 Posted 7/15/2008 8:48:12 PM
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| I don't even know how I am going to keep my house clean let alone declutter and all the other "staging" techniques. I have a one year old and a four year old and yes our house is cluttered with a pack and play, highchair, babyswing, toybox, etc. etc. Do I put all of these things in the basement or attic, all places perspective homebuyers will look anyway. I can't put these things in storage as we use them on a daily basis. Anybody sell their home with small children and full time jobs? Can you let me know how you did it? Any advice or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Posted 8/21/2008 5:46:52 AM
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overwhelming isn't it. i've done it with 3 kids at the time 1, 7 &14 and while the home was on the market realtors complimented how nice it was to show and lacking clutter. exhausted me as i had to have everything clean down to the caulk in the bathrooms.. but i would take the fact you are at work during the day as a benefit assuming the kids are at day care elsewhere. no one will be home as they were for me... wrecking one room after another, cooking & cleaning splatters, wiping up baseball and soccer mud getting tracked through the house during the day when most buyers will come through the home. as for clutter- anything bulky you use daily needs to be accessible either in an easy to reach attic space or garage or even truck of your car. as for their rooms. all of my kids lived with 1/4 of their things, which was still plenty&they forgot about what was boxed up. i would take everything but a lamp and a few favorite books off dressers, all but a select # of toys and have these stored in 1 contained location. box everything else up, wall art, pictures, names on doors, magnets on the fridge.. they&you will get it back and their spaces will immediately appear cleaner&be easier to clean. strip each closet &remove all unused or outgrown clothing, box up the winter coats or visa/versa if applicable near you. as for the kitchen, take as much off the counter including toasters, utensil holders ( downsize even this to just what you regularly use&store in a cleaned up drawer) knick/knacks off windows etc. remove most everything that makes your home yours&homey. again, the space will appear larger/cleaner&be easier to clean. put as much away in your attic&garage stacking&labeling boxes for moving. buyers seeing a garage or attic full of stuff r going will accept this better then having all these extra things taking up living space.
Other things I did, in each bathroom, I left paper towels&windex in the closet so after teeth were brushed/showers done I could quick spray and wipe down everything. Once the kids are in bed at night hit the cleaning , prepare everthing for morning breakfast or clothing so you can quick get them ready, load up&get out. I prepared a lot of food for oven baking ie. chicken, potatoes in one dish the night before so I could stick in the oven the next evening without messy prep work during the day, crock pots are great too and make the house smell great while you're at work.
don't get me wrong, it's NOT easy but it will not go on forever. i will say i adopted many of the cleaning/less clutter techniques into my non on-market life, they just make life a bit easier.
good luck!
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Posted 9/9/2008 5:00:23 PM
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It's hard. One thing I have invested in and its totally worth it is plastic containers. Wal-Mart sells them in teal, pink, and now brown and orange. They are great for organizing things. Our home was pretty 'neat' on the outside, but once you opened a closet, it was piled with things.
As for the staging and keeping things neat, it's all in the behavior modification. You get to function on less. Maybe not as good as all the other stuff but sufficient. I am a foodie and had tons of pans, cookie sheets, gadgets, bowls, etc. I had to store about 2/3 of the stuff because it was just too much clutter in the kitchen. Now the place looks much more spacious and I have gotten positive comments on how much storage space there is in the kitchen.
For the bathrooms you can recondition yourself to wipe up all the time. Invest in some cheap rags to wipe down the showers, tub, and sink. Squirt some Lysol in the toilet bowl- no need for a total scrub down but it does the job.
I have two dogs and I am by no means comparing them to children but when someone comes for a viewing they have to go as do all of their leashes, toys, bowls, food, etc. I have a FOR OPEN HOUSES AND SHOWINGS container, where we literally toss it all in, and stash in the garage.
I have to vacuum about three to four times a week to keep the carpet looking fresh, especially with the pups. Make cleaning a game- get it all done in 15 minutes or something like that depending on the size of your home. I do 10 minutes a day and make it into a game. Maybe you could do this when the kids go to bed.
Now as for storage in those places . . . my mum lives about 10 minutes from me, and never filled my old bedroom. So, we are fortunate enough to be able to store many many things there. bribe a friend, co worker, or family member to see if they will let you do that. Another option is to rent a storage spot although that costs extra money. And last, when you have your open houses and showings, just shove everything into your car temporarily and park the car down the street.
For other staging ideas, just google it or visit HGTV and get your rooms to look like theirs. There is tons of info. Remember you want people to really envision themselves in your home. from the fresh baked brownies in the kitchen to the bubble bath waiting for them in the bathroom.
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