific decor. With these things out of the way, buyers can focus on your house, and you’ll have more elbow room for breezing through those speed cleaning sessions.
If you receive a call about a last-minute showing and don’t have time to clean the entire home, Redefy Real Estate recommends taking a few minutes to focus on the kitchen, bathrooms, and main living areas. Deodorize the home, wipe down the counters, fixtures, and mirrors, move dirty dishes into the dishwasher, and re-arrange throw pillows and blankets in all living areas. Then, turn on the lights, open the blinds or drapes, take out the trash, and head out the door before your potential buyers arrive.
Set a Few New Household Rules
As you show your home to potential buyers, you’ll keep your living areas clean, organized, and clutter-free if you establish a few ground rules for your family to follow. On showing days, for instance, avoid cooking odorous foods like broccoli, cabbage, eggs, or fish, and skip messy breakfasts like pancakes with syrup. You might even want to prepare make-ahead breakfasts that aren’t messy and are easy to grab and heat.
Moreover, you’ll keep your home cleaner if you banish food from all areas except for the kitchen table. Then, have everyone load their dishes into the dishwasher immediately after they finish with a meal or snack. To minimize kitchen messes, however, you may even opt for disposable plates, cups, and silverware when showings are scheduled.
Lastly, you’ll reduce clutter throughout the home if you set a new rule that requires your kids to put their personal belongings away after each use. For storing these stray items, purchase empty baskets and bins that can easily be hidden away during showings.
As you can see, living in a home that you’re trying to sell can get complicated—but there are a few things you can do to make it more endurable. Select a few smart tools, enact strategies with simplicity in mind, and get everyone involved. With these tips in mind, your home will stay clean and show-ready—and you’ll manage to keep your sanity while you sell your home.