One of the hardest things anyone can be asked to do is to maintain the cleanliness of the family home when you have young children in the house. Children by there very nature, seem to effortlessly dismantle the illusion of cleanliness that we as parents have created. So when we have a home for sale the issues surrounding children and the mess they make are compounded.
The constant showings and open-houses are exhausting enough without having to compound the fatigue by running around frantically behind the youngsters clearing away a pile of debris. In the end of this process you are frazzled, exhausted and in need of a long stay in a quiet place. So how do relieve the panic associated with constantly cleaning up the kids mess?
Parents and Realtors can attest to the fact that children seem to have a method of creating clutter that defies logic. There seem to be an odd array of clothes, toys and papers that accumulate at an alarming rate the closer it gets to a viewing of your property. Living in a motel is not an option for most people, and neither is buying another home to live in while they wait for the inevitable sale of there own home.
There are a few steps you can take, to assist in controlling the mess. But remember your kids just want to have fun, so perfection is likely unattainable without some sort of government intervention. Here are few tips to ease the process.
- Make sure tha
- before bed. This will avoid the chaotic morning rush getting the kids ready for school and getting your own day started.
- Containers wi
- rage tubs when used in moderation can help hide the mess and will give you an easy to move storage container.
- Negotiation c
- th younger kids it may be necessary to resort to all out bribery. For instance, “I will give you this bag of sugary treats for lunch if you clean your room in the next 10 minutes.” Celery is not an effective bribe so I would recommend avoiding the healthy snack bribe.
- Try not to le
- nute. Leaving the tidying moments before the viewing of your home will mean that you rush. When we rush through a task we tend to forget something. It is those missed items that may in the end cost you money and possibly a potential sale.
- DON”T P
- rprised by the fact that everything seems to work itself out. The kids will try to help, you will get the stuff done that you needed, and most importantly the house will eventually sell.
Selling a family home will always be a trying process for the family in the home. But it is a time when we are under the most pressure that the family unit comes together the most.
