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How to Get Your Home Show-Ready Without Sacrificing Self-Care: Tips for Busy Parents

Selling your home while managing a busy household is a challenging undertaking. If you have young kids, your schedule is likely packed full as it is! How are you supposed to find the time to get your home ready for the market? And how can you keep the place show-ready when your kids are happy living in a state of disarray? If you’re a busy parent and your home sale is testing your limits, take steps to plan ahead and relieve some stress. From decluttering to rehearsing a last-minute cleaning routine, make a game plan to keep your sale on track. Here are some tips to get you started, courtesy of Realtor Carol Gilles.

Clean Every Day

Cleaning as you go is much easier than facing household chaos on the day of a home showing. Get in the habit of wiping down counters, polishing mirrors, loading and unloading the dishwasher, and picking up laundry right away. If your kids are old enough, enlist them in the effort by giving them each some daily cleaning responsibilities. Even if your kids are too young to vacuum or wash dishes, encourage them to make their own beds and put their toys away.

If the daily cleaning is getting too overwhelming, consider hiring a maid service while your home is on the market. While they can give your home a one-time deep clean, they can also handle weekly cleanings. Additionally, if the furniture you intend to use for your showings looks stained or worn, hire a professional who cleans furniture to give it some attention. Just make sure you’re researching different reviews on sites like Angi before you hire someone.

Banish Clutter

A cluttered home is much more difficult to keep clean. You’ll save yourself a lot of time — and headaches — by getting clutter out of your house as soon as possible, so get your whole family involved in a weekend decluttering session. Sell, donate, or throw away anything you no longer want. If there are knickknacks and personal collections that you would like to display in your new home, move them into off-site storage for now. You want to keep your closets neat and organized since potential buyers are bound to take a peek at these areas.

You can also apply your clutter-banishing techniques with any important papers or documents you have around the house. While it’s good to have hard copies of some documents, others can be scanned and converted to a PDF and then trashed. You can even do a little “digital decluttering” by using online tools that allow you to combine PDFs, resulting in one easy-to-use document instead of several smaller files.

Make a Few Easy Upgrades

While you might not have time for major renovations, Mic recommends tackling a few smaller home upgrades to help draw in those potential buyers. A fresh coat of paint can do a lot to make your home feel bright and clean. You can even modernize your kitchen and bathroom by painting the cabinets, replacing the hardware, and installing new light fixtures.

Master the Last-Minute Cleanup

No matter how prepared you are for showings, there will always be some last-minute cleaning to do. Since it can be incredibly stressful to tidy up your home and rush your kids out of the house before the buyers arrive, create a cleaning plan so everyone knows what to do. Keep an empty basket or suitcase ready for stashing clutter from around the home — loose papers, toys, clothing items, or anything else you don’t have time to put away properly. Sweep the kitchen, give those high-traffic areas a quick vacuum, wipe down surfaces, and empty all of the garbage cans. It can help to practice this cleaning plan with your kids (and consider giving them some nutritious treats as a healthy reward!) so you can ensure everything will go smoothly before a real home showing.

Moving is stressful, and not just for parents! Remember that your kids may also be experiencing some anxiety during this period. Slow down, plan ahead, and approach your home sale as a team. Encourage your kids to get involved however possible, as this will help them feel a sense of control over the process while taking some weight off your shoulders. Most importantly, keep your eye on the end goal. You’ll be settling into your new home before you know it!

Thank you for your input – Sara Bailey

When you’re ready to start looking for your dream home, Realtor Carol Gilles can lend a helping hand. Begin your search by calling 310-864-9738 or emailing Carol@CarolGilles.com.