Tips for Keeping a Clean Home when Selling
Keeping a clean home can be a challenge-even when you do not have your home listed for sale. Some are fortunate enough to have regular house cleaners take care of this. For the rest of us, we have to find time in our week to take care of our home ourselves.
Experts suggest creating a schedule to accomplish important tasks each week is the best way to keep a clean home without the stress. Taking into account that things change, customize a schedule/list to fit your own weekly activities.
Below is an example. By using this plan, you could keep your home clean all week, with only 5 days of effort.
Day 1 - Dust and then vacuum the home. Dust first as the dust will fall onto the floor. Mop any hard surface floors as well.
Day 2 – Deep clean bathrooms, shower and toilets, clean mirrors and shine fixtures.
Day 3 – Address the kitchen. Check the inside of the microwave, oven and clean drips off of cabinets.
Day 4 – Window day. Clean all the windows you can reach. Hire a professional if needed.
Day 5 – Garden work. Trim trees, remove weeds and remove debris.
I have clients that tell me their biggest trick to keeping a tidy home is doing a small load of laundry every night-that includes washing, drying, folding and putting away (do people really do that-ALL in the same day?!), and cleaning one room at a time, per day, in addition to the daily dishes and clutter.
Keeping up with kids?
Sometimes trying to keep a clean house can feel defeating when your kiddos are making messes as fast as you can clean them (or at least that’s how it can seem!) To help them think about how they can help Mom and Dad, have a conversation with them about why it is important to keep things picked up and give them age appropriate chores around the house so they can help. If you are worried about the chemicals they may be coming in to contact with, there are lots of great, natural cleaners on the market, and Pinterest has a TON of recipes for natural cleaners you can whip up yourself!
I have gotten my kids involved in household chores, and have found that laminated cards with each room/chore and a description of what your expectation is, helps tremendously in insuring they understand what you mean when you say “Clean the bathroom.”
Cards can even be a great reminder for adults that get distracted while cleaning! (I’m the worst about starting in one room, taking something in another room, then starting a new cleaning project in that other room…)
Seeing a card that breaks down each step helps them to know exactly what cleaning each room entails. Depending on their age and skill level, you could break steps down farther (Clean Toilet: spray with cleaner, wipe tank lid and flush handle, wipe tank, wipe seat lid, then seat, under seat, use scrub brush to clean inside bowl, wipe where seat attaches to toilet and around the rim, clean outside of bowl, sides, around bolt covers and the floor) and have multiple cards for each room, connected with a ring.
Having your kids help with household chores helps them to develop independence, respect, responsibility, a good work ethic, self reliance and an ability to plan (thinking to the next step, what supplies do I need to do this job, etc.) which will be beneficial throughout their life. It also helps you get more accomplished in one day!
Sounds easy, right? No. Life is hectic and it’s hard to carve out time during the week, but breaking the work into smaller chunks and enlisting the help of your spouse and children can make it less burdensome. Of course, throughout the week, check for basic maintenance; countertops, kitchen spills and pet hair, etc. The great thing is, there isn’t one schedule for cleaning. Find one that works for you and that will be easy for you to stick to! These schedules are a framework you can use to create your own plan and make sure your home is always clean and show-ready!
Audra George is a licensed Realtor in Missouri, and is the Broker for The Realty Company. Audra has a diverse background; she is a former middle school Math teacher and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, she worked with survivors after the May, 2011 tornado in Joplin, Missouri, and has extensive experience in online marketing- previously running marketing campaigns for fundraising companies, including creating marketing plans for retail and online businesses. Audra has received numerous awards for her work, including her work with individuals after the tornado, and 'Rookie of the Year' in her first year of Real Estate sales, and ‘Salesperson of the Year’ each year after.
Audra lives in Southwest Missouri with her two boys, two dogs, kangaroos, squirrel and cats. Audra works hard for her clients to make the process of selling and purchasing property as easy as possible.
Are you thinking of selling your home? If so, I’d like to talk to you about other tips and tricks to sell your home fast! If you get tired of trying to sell on your own, I’d love the opportunity to interview for the job! I will explain how I MARKET your home, sell it faster, and for the highest price!
Call or text for an appointment today! -Audra George, The Realty Company (417) 850-7220 or Contact Me