One of the first things that may pop into your head when considering selling with kids, is how in the world are you going to keep your house in show shape condition at a moments notice! I get it, you have read all of the online articles that state your home has to be in picture perfect condition at all times and you are thinking that selling with kids may just be impossible. I totally get it! The thought of selling with kids can detour many people from selling their homes, even though they have long since out grown their homes.
You don’t know if the buyer of your home will have children and you want your home to appeal to everyone. Even if your home is busting at the seems with toys and closets are overflowing, you need to make your home appear spacious. You don’t want the buyer’s that look at your home to think that the home would also be too small for their family. Selling a home with kids can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be. I have compiled my top tips for helping you tackle the clutter and the inconvenience of having your home ready for showings. The goal is to keep you from loosing your mind while selling with kids, and of course to sell your home FAST! Preparation and organization are key.
- Clean out closets and drawers before listing your home. This is something that you would probably do before moving anyhow, you might as well decide what to donate and pack away what you don’t use very often. Get rid of clothes that you will never wear again and clothes and toys that kids no longer need. This is a great time to have a garage sale and make a few extra bucks!
- Store the big stuff. If you need to, rent a storage unit and start packing clothes that are out of season, large toys, etc. You have made a head start on your next move!
- You likely have children’s art hanging somewhere throughout your home. Pictures and children’s schedules hanging on the refrigerator should all be kept to a minimum. Less is more when you are selling with kids.
- Use totes and bins to organize. (It will look organized even if it isn’t!) Storage totes and bins are your best friends during home showings.
- If possible have kids share a room during this time, then you have already narrowed most of the clutter to one room.
- Keep a storage bin in each room and use these to clear the clutter quick. Carry the clutter box from each room and put it in the garage. Now, it will appear that you have been packing instead of hiding clutter.
- My favorite idea—use toy rotation boxes! If your child is like mine, my son would always pull every toy out of the toy box to get one at the bottom leaving a tornado throughout the house. If you put a variety of toys in a box, one for each day, it will not only keep your child more entertained, but it will be a quick clean up for showings.
- Have the kids help! Worse case scenario… bribe them to help clean up for home showings with a special treat.
- Keep a kid’s bag ready to go with a change of clothes, snacks, toys and formula so that you can grab it and go quickly.
- Keep the trunk of your car empty and if need be grab the dirty clothes basket on the way out.
Be sure to talk to your agent about your concerns of selling with kids. We can adjust home showings to a 1 hour notice or even a 24 hour notice to acommodate your needs. Just follow these tips and selling with kids should be smooth sailing!
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