Tips to keeping home "for sale" in show condition

[mom2grace]

We are getting ready to list our house for sale, I have a 5 & 3 year old. What are your tips for staying on top of things for showings? I have already de-cluttered, etc, but I am stressing about the day to day life after we list the house. Including laundry, toys, etc.

THANKS!

 

[ampc3]

jumping onto this Thread if you don't mind, We will be in this same boat pretty soon, and have NO IDEA how I am going to keep this house clean with 3 small kids...??Can't even imagine this.. Hopefully people with kids will also be in the same boat and be understanding.

 

[dvcnewgirl]

Invest in a bunch of the pop-up hampers/toy boxes. I think you can get them for less than $10. that way if you are caught off guard you can toss laundry into one and toys into another. Make sure your dishwasher is emptied as soon as its done washing so if you get a call you can throw all of you dishes in. Hope that helps!

 

[Hillbeans]

we had a similar situation last year before we moved, and we were lucky that our house sold in 10 days.

We tried to only "live" in as few rooms of the house as possible and "use" only 1 of the 3 bathrooms we had in the house. It was a little inconvenient but at least they stayed clean. We also limited the toy playing and played outside as much as we could (that's harder to do in the winter).

I also jammed dirty clothes into the washer and dryer but I didn't really care about that. The most important things were making sure that the clutter was kept to a minimum and I sent a ton of clothes to the dry cleaners for "cleaning and free storage during that time and wore the same few things to the office or home during that time so my closets looked extra roomy.

Good luck!

 

[minniebeth]

We have sold our home and moved 7 times in 14 years almost all with young children. There is a lot you can do, but I won't make it long...
Firstly, resign yourself to the fact that selling your home will be the focus of your family for however long it takes to sell....It truly beomes a full time job.
Keep in mind that first impressions of your home are lasting impressions and you never get another chance to make a first impression...
(not to add to any more pressure! )
It is hard keeping up a nice show appearance, but it will definately help in selling your home.

These are just a few tips with young children:
*figure out a good organizing system..."a place for everything and everything in it's place"...this way, it is a no brainer where things go. You are on autopilot and you don't have to think about it.
*If your little ones are in school, get a rubbermaid container for their artworks, projects etc. for each of them. Sad as it may be, don't display work at home for now.
*...A hard one...pack away half of thier toys and games and DVDs etc...
This makes less clutter and easier clean up. Then when you sell your house, and take them back out again, it is like Christmas all over again....it is so exciting to see how excited they get!
*Again, use rubbermaid, etc. containers one each for different groupings of toys (Power Rangers, Dinosaurs, Legos, Little Ponies, Littlest Pet Shop, etc.)
*Have the kids help clean up...make it a family project to sell the home.
*Assign special towel for each child and have them use and hang right away and reuse for several baths/showers if hung dry properly. Cuts down on wash...Go to a J&J "Head to Toe" shampoo/body wash to eliminate number of bottles in shower/Tub area. Can apply same concept to adults.
*Use paper plates/cups for meals
*If you have a good support system, ask if you can have kids play over more at friends/relatives homes until your home sells and then return the favor (if in the same area) to try to keep your home in order.
* If you know you will have a home showing early in the morning, eg on a Sat., instead of everyone scrambling to make beds early, etc. have kids have a "sleepover" in your room with a sleeping bag and pillow so beds stay neat and it's just a quick roll up of a sleeping bag and pillow.

I could go on forver...we did so much to keep up with it!
The most important thing is to have fun with it and make memories, even though it is a stressful time!
Like I said, I've done it quite a few times, let me know if you have any other questions....
Good luck!

 

[mom2grace]

We have sold our home and moved 7 times in 14 years almost all with young children. There is a lot you can do, but I won't make it long...
Firstly, resign yourself to the fact that selling your home will be the focus of your family for however long it takes to sell....It truly beomes a full time job.
Keep in mind that first impressions of your home are lasting impressions and you never get another chance to make a first impression...
(not to add to any more pressure! )
It is hard keeping up a nice show appearance, but it will definately help in selling your home.

These are just a few tips with young children:
*figure out a good organizing system..."a place for everything and everything in it's place"...this way, it is a no brainer where things go. You are on autopilot and you don't have to think about it.
*If your little ones are in school, get a rubbermaid container for their artworks, projects etc. for each of them. Sad as it may be, don't display work at home for now.
*...A hard one...pack away half of thier toys and games and DVDs etc...
This makes less clutter and easier clean up. Then when you sell your house, and take them back out again, it is like Christmas all over again....it is so exciting to see how excited they get!
*Again, use rubbermaid, etc. containers one each for different groupings of toys (Power Rangers, Dinosaurs, Legos, Little Ponies, Littlest Pet Shop, etc.)
*Have the kids help clean up...make it a family project to sell the home.
*Assign special towel for each child and have them use and hang right away and reuse for several baths/showers if hung dry properly. Cuts down on wash...Go to a J&J "Head to Toe" shampoo/body wash to eliminate number of bottles in shower/Tub area. Can apply same concept to adults.
*Use paper plates/cups for meals
*If you have a good support system, ask if you can have kids play over more at friends/relatives homes until your home sells and then return the favor (if in the same area) to try to keep your home in order.
* If you know you will have a home showing early in the morning, eg on a Sat., instead of everyone scrambling to make beds early, etc. have kids have a "sleepover" in your room with a sleeping bag and pillow so beds stay neat and it's just a quick roll up of a sleeping bag and pillow.

I could go on forver...we did so much to keep up with it!
The most important thing is to have fun with it and make memories, even though it is a stressful time!
Like I said, I've done it quite a few times, let me know if you have any other questions....
Good luck!

Those are awesome! I love the "sleepover" idea!

Thanks!

 

[OhioFamily]

We have sold our home and moved 7 times in 14 years almost all with young children. There is a lot you can do, but I won't make it long...
Firstly, resign yourself to the fact that selling your home will be the focus of your family for however long it takes to sell....It truly beomes a full time job.
Keep in mind that first impressions of your home are lasting impressions and you never get another chance to make a first impression...
(not to add to any more pressure! )
It is hard keeping up a nice show appearance, but it will definately help in selling your home.

These are just a few tips with young children:
*figure out a good organizing system..."a place for everything and everything in it's place"...this way, it is a no brainer where things go. You are on autopilot and you don't have to think about it.
*If your little ones are in school, get a rubbermaid container for their artworks, projects etc. for each of them. Sad as it may be, don't display work at home for now.
*...A hard one...pack away half of thier toys and games and DVDs etc...
This makes less clutter and easier clean up. Then when you sell your house, and take them back out again, it is like Christmas all over again....it is so exciting to see how excited they get!
*Again, use rubbermaid, etc. containers one each for different groupings of toys (Power Rangers, Dinosaurs, Legos, Little Ponies, Littlest Pet Shop, etc.)
*Have the kids help clean up...make it a family project to sell the home.
*Assign special towel for each child and have them use and hang right away and reuse for several baths/showers if hung dry properly. Cuts down on wash...Go to a J&J "Head to Toe" shampoo/body wash to eliminate number of bottles in shower/Tub area. Can apply same concept to adults.
*Use paper plates/cups for meals
*If you have a good support system, ask if you can have kids play over more at friends/relatives homes until your home sells and then return the favor (if in the same area) to try to keep your home in order.
* If you know you will have a home showing early in the morning, eg on a Sat., instead of everyone scrambling to make beds early, etc. have kids have a "sleepover" in your room with a sleeping bag and pillow so beds stay neat and it's just a quick roll up of a sleeping bag and pillow.

I could go on forver...we did so much to keep up with it!
The most important thing is to have fun with it and make memories, even though it is a stressful time!
Like I said, I've done it quite a few times, let me know if you have any other questions....
Good luck!

These are all really good tips.

As a Realtor my biggest tip is to start packing NOW!! Get all the clutter out of there! Make sure closets are clean and organized...if not empty. Everything off the kitchen counters, Bathrooms need to be spotless. People will look in every drawer/medicine cabinet...everything.

Having kids myself I know the trouble it is to keep your house in "show" condition but do the best you can and good luck!!

 

[mom2grace]

These are all really good tips.

As a Realtor my biggest tip is to start packing NOW!! Get all the clutter out of there! Make sure closets are clean and organized...if not empty. Everything off the kitchen counters, Bathrooms need to be spotless. People will look in every drawer/medicine cabinet...everything.

Having kids myself I know the trouble it is to keep your house in "show" condition but do the best you can and good luck!!

We are having our hardwood floors refinshed and carpet replaced in the basement, that process makes you clean out everything whether you want to or not!

So, the house will be "Staged" just fine, and we have a storage unit (just got a bigger one) to store all of the extra stuff and furniture.

I am a little weirded out that people will be looking through our stuff! I'll just have to get used to it.

I have 1 more pantry and 2 drawers left to declutter and I am done, except for my computer area.

I am all for having the closets nearly empty and will do/have done it, but do buyers think that nearly empty closets are "staged"?

Now if I could just stop Dis'ing!

 

[princesspwrhr]

but do buyers think that nearly empty closets are "staged"?

Buyers are imagining how their things will fit in the house. The less of your stuff in the way, the easier that imagining process is. Besides, you're moving out, not hiding anything.

 

[domesticdiva]

Speaking from experience, try your best but don't tire yourself out trying to keep the house spotless. When we sold our house all I did was clean, from morning until night for the entire 4 months it took to sell. I was so consumed by making it 'SHOW HOUSE" perfect that I nearly lost my mind. It worked out though, all the realors said that my house was impeccable, but it still took 4 months to sell. IMHO try to pack anything that you won't be using, out of sight out of mind and out of your way. Try to limit yourself to doing the cleaning when the kids are asleep,either at nap time or at night. Its hard to clean and chase around the kidlets all day picking up after them as they go, that just spells insanity, believe me I know! Good Luck!!

 

[Gillennj]

We took all of our clutter (junk) and dumped it at our parents' houses. All of our day to day stuff that we didn't want to leave out during a showing went into totes and into our van with us when we vacated for the showings. We used to joke our van looked like the truck from Sanford and Son for 3 months. We would hum the theme song every time we got in.

We sold ours over the winter, and it was NOT FUN with two little ones. We had to pack everything up for what seemed like constant showings. It worked, though. Our house sold a lot faster than others in the neighorhood. I don't plan to move for a LONG time. I feel for you and wish you luck.

 

[OhioFamily]

I am all for having the closets nearly empty and will do/have done it, but do buyers think that nearly empty closets are "staged"?

It's not so much that they are staged but the closets look bigger without alot of stuff in them... you know how us women are... need all that storage to store our shoes

Sounds like you're nearly ready!!! Good luck

 

[daisyduck123]

The only way I'd be able to keep my house is "show" condition is if I were to ship DH & the kids off to Grandma's house!!

 

[disnutt]

I made sure to have some of those Clorox or Lysol wipes in kitchen and bathroom. They were great to swipe down surfaces and give the rooms a clean smell as we left in a hurry for showings. Our house sold in 3 days. I was so happy because those wipe things are too expensive for my taste otherwise.

 

[alicenwonder99]

We were lucky that our home sold in just a few hours, but I worked months to get it ready to put on the market. Oh, and we had 4 kids living at home then.

I didn't just declutter everything, I pretty much packed up everything and just left the essentials. I packed up about 100 boxes of stuff before we put the house on the market. Seriously, I left 6 plates, 6 bowls, 6 forks, 6 knives, etc. Just had enough towels & sheets in the linen closet to make it look nice. Boxed up the china, the blender, and other things I don't use on a daily basis. I packed up many of the kids' toys. I took all of the photos down and just left up the artwork. Cleared everything off the counters and tables except for some fresh flowers in a few rooms. It was the beginning of March so we didn't have anything green in the yard yet. So, I bought many bags of cedar chips and we spruced up the look of the gardens with the chips.

Once the house sold and all the financing was approved and the inspection was done, we just started packing up the rest of the house.

HTH...and good luck with the sale of your home.

 

[UTgirl]

We've been there and done that a few times. I also worked in a real estate office for 6 years.

Live in one bathroom if you have more than one. This way a quick clean up is easy. Keep all your toiletries in shower baskets - the kind you would use in college in the dorm showers. These can quickly be tucked under a counter and it keeps the shower neat and tidy as well.

Use paper plates and cups - that you can trash to make clean up quick and easy

I agree with the pop up hampers and baskets. Keep several of these laying around for quick pick up of toys and laundry and anything else you need to hide. Throw everything in the baskets and put in your trunk. Also, Lowe's sells some pop up style baskets in bright colors it works great in kids closet to put all the stuff in to give and organized appearnace.

We also put up the kids toys that had lot of little peices. They didn't even realize that things were missing and after we moved and pulled them out again it was like a new toy.

The wet swiffer mop makes great quick clean mop for kitchens and bathrooms.

Also, keep a can of Oust around to do a quick spray around the house before a showing to dispell any unwanted odors. ie - supper - dirty diapers, etc....
If you use a flowery candle or spray it smells as if you've tried to cover something up instead of just a fresh house.

Best wishes on the selling! You've got a good jump on the market by listing it this time of year!

 

[LuvOrlando]

So many great tips that I'll use when company drops in for a visit.

As for the smell, I once read in Victorian magazine that Jane Seymour sprinkles cinnamon in a baking tray and warms it just befiore company visits. I do it now too & it works without smelling like a spray which can bother some people, like Asthmatics (my kids) and people with Migraines(me).

Also a thought, do you guys have those "PODS" out where you are? They are very popular here in PA. www.pods.com Some people are using them to store Christmas gifts and others seem to just like the extra room for the winter.

Good Luck

 

[bkfree]

We did many of things already suggested. Packed up everything nonessential and unappealing and moved it to a storage rental space. Then arranged with our real estate agent to only show the house on Wed, Sat and Sun. So I only had to keep it really clean 3 days instead of 7. On the designated days and times us, the kids and the dog would leave and then he would call us when the coast was clear. Sold the house in 4 weeks. Way too soon because the house we were building was in early stages and had to move in with my sister for three months.
One thing I did was get a few painfully honest friends to do a walk through and point out negatives to us. I think the things they told us and we did , cinched the deal.
The kitchen floor was pretty bland, so we put down black and white checked linoleum tiles, and our agent told us it good great reviews and was very inexpensive and easy to do ourselves.
We took down the wallpaper in the dining room and bathrooms and painted a neutral color. This cost us only $40 but also made a big impact.
Took down all the stuff from the front of the fridge and all personal photos so buyers could more easily imagine themselves there.
Watched many episodes of Buy Me, Sell This House etc and got tons of great ideas on staging.
Lit Candles in the fireplaces so they could imagine the cozyness of them in winter.
We did nothing else, with the idea to let him show it to a few prospects them report back what he thought we should do based on their comments. We had a long list of stuff we thought we should do ,but he talked us into holding off. Good Thing, the third couple he showed it to agreed to our full asking price.
Good Luck. It takes just that one right person. The house next door to us now took one year to sell,3 months after moving in the couple got transferred. They had done nothing at all to the house, put in on the market and it sold in a week. Same house, same price-Go Figure.

 

[grlpwrd]

My dad owns a moving company in Hawaii and just agreeing with what others have stated already.

Some of his clients rent out storage units, stage their homes, and everything that pretty much was mentioned. The only extreme situation I have heard was when some folks moved into an apartment temporarily to make their home more sellable.

GL to you!