| How to Prepare for an Open Home When You Still Live There |
| Selling your home doesn’t mean you have to stop living in it. One of the stranger parts of selling a home is suddenly looking at your everyday surroundings through the eyes of a potential buyer. The laundry you normally ignore? Buyers will see it. The pile of shoes by the back door? They’ll notice it. The kitchen bench that somehow collects everything from school notes and mail to water bottles and keys? Suddenly, it needs to be clear. But the reality is simple: you still live there. Your home doesn’t need to look like a display home every day of the campaign. The aim is to make it feel clean, cared for, comfortable and easy for buyers to imagine themselves living there. Here are five practical ways to make open homes easier without feeling like you’re constantly cleaning. 1. Start packing before you start panicking If you don’t use something every day, ask yourself whether it really needs to be out during the campaign. Seasonal clothing, excess kitchenware, personal decorations, children’s toys and items you’ve accumulated over the years can often be packed away early. You’re going to have to pack eventually, so getting a head start can be a real advantage. It will make your home feel more spacious and, importantly, give buyers a better opportunity to see the storage available in wardrobes, cupboards, garages and sheds. Less clutter can make a surprisingly big difference to how spacious a home feels. 2. Have a “15-minute tidy” basket Every home has those things that seem to multiply just before an inspection. Shoes. Chargers. School bags. Toys. Paperwork. Water bottles. Rather than frantically finding somewhere to put everything each time, have a basket, tub or box ready for those everyday items. Before an open home, everything can quickly be gathered together and put away. Just remember to empty the basket properly rather than moving the clutter from one room to another! The goal is to create a simple routine that makes getting ready quick and manageable. 3. Protect your privacy and valuables An open home means people you don’t know may be walking through your property. Before inspections, put away valuables, spare keys, important paperwork, financial information, medication and anything else you wouldn’t normally leave on display. It’s also worth talking with me about how inspections will be conducted and letting me know if there are particular areas of the property you’d like us to be mindful of. Presentation is important, but so is your peace of mind. 4. Master the 15-minute reset You don’t need to deep-clean your entire home before every inspection. Instead, concentrate on the things buyers are most likely to notice. Inside: Clear the kitchen benches Make the beds Put away dishes Tidy the bathrooms Do a quick vacuum Open curtains and blinds Turn on lights where appropriate Outside: Sweep the front path Put away obvious clutter Tidy outdoor entertaining areas Give the garden a quick check Make sure the entrance looks welcoming If you have a family, give everyone a job. Ten or fifteen minutes with everyone helping can make a remarkable difference. 5. Remember, someone still lives here And that’s okay. Open homes and inspections can be disruptive, particularly when you’re juggling work, children, pets and everything else that comes with everyday life. That’s why communication with your agent is important. If there are particular days or times that are difficult for your family, let me know. We can work together to make the inspection schedule as practical as possible while still giving your property the exposure it needs. My role isn’t simply to put a sign in the front yard and wait for buyers. I’m here to help you through the entire process including making the campaign manageable while you’re still living in your home. The goal isn’t perfection The best open homes aren’t necessarily the ones where every cushion is perfectly positioned and there isn’t a coffee cup anywhere in sight. They’re the ones where buyers can walk through the front door and start imagining themselves living there. Where they’ll have their morning coffee. Where the kids will play. Where they’ll entertain friends. Where they’ll relax after work. Or perhaps where they’ll finally have the garden, shed, pool or outdoor space they’ve been looking for. So yes tidy up, make the beds, clear the kitchen bench and hide the laundry. But don’t spend the entire campaign worrying about whether your home looks perfect. You still have to live there. My job as your agent is to help present your property at its best, while making the selling process as straightforward and stress-free as possible. If you’re preparing to put your home on the market, I’d be happy to talk through some simple presentation changes that could make a difference before your first open home. Kind Regards,  Jonathan Graham Sales Agent | Auctioneer 0405 506 670 jonathan@kerrrealestate.com.au |
How to Prepare for an Open Home When You Still Live There
