Selling a new home is exciting, daunting, and can feel like a full-time gig. When adding in kids and a busy life, the thought of selling your home can feel impossible. Fear not — there are ways to get your home ready to sell, keep it tidy, and manage your home while including the kids. Below are some tips on how to get your house presentable for showings, involve your family in the process, and key factors to focus on in order to sell your house quicker.
Last-Minute Showings
One of the most stressful parts of selling a home is the last-minute showing. Someone calls, you have 10 minutes to an hour before a potential buyer is coming to the house, you are disheveled, the kids are playing and have toys everywhere, the sink is full of dishes, the washing machine is running, and you still need to clean. While this may seem like the worst-case scenario, you can do several things to make tidying up easy and ensure that you have the home ready to show off:
- Keep baskets handy to throw in laundry, paper, toys, and clothes.
- Make it a rule to make beds in the morning and fold all blankets after each use.
- Set up a designated space for all people who enter your home to place shoes and bags.
- Put the dishes in the dishwasher after each use.
- Create a checklist for small tasks.
Letting the Light Shine
The perfect lighting in a home achieves that warm and bright atmosphere buyers are looking for. It’s important not to overlook the importance that natural and artificial lights bring to the space. Open all blinds and curtains. Turn on all lights, including lamps and overhead lights. Add some mirrors, which will help give the illusion of open spaces. Make it a game for your kids to spot dark areas in your home and add lamps or wall sconces in those areas. To make sure the lights are on prior to a showing, assign everyone one room that they are responsible for.
Tidying Up
The most important thing you can do to help sell your home is to get rid of the clutter. Too much stuff will prevent potential buyers from being able to picture the house as their home. To prep your home for showings, have each family member sort their belongings into four piles:
- What they need for the short term
- What can be stored
- What can be donated
- What can be trashed
For the items you’ll be storing, try to find storage out of the house, such as at a friend’s or relative’s house or a storage unit. Get the whole family involved in this task, and in the end, reward the whole family with a fun dinner or family-fun activity like bowling or mini golf.
Appealing to the Senses
To sell your home, you must appeal to the senses of the buyer. You can help entice their visual senses by focusing on lighting, de-cluttering, and cleaning. While you may have adapted to noises in your home, potential buyers have not. So, it’s important to get rid of creaky floorboards, leaky faucets, or loud appliances.
Eliminate offensive odors caused by pets, plants, standing water, and musty basements, then add in pleasant smells, such as cinnamon, freshly baked cookies, lavender, pine, or fresh linen. Again, make this a time for your family to bond, and get everyone involved by seeing what everyone’s different senses picks up.
Being a busy parent is a job in and of itself, so the thought of selling your house may cause stress. You’re not alone, and many potential buyers will likely be in the same boat. Your home cannot always be picture perfect, but there are steps you can take to make it sale-ready. Involve your whole family every step of the way as you set a plan for last-minute showings, bring light into your home, tidy up every room, and make sure to appeal to all the potential buyer’s senses. In no time, this season of your life will have passed and you will be in a new home.
