Simplified Guide to Getting your home (with kids) ready to sell

A great article by Kristin Louis, an aspiring author who provides some great tips for selling your home.

Thank you Kristin!



The easiest way to sell a house with kids? Move first, sell later. Given that the majority of parents aren’t made of money, most of us have to get creative when it comes to selling a house where kids live. From breaking the news to your kids to keeping the house show-ready (despite your toddler’s best efforts), these are the best tips for parents selling a home.

Getting Ready to Sell

Selling your house is a big move. Make sure the whole family is prepared by tackling these tasks as soon as you make the decision to sell.

• Have a family meeting to discuss the move and what it means for your family. Highlight the positives of the move, but let kids share any fears and worries they may have. Keeping an open door policy is essential. They’ll be stressed, you’ll be stressed. Talking it through together is one of the best ways to reduce emotional wear and tear on all concerned.
• Research the local housing market to get a feel for home prices and how other sellers are staging their homes. You may find it helpful to save pictures of homes similar to yours as a reference for your own staging. Then use a home sale proceeds calculator to estimate how much you can expect to earn from a sale.
• Make a checklist of the contents of each room to get a full picture of everything there is to declutter, organize, and pack. Start thinking about what you’ll take to the next home and what you’ll get rid of.

Preparing for the First Showings

Put your best foot forward at the open house and beyond by taking care of these tasks before your listing goes live.

• Fix all the little things like loose doorknobs, dripping faucets, and stuck windows. DIY when you can, but know when it’s better to hire a pro.
• Fix the big stuff too, but only when it makes financial sense. Since the best things to repair varies by market, your best resource for local insight is your realtor.
• Clean up the backyard, including trampolines and toy kitchens. Remove playground equipment if it’s old or unsafe, but playsets in good condition can be an asset.
• Repaint interior walls to neutral colors and remove wallpaper in nurseries and kids’ bedrooms. This is one improvement that always pays off.
• Downsize toy, book, media, and game collections. Donate toys your children have outgrown, pack up puzzles, paint, and other messy toys, and hold onto enough to just enough to keep the kids entertained.
• Simplify your wardrobes, but keep enough so you’re not doing laundry constantly. Pack up anything that’s out-of-season or hard to wash.

Keeping Your House Show-Ready

If you’re lucky, your house will sell quickly and you won’t have to keep it spotless for long. However, be prepared with a game plan in case you’re showing the house for several weeks.

• Wake up early to give yourself 10 to 15 minutes to tidy before the kids wake up. The cleaner you start the day, the easier it is to maintain. Plus, starting the day off with clear floors and an empty dishwasher is a quick way to give yourself a mental boost.
• Enforce rules that keep the house clean, like no shoes inside, no eating in the living room, and making beds every morning.
• Clean as you go. Washing the dishes after dinner, wiping down bathrooms after a shower, and other daily cleaning habits eliminate frantic last-minute cleanups.
• Arm yourself with tools such as cordless vacuums, spray mops, and cleaning wipes that let you clean quickly and efficiently.
• Buy more laundry baskets so it’s easy for everyone to throw clothes in a bin rather than on the floor. Stylish laundry baskets also make great storage for throw blankets, stuffed animals, pet toys, and other clutter.
• Stock the family car so you’re ready to leave in a jiffy. If you have kids under the age of 5, throwing spare shoes, jackets, and toys in the trunk is much easier than trying to get everyone dressed with buyers on their way.

Remember to Take Care Of Yourself

There’s no way to eliminate the hustle and bustle of having your home on the market, especially when you have kids. But remember, during the chaos, you still have to take care of yourself and your family. Make a point to relax. At least one night each week, for example, allow yourself an hour for a glass of hot tea and a long bath. Something else to keep in mind is that messes are going to happen. If your realtor calls for a last-minute showing, don’t hurt yourself trying to clean every little thing. Focus on the areas that count the most. After all, if a buyer is truly interested, an unmade toddler bed isn’t going to break the deal.

As you race to prepare your home to sell, remember to take time out to breathe. You’ll be busier than ever while your house is on the market, and you need as much downtime as you can get before the chaos begins. Take your time preparing, hire help when you need it, and remind yourself that all your hard work will pay off in a big way when your house sells.

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