Before diving into today’s topic, I want to start off by saying I generally always recommend moving out of your home once it’s listed for sale for two reasons. First, it helps keep your day-to-day life a little less complicated and second, it opens up your home so that we can get in the maximum number of showings in – and more showings equals more opportunities to sell your home. But moving out isn’t possible for everyone, so picture this: your home just hit the market and within hours you have back-to-back showings lined up for the next few days. While it’s absolutely great news, you’re now in the thick of showings. Here are some tips to help you make it through those busy showing days and keep your home staged to perfection.

Mentally move out

Living in a staged home is an achievable feat, but you’ll have to make some lifestyle changes. Start by embracing that your time in your home is now temporary and be willing to give up your settled existence. This will help you gradually detach from it and see that it’s not yours anymore - it will be someone else’s in the next few months. While this may be an emotionally charged exercise, it will make you see the staging task as an actual project and give you the push you need to make the house homey and neat, looking like those in home improvement shows.

Keep it tidy

Deep cleaning, decluttering and putting things in storage is a great start, but maintaining the perfect staged look is another matter. Keeping your home, clean, well-organized makes it more welcoming for buyers and easier for them to imagine their own belongings there. A big part of keeping the home clean and ready to show involves making fewer messes that must be cleaned up. With a little daily planning leaving the home for a showing will be easier.

·     Identify the areas of your home that get messy or dirty on a daily basis and        take 30 minutes at the end of the day to clean these spots.

·     Try to plan easy to make meals and clean as you go. If you’re cooking, start        loading the dishes and wiping down the counter while the pasta boils.

·     Limit eating meals and snacks to one area of the home, preferably the        kitchen table, while the home is on the market.

·     Make sure the home smells good. Try to open a few windows once a day to        let it air out, especially after cooking. Use a room spray all over the house        before leaving for a showing.

·     Get the rest of your family on board with a daily or weekly schedule to        tackle frequently messy areas to divide and conquer.

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Maintain the Yard

Maintaining your yard is crucial when selling your home because it significantly impacts curb appeal, the first impression buyers have of your property. A well-maintained yard can attract more buyers, lead to a quicker sale, and potentially increase your home's final selling price. Try to carve out sometime each weekend to do a little yard work so that you don’t have to think about pulling weeds when a showing is booked.

Plan a day out

If you have a full day of showings booked, or it’s the weekend and there’s an open house scheduled, plan to be out of the home the whole day. You don’t want to find yourself sitting around waiting to go home or trying to sneak in between showings. That way you can get your house prepped and ready without worrying about going back and forth with the kids, the pets and all your things.

Make a checklist

Showings could be scheduled with little notice, and you don’t want to be scrambling to check all the nooks and crannies to make sure they’re ready. Make a checklist of all the things you want to have done before you leave the home for a showing. Go through that checklist the weekend before your home hits the market so you’re ready for everything you have to do in advance. On the day showings start, you’ll be able to quickly run through the list, so your home looks its best. Here are somethings to consider adding to your list:

·     Make all the beds

·     Arrange blankets & pillows on couches

·     Use a lint roller on the furniture and pet areas

·     Tidy up kids & pets’ toys

·     Put away lose items, close closet and storage doors

·     Wipe down surfaces (kitchen & bathroom)

·     Wipe handprints off the front door, glass and windows

·     Empty and rinse sinks

·     Organize shoe areas and make sure entryway floors are clean

·     Hide personal items like cheque books, personal documentation, or       medications

·     Turn on lights

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Use the listing photos as a guide

We know it can feel overwhelming trying to get your home back to being perfectly staged while living with it. Use the listing photos as a reference guide to help you get everything back in its place, which is especially helpful for re-making beds or staging couch pillows. Getting everything back to matching the staged listing photos helps maintain a consistent look and helps buyers imagine themselves living in the home.

Surviving showings while living in your home can seem tough, but with a little planning, teamwork, and a solid routine, it’s absolutely doable. Remember, this phase is temporary, and every showing brings you one step closer to that sold sign on the lawn. Stay focused on your end goal, lean on your checklist, and don’t forget to take a little time for yourself when you can. You’ve got this!

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