Being a first-time mom, I totally understand how overwhelming the chaos of baby proofing, rearranging furniture, managing endless toys, and constantly cleaning bottles can feel. Add in the pressure of selling your home, and it’s no wonder so many families stay put longer than they’d like.
If you’re feeling ready to make a move but are unsure about the logistics with a little one in tow, I’ve got you covered! Below is a list of to-dos, what to expect, and when we should chat to make this process as smooth as possible.
Preparing Your Home:
Declutter: Start with removing any clutter, donate what you can, toss the rest. I just did this with my closet and our room, it takes time but make it easy on yourself. The epilepsy foundation will pick up donations, posting it in buy nothing groups and utilizing a bagster for anything that just needs to go takes some pressure off. Start with one room, move to the next. We also just donated all of our smaller baby toys and I promise he doesn't even know they are gone.
Minimize and Depersonalize: Once you have decluttered, start minimizing or depersonalizing. There are going to be things that are personal taste and we want to start minimizing so that buyer's can imagine themselves in the property. If you are like me, you might have things that you are still hanging onto but have overtaken your storage for other items. Things you are storing now and plan to store in your new home, buy plastic bins that you can neatly stack in the garage. For other items that you can live without for a little bit but plan to bring back out in your new home, utilize a bin rental is the way to go. They will drop off how many you need, they stack, and they will pick them up when you are moved into your new home.
Create a Showing Bin: Have a throw bin or laundry basket ready. By this I am meaning have a bin that you can put all of the toys and miscellaneous things empty and set aside for a quick pick up pre showing. Keep it in a closet or one on each level.
Baby Proof Audit: Switch baby proofing to "hidden" proofing where possible. Make a list of everything that is currently baby proofed so that we can have a plan of if we need to give access to those areas. Most won't need access until inspection period.
Minimize toys and clutter: Pack away excess toys, games, and kid-related items. Consider creating a “showing bin” for toys your kids use daily—easy to stash quickly.
Tidy closets and storage spaces: Do a closet audit of each closet. Buyers look everywhere! Utilize foldable bins, tidy up pantries, and get rid of anything unnecessary.
Neutralize bedrooms and playrooms: Remove personalized décor like name signs or school artwork and focus on clean, neutral aesthetics
Deep Clean: Hire a cleaner to come a day prior to showings. Trust me, its an expense you will be happy you used!
When to start preparing:
Plan to start at least 2–3 weeks in advance of staging and scheduled photos, depending on your schedule. Only you will know if you need more or less time. However, many people tend to over-prepare. I offer consultations where I’ll visit your home, assess what’s needed, and provide a personalized to-do list. Even if you’re 6 months away from moving, let’s chat! Text me at 612.432.0067 to get started.
What to expect for showings:
There are a lot of tools at our disposal to make showings easy. We will look at your schedule, plan an active date, and I typically, if possible, recommend taking a staycation or planning it to coincide with a family vacation. After all the prep, how amazing does a cabin in the woods and toes in the sand sound, right? This allows us to have at least one fully open weekend to do open houses and really jam-pack with showings without time restrictions.
Sometimes that isn't possible though! In which case we will plan a set open house time and also can either schedule that showings need to have X amount of notice with your approval OR we can have it set to only within certain times OR we can utilize a combination of both. Once we meet I will help you navigate all of this and we will make a plan that fits your needs.
Prior to Showing:
Focus on Key areas: quick sink (and bathtub) clean up, clear the counters, take the trash out if full (and diaper pail), wipe down counters, store away shoes
Make it Easy: unlock any areas that will need access (laundry room, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc.), turn lights on, open drapes, etc.
Quick pick up: use your throw bin for a quick clean of any toys, books, etc. that are on the floor
Utilize a "show ready" checklist: make beds, close toilets, put shoes/hats/etc. in a throw bin or back in the closet, move any pet food bowls,
Create a “go bag” for kids: Have a pre-packed bag ready with essentials like snacks, toys, and diapers for easy exits during last-minute showings.
Plan "Gotta-Go" Outings: Have a list of go-to places where you can spend time during showings, like a park, café, or play center. You will also get a list from me as part of your Ready to Sell package!
Explain to the kids & don't overthink it: If you have older kiddos let them know what is going on and even give them a little checklist of their own to keep them involved. Now if you have a baby baby, they aren't going to get it but keep the diaper bag ready with things you will need and also know that most showings are only about 20 minutes. So even driving to get yourself a coffee, returning books to the library or just taking a little walk are all totally reasonable. Only advice is to pull down the block at least if you plan to sit in the car with kids tunes jamming!
Moving, even with babies, doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right plan, it can even be enjoyable! If you’re thinking about selling, let’s set up a consultation to create a personalized strategy.
Pass this post along to anyone who might find it helpful, and feel free to reach out with questions.
Until next time,
Lauren
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