A Parent’s Guide to Prepping a Spotless Home for Sale

As a parent, you know how hard it can be to maintain a clean home on a regular day. Once you start prepping to sell your house, it only gets more stressful to keep the place looking spotless. Selling your house when you still live there with kids can be a challenge. By taking a few steps, you and your family can work together to keep your place ready for showings at the drop of a hat.

Depersonalize Your Living Space

Removing personal items from a home is known as depersonalization. This step can be difficult and time-consuming, but it’s one of the most important things to do. When a home looks like a blank slate, it’s easier for potential buyers to imagine themselves living there.

The process of depersonalizing might include taking down family photos, stowing away personal knickknacks and even repainting the walls a more neutral color. Certain paint color choices can make your home sell for more than expected.

As a parent, you also have to keep in mind that not all buyers will have families of their own. If there are piles of toys and other kids’ items lying around, it might be harder for buyers to picture life in your home.

Get Rid of Clutter

Whereas depersonalizing a home involves storing possessions away, decluttering means getting rid of extra things you don’t really need. Depending on how much stuff you have, decluttering can be a huge job. However, not only will it make your house look great for showings, it will also make it easier to move once that day comes around.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the amount of clutter you have to deal with, you’re not alone. These tips can help you get started on the difficult task. You might also consider trying proven decluttering techniques, such as the ever-popular KonMari Method.

Parents know that there are special considerations to take when decluttering kids’ toys, but the process doesn’t have to be painful. These tips from Simple Families can help you tackle the issue together.

Do a Good Deep Clean

Having a sparkling clean home is essential before the showings start, since few things will give buyers a worse impression than dusty or grimy surfaces. A deep cleaning should address all the nooks and crannies that might get overlooked during a regular cleaning session. That includes things like grout, baseboards, and ceiling fans, to name a few.

It’s possible to do a deep cleaning on your own, but when you’re short on time, it might be better to hire a professional to do the job for you. Keep in mind that not all cleaning services are the same. Apartment Therapy explains what you’ll want to consider when hiring a cleaner for the first time.

Make a Home-Showing Checklist

If you do things right, you should only have to declutter, deep clean, and depersonalize your home once during the process. But that doesn’t guarantee your home will always be in top shape the second the realtor sets up an open house.

The best way to ensure a great showing every time is to have a checklist of things to get done. A good list should include things such as doing the dishes, stashing valuables, putting laundry in the hamper, and neutralizing odors in the home. If you have pets, make sure you have a game plan for what to do. Finally, remember to open the curtains to ensure there’s as much light as possible filling your home.

Depending on the age of your children, you might find that they enjoy helping you check these items off the list for showings. If not, it might be best to give your kids an activity to do so they’re not in the way as you get things ready.

Showing a home with kids can present extra challenges. Luckily, most of the steps you take to have better showings will also make things easier when moving day comes around. Having your place clean and decluttered for showings means you can breeze past those steps while moving out.