Living in a home that you are selling can be challenging and sometimes downright painful; particularly if you have children or pets that have to be uprooted, and the house 'cleaned up' for surprise showings. When my husband and I were selling our home several years ago, it honestly felt nightmarish at times. With two school age kids, two giant breed dogs and two small dogs that had to be cleared out on a moment's notice I was a ball of nerves.
As a home stager, I certainly knew how I wanted my home to look for showings, but keeping it that way seemed impossible. Luckily, I figured out a few tips that helped me keep my sanity while still being able to show a beautifully staged home on a moment's notice.
The Kitchen
The kitchen in most homes sees a lot of action throughout the day. Coffee makers, stand mixers, fruit baskets and an assortment of dishes in the sink that haven't quite made their way to the dishwasher tend to make the kitchen less than ideal for presentation. The solution? Prep work! Pack up any items you don't need on a regular basis in order to completely empty one kitchen cupboard (one that has a door so the contents won't be visible). Now that it's empty, place a simple bowl with bright faux fruit, a pretty dish towel and some disinfecting wipes (Clorox Scentiva is my favorite) in the cupboard ready to go.
When the call comes in that your home needs to be 'show ready', place all countertop appliances in the cupboard, replace the family fruit bowl with the prepared faux fruit and wipe everything down with disinfecting wipes. Add in your final touch with the beautiful dish towel that you've got ready to go.
Bathrooms
Again, disinfecting wipes are a huge help. Keep them handy in a cabinet so you can quickly wipe everything down. Keep one set of clean towels in the linen closet that can quickly replace any used towels on hooks. Make sure to place a fresh roll of toilet paper, empty the trash can and keep a plastic bin to stash brushes and toiletries for a completely clean and tidy presentation.
The Bedroom
A pretty hamper (with a lid) can be a lifesaver in the bedroom. You can quickly clear the room of all loose clothing and personal items and place them in an empty hamper that's been ready and waiting, for just such occasion. Straighten the quilt, prop the pillows and spray some air freshener.
Offices and Family Rooms
My office is my creative (i.e. crazy, messy) space. Working from home, I can't keep my desk free of papers, sticky notes, pens and calendar. So, I kept a shallow plastic box where I would quickly place all my desk clutter and slip it into the closest linen closet to set the stage I wanted buyers to see. The same goes for your very lived-in family room. A plastic bin which can hold any remotes, video game controllers, books and kicked off shoes is essential. Make sure you have a discreet cabinet or closet to place it in while your home is being shown.
With a little forethought and prep work, you can keep your sanity whilst living in the home you're selling...just make sure to treat yourself to coffee and donuts (or whatever your favorite treat is) while you wait for your agent to call with the good news that you'll be coming home to a full-price offer!