Putting your house on the market takes a lot of effort. Keeping your house on the market can take even more time and energy, especially if it’s listed for a while. Trying to keep your home looking nice for showings while living in it can be a challenge, particularly for families with active children. Here are some tips to keep your home shipshape and show-shape, as well as to help you keep your sanity:
1. Make it a habit to empty wastebaskets every morning.
Before you leave the house for work or school, make it a routine to take a lap around the house with a bag and dispose of all the trash. Take out the kitchen garbage, too, to avoid unpleasant odors that may offend prospective buyers.
2. Make it easy to make beds.
Unmade beds can make the entire house look unkempt, so you want bed making to be quick and simple for you and family members. Eliminate any unnecessary cover layers and pillows. Use fitted sheets on the bottom, and consider changing from bedspreads to comforters or duvets, which can be easier to pull up, position, and smooth.
3. Keep breakfasts simple.
During the morning rush, you want to minimize dishes and kitchen mess. Stock up on healthy cereals and protein or breakfast bars for quick grab-and-go meals. Or, make a plan to pick up healthy breakfast options on the way to school or work and skip morning kitchen use all together.
4. Concentrate on keeping the kitchen and bathrooms clean.
It can seem overwhelming to think about keeping your entire house on a daily basis, so try to focus on making the kitchen and bathrooms look sanitary and sparkling. If you have multiple bathrooms, try to limit your family to using just one, if possible, to help cut down on daily cleaning chores and save time.
5. Stay on top of laundry.
Laundry piled in rooms or closets can be distracting and make areas look smaller. Try to do a load of laundry every day to keep it from piling up. Put used bath towels directly into the washer instead of hanging them on hooks and towel rods. Your bath will look neater and the towels will get washed more regularly.
6. Assign each household member an evening task, such as vacuuming, wiping down counters, or dusting.
Doing a little at a time can keep your home looking nice and save effort in the long run.
7. Have baskets handy for quick pickups.
If you get notice of a last-minute showing, you can quickly pick up items around the house and then stash the baskets in closets or under beds.
Adding HSA Home Warranty Coverage can also help your house stay show-ready. If a covered malfunction occurs while your home is on the market, instead of panicking and possibly missing showings due to the breakdown, you’ll have a quick solution for finding reliable service professionals to help. An HSA Home Warranty can also help protect your home equity investment during the listing period and may help protect out-of-pocket expenses from covered breakdowns during the listing period. For more information, visit onlinehsa.com/homeowners/seller-benefits/.