The BIG “Summer Challenge” –
How to Keep Your House
“Show-Ready” with Kids Home!
By TARA STARK
It’s Summer! Time for backyard family gatherings, pool
parties, movie nights with friends and impromptu brunch
after church. The days are longer for enjoyment and
schedules packed with more fun. But summer is also the
most popular time of year for families to be moving to
their new home – so how do we win the “BIG Summer
Challenge”? Tara Stark, founder and owner of Tara Stark
Real Estate Group, has real-life answers on how to keep
your home show-ready with the kids home for summer.
“Everyone selling a home with kids knows the chal-
lenge is real, and while most buyers can empathize, the
reality is they need to be able to see themselves, their life-
style in your home. You don’t have to remove absolutely
everything personal from your home,” Stark advises.
“However, you do have to make sure there’s a clear
purpose to every room and to the items that are in the
room. If something doesn’t have purpose then it is clut-
ter in the buyer’s eyes, and that can prevent them from
envisioning the room working for them.” Stark says using
these show-ready home hacks will ultimately save your
time and sanity this summer and will help get your home
sold.
Ready. Set. Go Bags – Let’s start with something fun
before we tackle all the deep-cleaning and decluttering.
School’s out and backpacks are empty, now is a great
time to use them for quick get-aways. When you get
notice a potential buyer wants to see your property in an
hour, it’s easier to be prepared to grab a fun-bag and go.
Think of items your kiddos will want to use in the car, at
a park or wherever your day takes you. Tablets, earbuds,
non-perishable snacks, water, sunscreen, books, a few
favorite small toys. The idea is to fit it all in one bag and
depending on their age, letting your child be responsible
for filling it with you and keeping it stocked. Involving
them in the process gets them excited about moving and
helps them feel a sense of ownership. When returning
from your outing, be sure to have your kids clean out
their bag and restock items and charge electronics ready
for next time.
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Secure Storage Outside Your Home – Whether it’s a stor-
age unit, or your mother-in-law is kind enough to let you
temporarily borrow her garage, you will have items that
need to be removed from your home that you’ll want to
keep. Find storage early so you don’t have to scramble.
Living Room – Deep clean and remove non-essential
items. If you spend a good amount of time initially
decluttering and thoroughly cleaning (think floorboards,
Curb Appeal
ceiling fans, blinds, HVAC returns, windowsills) then
daily maintenance will be easier. A family photo or two is
fine, whereas a shrine to all of Sally’s dance recitals over
the last six years doesn’t allow a buyer to see their own
family there. Remove faux foliage, one or two strategi-
cally placed live plants brings freshness. Make sure every-
thing in the family room has a purpose and a home. This
means remotes are organized and not lying around. Two
years of magazines under a coffee table are an eyesore,
organized books on a shelf say, “this family room is func-
tional”. When in doubt, get it out. Daily maintenance
should include: sweeping and vacuuming, dusting major
surfaces, straightening pillows and fluffing upholstery,
removing all personal items like shoes, keys, wallets, etc.
Then once a week, be sure to go back and detail clean.
Kitchen & Bathrooms – Both of these rooms need to
sparkle. ALL counters should be clear of daily use items.
I know, not ideal to have toasters, mixers or InstaPots
tucked out of hand’s reach, but remember this; empty
space is larger space to the eye. Take a nice large island
with a bowl of fresh lemons and limes featured on
top, you can see your family & friends gathering there.
Now, take that same island and place a Kitchen-Aid, an
InstaPot, your VitaMix you use every morning for smooth-
ies, suddenly, it’s no longer seen as a wonderful place to
mingle, but rather a crowded landing pad. It may be a
hassle for a short period of time, but it’s worth it. Same
goes for the bathroom, soap dispenser and towel bar
with fresh linens is ok, a full-array of personal hygiene
and hair products is not. Deep cleaning needs to cover
all areas including base of the toilet, floorboards, trim
around shower, shower floor and tile/glass, all fixtures,
fan vents, vanity cupboards, linen closets and laundry