Decluttering, daily routines, and checklists are simple ways to keep your home looking great for unexpected showing requests, making selling your home easier.

How do you keep your home looking staged and show-ready while still living in it? If you're like most people, you probably don’t plan on moving out just because your house is up for sale. However, staying organized and prepared can be tough between regular life stuff and last-minute showing requests. Here are five tips that will help keep your home looking its best and your sanity intact during the selling process.

1. Declutter before you list. Sorting through your belongings is often the most time-consuming part of the staging process because you're the only one who knows what to keep or let go. To make the staging process much easier, it’s a good idea to take some time to move things around, pack up, and decide what to donate before putting your home on the market.

2. Set up a daily routine. Once you're on the market, you never know when a showing request might come through. Establish a morning and evening routine for cleaning and organizing your home so that you're ready to go when unexpected requests do come up.

“Staging your home while living in it requires balancing a presentable space and managing your daily life.”

3. Showcase the home's main features. Every home has unique features or benefits, and you want to showcase what makes your home special. You can do that by arranging your furniture or adding some accessories that will create an inviting atmosphere that draws people in during showings

4. Make a “Show-Ready” checklist. While you can’t avoid last-minute showing requests, you can minimize the stress of getting your home ready by having a checklist to work from. For example, before leaving for work or running errands, do a quick 5-minute sweep that includes making the beds, wiping the kitchen counters, putting away daily clutter, opening the blinds for natural light, and setting the thermostat to a comfortable temperature.

5. Plan activities during showings. It’s not always easy to leave your home whenever someone wants to see it. Sometimes it feels inconvenient, but if you can plan something productive, like running an errand or doing grocery shopping, it won’t disrupt your schedule. The showing becomes just a small blip on the radar of your day.

Staging your home while still living in it is all about balancing keeping your space presentable and managing your daily life. If you need more top-dollar tips on how to prepare your home for showing, reach out to us at (651) 998-9829 or info@holzgroup.com. We'd be happy to offer a complimentary consultation.