Thinking About Selling Your Home? Have Small Kids?

Trying to sell your home can be a very stressful time for anyone, but throw a couple of kids under the age of 3 into the mix,  its just nuts!

We survived the madness. It took 9 days. The best part about the showings was all the positive feedback we received specifically on how clean and tidy the condo was. It showed well.  A lot of the people that came and saw it couldn't believe that I had 2 children under the age of 3 living there.

My top secret: get rid of the clutter before you sell. 

You can do this is many different ways and you can also do it in a way that does not disrupt your home life.

How did I do it?  I needed to know what my challenges were, know the time I would need to make the place look immaculate and how much time I would need before a showing to clean and tidy as well as pack up and leave with the kids.  Note: this alone is challenging with a 3 year old running around. The moment I started packing up toys and putting them away, he would be pulling something else out. This was never ending. Thats why I made sure that, that was the last thing for me to do before we left. We got through it.

There were a couple of days that we had 2 or 3 showings scheduled throughout the day. That meant that we would have to be out of the condo for the whole day. This too is something to consider, as it does disrupt a child schedule.  But my kids have never been great nappers - so this wasn't too much of an issue for us. What I found to be challenging was the night showings. It was hard to have to be out of the condo at night and come back home around 9:00 - that definitely took its toll on the kids. They were tired and cranky. Now while all this might sound negative and to some not worth the hassle, it is important to note, that this did not happen every day - so again it really wasn't that big of an issue.

I also have to mention that I spent quite a few weeks proir just ridding the clutter around the the condo as well. Its crazy just how much can accumulate in such a short time. Not to mention the mere fact that babies and children take a lot of space up: toys, highchairs, cribs, exersaucers, toys and more toys. I packed up 90% of the toys and left the ones that my children play with daily, purged and donated stuff we didn't need anymore. This way there was minimum furniture and stuff laying around.

That was how we did it.  If you are thinking about doing the same, like I mentioned earlier - just make sure that you know what your challenges are and recognize them. It will help you plan better and run things smoother.  If you have anyone that can help take the kids off your hands while you are cleaning and de-cluttering - that is even better. Don't be afraid to ask friends and family for help.

Here are some websites with great tips on selling your home and moving with children:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/493407/how_to_sell_a_house_while_raising_small.html?cat=46
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/302227/staging_childrens_rooms_to_sell_your.html?cat=30
http://www.ehow.com/how_4611195_prepare-house-sell-can.html
http://video.about.com/homebuying/Stage-Your-House-With-Kids.htm
http://www.vacation-rental-wonderland.com/owner-advice/home-seller-info/home-selling-with-kids/

Good Luck!