Homeowners with young children face a common challenge when their house is on the market: How do you keep the home clean and ready for prospective buyers? Keeping that “staged look” as the kids create instant messes can be overwhelming. Children’s bedrooms are the worst when getting a home ready to sell—toys, clothes and activities.
- Limit the number of toys and activities that children play with each week and adding and subtracting as the kids get bored.
- Pack away extra toys, stuffed animals and books.
- Organize remaining toys neatly in baskets, boxes and bins and display only a few items on shelves.
- For those with infants, keep your nursery tidy by storing all extra diapers, wipes, lotions, baby bottles and clothes in a dresser or nearby closet.
- Emptying the diaper pail frequently will help ensure that the room smells fresh and clean.
- Removing furniture that doesn’t serve a purpose can help the room appear larger.
- Having kids share rooms allows you to set up the unoccupied room as a guest room or home office, adding extra value to your home.
Once your current home sells, the new home will provide your kids with exciting new adventures. If that doesn’t make them more cooperative in helping keep the place, then there’s always plan B: bribe them with ice cream, outside!
