The move from one Locust Grove home to another is a big undertaking.  When you add in children and pets, the process can feel even more of a challenge.  The good news is that if you are planning to sell your home, but aren’t quite ready for the for sale sign to be placed in your yard, there are things you can do now that will make it easier later.

A child’s bedroom can be a tough space to navigate making changes.  Every child handles the transition between one home to another differently; my suggestions are just that-suggestions.  You know your child best, and I encourage you to do what is best for your family.

Start Small with Decluttering

You most likely have no intention of bringing the fast food toys that are stashed under the bed with you to your new Locust Grove home.  However, we know that the moment you pull it out, that toy has suddenly become your child’s new favorite.  Decluttering can feel overwhelming for children already in an unsure space of moving.  Declutter the items in your child’s room gradually.  Start with clothing; decide what needs to be passed on or donated.  Pack up any seasonal items that your child won’t need before the move.

Have your child select toys that they love to play with daily and put them in some storage boxes that can slide easily under a bed or be tucked neatly away in the closet.  As you get closer to listing your Locust Grove home, pack up all the other toys and store in a designated space like the garage or basement.  Clear containers work great for this, so if your child is looking for a specific item it will be easier for you to spot. 

You may consider donating the toys that have been stored away but never asked for especially if your child is growing out of the age range for the toy.

Neutralize the Space

For safety and privacy reasons, you may want to remove anything that identifies your children from their rooms like a sign hanging with a name on a wall.  Gather up any special awards or trophies and place them in a box for your child.  Remember, photographs of your Locust Grove home will be on the internet.

Even if you live in a family friendly neighborhood, this doesn’t mean that the buyers of your home will have the same number of children that will use the space as you have.  You may want to consider repainting the walls of the bedrooms if they are not a neutral color.  This will make it easier for buyers to visualize the space in the way they wish to utilize it.  Leaving the other elements in the room the same, like the bedding and decorations, can help your child cope with the change.  You can also focus your child on their new room; make a trip to the hardware store to select some paint samples for their new space.

Simplify Furniture

In order to showcase the space in the room, you might need to simplify the furniture in your child’s bedroom.  This could mean taking out a chair or bookshelf or moving the play kitchen into a larger room of your Locust Grove home.  You want buyers to be able to easily walk around a room and visualize their belongings in it.

Set some New Expectations

One of the last things that you want to do prior to a scheduled showing is to be cleaning up spilled juice on a carpet.  Have a discussion with your family about the importance of keeping all the rooms neat and clean.  If you need to, then set some new expectations like food and drink are only consumed in the kitchen.  All slime, play dough, or painting takes place only at the kitchen table.  Maybe you want to only have toys in the play room and not the bedrooms.  Putting these expectations in place ahead of listing your Locust Grove home will give everyone time to adjust.

Add Baskets

Buyers are looking at the space in a bedroom and asking themselves, will my things fit here?  In order to help them do this, you want children’s rooms to be clear of toys on the floor.  Decorative baskets can help you do this.  Having a basket for blocks, dolls, or other items keeps everything organized but easy to put away in a closet, bookshelf or to line up neatly under the bed.  As an added bonus, even young children can help pick up their toys with this system.  

Bonus Tip: Create a Cleaning Routine

It will be important for bedrooms to be clean for showings.  While many showings are scheduled ahead of time, sometimes some unexpected ones pop up and you don’t want to be scrambling to tidy the whole home at once.  If you don’t already have a routine in place with your children, then now is the time to start one.  Children need lots of modeling to understand what we mean when we say, “clean your room,” so at first work with your child to explain what a clean room looks like.  Have your child do the age appropriate daily tasks in the room like making the bed, putting all the toys in the baskets at night, or even vacuuming.  Setting up a challenge can be a motivator too; you can set a timer for three minutes and race to see if all the toys can be picked up off the floor in that time.  

Gradually, you will want to shift the responsibility of maintaining the room to your child (age appropriateness of course).  This will also allow you to focus on other areas of the home.

If you are ready to learn more about selling your Locust Grove home, then feel free to contact me. I am here to help you!

Contact Sean