You want to see a sweet young mom turn into a raving manic?
Or, a successful business man be reduced to a puddle of worry?
Try listing and selling a house.
A darling mama of two can overnight turn into the female version of the Hulk as she barks orders for children to clean their room, whisks dirty diapers out of the house and sweeps a pile of Legos under the sofa. Her prayer- Let them not look too carefully.
As my husband and I have sold many homes we’ve been down the “pretend we really are neat, organized homeowners” road. Overnight we look vigilantly for crumbs on the counter, nail clippings on the carpet and peanut butter smudges on the kitchen window. It’s not that we are messy but … well only so much you can do with four children in the house who aren’t interested in selling their home.
It’s enough to tip the fairly calm person over the edge, as they instruct one’s children to wear that pair of underpants another day, eat in the bathtub and sleep on the floor so the beds won’t have to be made again. Really?
Because one of my goals is to help families transition a move as simply as possible, I have a checklist below for last minute house showings. Print this up and hopefully it will save some of your sanity!
Things to do 30 minutes before a showing
- Make all beds
- Clear floor of all toys and clutter (put in laundry baskets that go in trunk of car if you are out of time).
- Windex bathroom mirrors
- Check carpets for spots
- Check walls for smudges and use Magic Eraser on them
- Make sure there are no dishes in the sink and shine up sink, microwave, stove, dishwasher and refrigerator.
- Check front and back yard for miscellaneous neighborhood children and toys
- Sweep off front porch
- Spray rooms with room freshener
- Put frantic last minute items you can’t put away in a dirty clothes hamper. Repeat after me, “Declutter now, organize later.”
- Get in car and collapse.
To help your move go smoothly and learn some spiritual principles, check out my book, Changing Zip Codes. Great for a neighbor who is moving away or a newcomer in your church. https://www.amazon.com/Changing-Zip-Codes-Community-Transplanted/dp/0984765557
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