(Guest post.)
You’re vacuuming the living room for the second time today, and your dog seems ready to bite the next potential buyer it sees. At the same time, someone calls to reschedule a showing. Trying to run a household while you’re selling it feels like a comedy without a script. Yes, it’s all a mess, but you can still learn to control it and hit the seller’s sweet spot. It takes some forethought and a lot of self-control, but you can keep things livable.
Keep Things Clean Without Going Crazy
You don’t need to turn your home into a museum. A buyer isn’t going to check the inside of your sock drawer with a white glove. Focus on the basics. Wipe the counters, vacuum the main areas, and clean the bathrooms regularly. Keep one bin in each room for last-minute clutter grabs. Stuff everything in it before a showing and stash it in a closet or the trunk of your car.
Don’t waste time lighting a dozen candles or overthinking the pillows. One candle is fine. Straighten the blankets. Let the house feel lived in, just not chaotic.
Let Tech Help Where It Can
You’ve got enough to juggle already. Let technology take a few things off your plate. Set up calendar reminders for showings. Use a smart plug to turn on lamps before you leave. Automate what you can.
Many homeowners find that modern solutions simplify the process, especially with tech innovations transforming the moving industry and making daily logistics feel a little less overwhelming. Even something as small as a robot vacuum can make a big difference when you’re trying to keep floors clean on short notice.
Kids and Pets Won’t Stick to the Plan
Your toddler doesn’t care about your showing schedule. Your dog thinks every stranger is an invader. And somehow, your cat always decides to throw up the moment someone pulls into the driveway.
Prepare for that. Have a go bag ready for the kids with snacks and toys. Keep the pet crate clean and accessible. Have a plan for where you’ll go during a showing. Maybe it’s the park. Maybe it’s a drive-through. The goal isn’t to pretend kids and pets don’t live there. It’s to reduce the fallout when they act like themselves.
Cooking Gets Interesting
Cooking while staging is a balancing act. You need to eat, but you don’t want to leave behind lingering smells or mountains of dishes before a showing or a home inspection. This is a good time to embrace low-mess meals. Sandwiches, wraps, frozen meals, or slow-cooker recipes with minimal cleanup are your best bet.
You don’t have to give up cooking entirely. Just avoid fish, bacon, or anything that makes your home smell like a fast food kitchen hours later. Keep your meals simple and your sink empty.
Store the Clutter, Not Your Sanity
If you haven’t decluttered yet, start now. You’re still trying to run a household while you’re selling it, and having too much stuff lying around makes everything harder. Box up what you don’t use every day. Extra kitchen gadgets, off-season clothes, and your third set of towels. Store it out of sight.
You don’t have to rent a storage unit unless things are really tight. Ask a friend if you can stash a few boxes in their garage. Or neatly organize your own garage with a moving soon corner. The less you leave visible, the easier it is to keep the place show-ready.
Control the Showing of Chaos
You don’t have to say yes to every show. Simply put, some homes sell faster than others, and you might need more time. Let your agent know your boundaries. Maybe you’re not available after 7 PM. Maybe you need at least two hours’ notice. It’s your home. You still get to live in it.
Make a checklist for last-minute prep. Open the blinds, turn on a few lamps, empty the trash, hide the dishes, and scoop the litter box. Tape it to the fridge. You’ll thank yourself later.
Also, keep a bag packed with essentials in your car. If you have to leave quickly, you’ll have snacks, water, and whatever else you need to kill time while someone walks through your house pretending they don’t mind the wallpaper.
Live in the Space, Don’t Stage to Death
It’s tempting to overstate, but remember, buyers expect a home, not a showroom. If you’re brushing your teeth in the backyard because you hid your toiletries, you’ve gone too far. Keep your routine. Use your kitchen. Watch your shows.
Yes, tidy up, but don’t erase yourself. A clean, normal home makes buyers feel more comfortable. You don’t need to fake a lifestyle that no one can maintain.
Storage Is Your Secret Weapon
Packing little by little will make your life easier now and later. Store what you can and leave out only what you use. Label your boxes and stack them neatly in one area. You’ll be surprised how much more manageable your home feels once you’ve cleared some space.
If you don’t have a storage unit, ask friends or family for help. Even one spare closet can lighten the load. You’re not trying to disappear. You’re just making it easier to breathe between now and closing day.
Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself
In all the rushing, cleaning, and planning, it’s easy to forget about you. Selling a home while living in it is mentally exhausting. Give yourself breaks when you can. Go for a walk, sit down with a cup of coffee, or watch something that doesn’t involve real estate. Takeout and messy buns are allowed. Don’t expect perfection from yourself or your household. You’re juggling a major life event on top of your daily responsibilities. That deserves credit, not guilt. If things feel too hectic, pause and reset. A calm mindset is your best tool during all of this.
It Gets Weirder Near the End
As the sale moves forward, your house starts to feel less like home and more like someone else’s future. That’s normal. You might start eating off paper plates and sleeping on a mattress on the floor. You’ll wonder if you’ve packed your sanity in one of the boxes.
But take a moment. Look around. You’ve figured out how to run a household while you’re selling it. And that’s no small thing. You managed the mess, the logistics, and the emotions and still kept the lights on and the fridge stocked.
Soon, it’ll be someone else’s turn to clean the baseboards and dodge last-minute showings. For now, just keep showing up, day by day. You’re doing fine.
