When you’re trying to sell your home, having a showing can be both the best and worst thing. While having someone in your home means there’s another chance that you’ll be made an offer, preparing for a showing can be very stressful, especially when you have kids who don’t understand the process and can’t seem to clean up after themselves.
To help make this whole situation a little easier on everyone, here are three tips for keeping your home clean for showings when you have kids at home.
Clean As You Go
Once you’ve taken the time and put in the effort to get your home clean enough for a showing, the last thing you want to do is have to go through that process again each time someone shows interest in your property. Rather, you should try to keep your home as clean as can be until you get and accept an offer.
However, with your kids running around and your life still happening, messes can quickly pile up. To combat this, Angela Colley, a contributor to Realtor.com, recommends that you try to make it a habit of cleaning things as you go about your day. Rather than putting dishes in the sink, load them into the dishwasher as soon as they’re used and then unload the dishwasher as soon as it’s run through its cycle. Try to keep all toiletries and toys put away when they’re done being used, and fold and put away laundry quickly after it’s been washed and dried.
Keep Your Everyday Clutter Out Of Sight
When you’re just living in your home, it’s common to keep things that you use frequently out in the open so they’re easy to grab. But when you’re showing your home, you’re going to want to keep all of your surfaces as bare as possible.
An easy way to do this, according to Morgan Hutchinson, a contributor to Vogue.com, is to keep a couple bins or suitcases open around your home so you can easily throw these items into them once you’ve been given notice that a showing has been set up. Then, once all of your everyday clutter is packed away, you can put the bins or suitcases into your car until the showing is over.
Rethink Home-Cooked Meals
While cooking at home is generally a healthier and more financially responsible option, when you’re trying to keep your home spotless, cooking and eating at home with kids is best to be avoided.
Rather, Zillow.com suggests that you plan to eat out as much as you can or that you at least eat your meals outside of your home. This will help keep your messes to a minimum.
If you’re worried about keeping your house clean while you have showings, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you manage the messes your family will inevitably make.