This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

How to Stay Sane When Your Home is on the Market

Waiting patiently for your home to sell? Read these tips to stay sane while keeping your home tidy in preparation for that sale!

If you’re selling your house, no doubt you’ve staged it for sale. You’ve de-cluttered, stowed away your most valuable and personable belongings, cleaned up the yard, and swept all the floors. The beds are made and your kitchen and bathrooms are sparkling. Now, how to keep it that way?

Keeping your home in tip-top shape for last-minute showings can be trying, especially if your circumstances necessitate a quick sale. In a sluggish economy, your home could sit on the market for months, and maintaining it in “show-ready” condition while waiting for an offer is wearing on even the most stoic homeowner.

Here are a few tips to help you keep your sanity while you’re waiting for that sale:

Find out what's happening in Watertownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Simplify. To avoid constant cleaning, consider taking a few steps to minimize your daily chores. If it’s possible, you might want to have your entire family live out of one bathroom so that you don’t have to clean several each day. Control the clutter by putting away everything you use as soon as you are done with it. Stay on top of laundry – do small loads as clothes get dirty and put clothing back in drawers as soon as it is folded. Empty wastebaskets daily. Buy only the groceries and household sundries that you need imminently so that you don’t have a lot of extra items cluttering your pantry or closets. You’re going to be moving anyway, so now isn’t the time to stock up.

Outsource. Even if you don’t ordinarily use a professional cleaner, now might be the time to enlist some help. Shorter, more frequent visits from a cleaning service can help you keep your home in shape for a sale.

Find out what's happening in Watertownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Escape. Eating out is a great way to minimize mess and unpleasant cooking smells. Budget for a few meals outside of your home each week or cash in any dinner invitations friends and family have been promising! If your home is on the market for a while, you might think about taking a vacation or a short weekend trip to take a break from keeping things neat and tidy. Just make sure your agent knows how to contact you if an offer comes in while you are away.

Relax. Give yourself a break. It’s unreasonable to think that you can keep your home spotless at all hours for a long period of time. Prospective buyers who request last-minute showings will understand that you haven’t had time to deep clean the entire house. Some buyers might even appreciate a “lived-in” feel so that they can imagine what it would be like to live in your home on a daily basis. Not all buyers are going to give the place the white-glove treatment.

Living in transition can be trying, but if you take care of yourself and allow for a little wiggle room on constant cleanliness, you’ll have an easier time with the wait. With a few strategies to minimize your daily effort, you’ll be on your way to making that sale.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Watertown