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Got Kids Got a Home for Sale Heres Seven Tips Especially for You

Do your children really need a closet full of toys all the time?

The only thing more difficult than living in a home thats for sale is living in a home thats for sale when you have young children.

If thats your situation, I feel your pain.

I know how stressful it can be when youve just touched up your wall paint, and discover two days later small handprints all up and down the stairwell.

I know how stressful it can be when your realtor calls from down the street, wanting to show your home in a few minutes, and the living room is draped in blanket forts that cover an intricate complex of  Lego villages and train tracks.

With these things in mind, Ive collected my favorite tips learned from PWHOM -- parents with a home on the market.

Systematize. Have routines. Do the same procedures daily. For example, everyone makes his or her own bed as soon as he or she gets out of it, one child puts away dishes after every meal, and another sweeps the front steps each evening. Soon, youll have these habits down pat. Life is simpler with simple rituals, and young ones learn new tasks faster when the tasks are repeated at short intervals, like daily, or even twice daily.

Simplify. Put away the toys and games that are not essential. Most children will not miss the majority of their books, toys, games, dolls and stuffed animals. If storing all but their favorites creates a problem, rotate toys in and out of storage, and explain that the situation is just temporary. Its important for your own sanity that children understand -- as best they can -- the importance of all you are doing to help sell your home.  

Squirrel-ize. Thats right, think like a squirrel, and hide things. People on a tour of your home dont need to see your basket of diaper changing essentials, the science project your son is in the middle of, the pile of sports equipment near the back door, or your daughters doll collection. Think accessible, but still out of sight and in a place where home buyers dont look. Here are some hiding places I like for temporary stashing:

• under the bed, in sliding boxes
• an emptied, designated dresser drawer 
• pretty shoeboxes, hatboxes, or these DIY cardboard vases 
• an ottoman or bench with a storage compartment built in 
• the washer or dryer  
• the trunk of your car 
• a vintage piece of luggage or wicker basket

Delegate tasks on your pre-showing checklist to everyone in the household. This is my #3 grandson, and he actually likes to vacuum.

Supervise. Once infrequently used rooms are decluttered and clean, dont let them become catch-all areas for stuff that has no home. If you can close off rooms like the guest room or powder room, placing them off-limits to family members, thats another possibility. Remind them that its just temporary.

Schedule. Make a checklist of what touchups need to be done just prior to a short-notice showing. If you leave the house for work in the morning, never knowing if a Realtor will bring people through during the day, having a touchup checklist is even more important. I know its asking a lot, but selling a home is like running a business. Children, even young ones, should have a designated role in touchups.

Secret-ize. Put away things like schedules and calendars that show when you wont be home or where your children will be, any paperwork and decorations that show your childrens names, or photographs of your children. You do not know who is coming into your home or what they want to know about you. I dont think I have to go into the details. Its all about keeping kids safe.

Synchronize. Work with your Realtor on timing so that showings are not a problem. Most parents prefer showings during school hours. Ideally, you should never have to refuse a showing. Some buyers breeze into town for the day and dont have much scheduling flexibility. Its more important to let your home be shown with some toys scattered about, and some wet towels on the rods, than to let a possible buyer escape. Many buyers interpret a demand for 24-hour notice as "not serious sellers." Be show-ready! I know it can be a hassle, but stay focused on the prize.

Youll drive yourself mad if you expect organized perfection. Its a balancing act. On one hand, buyers know you dont live in a model home, but on the other hand, buyers watch HGTV and they know the market now is a buyers market. Whatever leverage you can gain by making your home the one that looks better than the rest, gives you a clear advantage.

I give other tips to help you navigate the waters toward a sale of your home in my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. For just $4.99, it will pay for itself over and over and over. Or Ill give you your money back.



Got Kids Got a Home for Sale Heres Seven Tips Especially for You

Heres How to Set the Table in Your Staged Home

Think Spring: Flowers are a must.

Opinions differ on whether or not to set the table with place settings in a staged home. Heres my take on the question.

If you need a focal point in a dining room, gussy up the table to make it look special. But if the room has a view, a fireplace, architectural details, or other assets, your best bet is to let the table play a minor role.

Do you have a nondescript or windowless dining room? Then take these tips to create a stylish tablescape that will become the focal  point, giving buyers that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Learn the difference. Setting the dining table in a staged home is different from setting the table for a dinner party of your friends and family. It doesnt have to be practical, and the settings can be a little over the top.

People on home tours know that buyers are putting their best foot forward, so dont  think you will look like a phony. Think of tablesetting as putting on lipstick. Its obvious your lips arent really that color, but you are telling the word, "Hey, Im doing my best."

Make it seasonal. Heres your chance to give your home that up-to-the-moment feeling.

Seasonal decor indicates that your home is new on the market, even if it isnt, and that you care about and enjoy your home. Look to nature for inspiration and themes, rather than decorating for any religious or ethnic holidays.

A tray with a tea cup on a bedside table? Why not?

In spring, no matter where you live, flowers set the perfect tone. I always suggest silk flowers because todays good silks are very convincing, and take almost no care. I especially like to see flowers that are in season at springtime, like lilacs, tulips, pansies, forsythia, daffodils, wisteria, dogwood, violets, hyacinths, poppies, and crocus.

Base your tabletop settings around pastel colors in spring. Make the colors brighter in summer. Make the colors warm and muted in the fall. For Christmas and winter, choose either traditional, or simple and dramatic color schemes.      

Any where snacking is bound to happen is an opportunity to stage a place setting. This jumbo coffee cup measures 5 inches across.

Go Big.  Set the table with large, carefully chosen pieces for impact. You dont want buyers to be distracted by small details. You want the tablescape to look lush and abundant, but not crowded.  Large serving pieces are how to get that look.

Even though your table doesnt sell with the home, you can use it to get a message to buyers that theres plenty of room for entertaining. I always use all the chairs and spaces at the table, unless it looks crowded. I dont see the point of setting for four a table that will seat eight.

Be on the lookout for oversized plates, glasses, and cups. Now is not the time for delicate teacups, small salt shakers, or little napkins. You can use trays for chargers, chargers for dinner plates, mixing bowls for soup bowls, and vases for goblets, for example.

Pile on the Layers. Dressing the tabletop is a little like dressing yourself. But instead of creating the illusion of a trim body, we want the illusion of a generously proportioned room. Your aim is to make the whole room look comfortable and luxurious. Two or three color-coordinated plates, a cup or bowl, glassware, cloth napkin, and placemat make the table look festive and well-appointed without looking fussy.

My friend Kathy, who owned a store that sold tableware and cookware, showed me the trick of using two cloth napkins instead of one to make place settings look more lush and layered. Try it!  




Heres How to Set the Table in Your Staged Home