Guest Post from the point of view of a busy parent…Â
Parenting is a full-time job. Selling a home can also turn into a full-time job if there’s a lot of work required to get the house ready. When you’re juggling both roles on top of having a career, “busy” feels like an understatement. Between the kids’ activities and your work responsibilities, it can be difficult to get the house ready for sale. Unfortunately, home sellers have no choice in these matters. It’s necessary to prep the house for showings, and there could be some costs involved, but there are ways to save whether you’re decluttering, depersonalizing, or staging your home and saving by using a Macys coupon code. Here are six steps to house prepping that will keep the process affordable without burdening your schedule.
“Spring Clean” and Declutter
Choose an hour a day to declutter, and pick one category for each session so that you’re not overwhelmed. Once you have a pile of discarded items to get rid of, consider selling it at a yard sale or online for extra cash. You can also donate to charity for a tax write-off, which can come in handy next year when you’re filing taxes.
Clean the House from Top to Bottom
Surely, you can find one weekend out of your busy schedule to clean the house thoroughly. If you can’t block off a weekend, try sectioning off your home and doing it over several weekends. Turn it into a family activity so you’re not missing out on quality time. If you need some help, consider hiring a low-cost cleaning service for a one-time cleaning. Once the house is spotless, it probably won’t be necessary to continue spending money on cleaning services. A clean house is easier and cheaper to maintain yourself without professional help, which can quickly add up.
Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies
To save money and protect the environment, try making your own cleaning supplies instead of buying expensive, toxic products. Some versatile, budget-friendly ingredients include lemon juice, baking soda, and vinegar. All three of those items are likely in your cupboard already; if not, they’re inexpensive to purchase. To avoid waste and save money, use cleaning cloths or sponges that you can wash and reuse rather than wasting paper towels that get tossed out after one use.
Set Up a Cleaning Schedule
As long as interested buyers keep coming by the house for viewings, you’ll need to maintain its appearance at all times. Although it might be tempting to hire help when you’re too busy to clean, remember that you have free workers living in the home already — your children! Find age-appropriate chores for them to do, such as wiping down the counters, and set a schedule that they can easily adhere to. Incentivize them based on how much or how well they clean, whether it’s an hour on a video game or playtime with the neighborhood kids.
Stage Your Home
Your realtor will recommend tips to decorate your home so that it’s appealing to buyers, or they’ll do it themselves. Unless you’re already a stellar decorator, you’ll probably need to add some nice decor for both the listing photos and the showings. Little details, like a matching bathroom set, can make a drab house look more attractive. Rather than spending big bucks to buy full-priced throw pillows and wall decor, you save by shopping at stores like Macy’s (click here for coupons and promo codes).
De-Personalize
When staging your home, be sure to remove any personal belongings that give it a “lived in” look. Family photos and sentimental items don’t need to be on display. Your prospective buyers want to see a home that they can picture themselves living in, not feel like they’re walking into someone else’s home. Putting away personal items for the showings also gives you a chance to get a head start on packing for the big move.
Maintaining a clean home with minimal belongings when there are children living there is easier said than done. And when you’re a busy parent, who has time for prepping and staging a home for sale? It’s all about budgeting your time and money. It won’t come without effort, but remember that what you put into it is what you’ll get.
