You’ve prepared your home beautifully to go to market. It’s been freshly painted and de-cluttered, new carpets have been laid, the timber floors have been polished and it presents beautifully inside and out.

Now for the real challenge – how to keep it that way for the duration of the sales campaign?

Here are some tips to keep your home inspection ready.

1. Use your campaign photos as a template
Properties look at their absolute best when the professional photos are taken. If the agent or photographer has styled your home in a certain way on photo day, you can be confident that they have done so for good reason. Reference the photos to see which lights have been switched on for effect and how your cushions and throw rugs have been placed etc. Then copy what was done on the morning of your open home or before a buyer inspection.

2. Clean and tidy as you go
Let’s face it. Unless you move out, life goes on as normal in your home. And we all know what that means, especially if you’ve got kids and pets! Mess is part of life. But if you keep personal effects and clutter to a minimum during the campaign, you’ll find there is less ‘stuff’ to create a mess with.

Simple things like making the beds every morning, keeping on top of the dishes, wiping over the kitchen and bathroom benches at the end of each day, and hanging, folding and putting away clothes will help keep your home inspection ready without the overwhelm factor at the end of the week. Get your kids to help (a small reward can work a treat).

3. Move out
Moving out may not be possible for everyone but it is a growing trend for sellers, especially those with kids where both parents work full time. It’s the easiest way to keep your home looking like a show room for the entire campaign. Some people are opting to move in with family for a few weeks or into an Airbnb. If you can pull it off, moving out is worth considering.

4. Relocating the family pet
We talked about this in our blog last week but it’s equally relevant here. If your dog or cat is shedding or they are at home alone a lot while you’re at work, it could be worth investigating if they can stay at a family or friend’s place or at a boarding kennel while your home is on show.

5. Be disciplined
It’s not uncommon for sellers to be super motivated and organised in the first two weeks on the market. But come week 3 or 4 and things can become a bit lax. It’s important that you stay the course. Remember, the greater the effort you put in while your home is on show, the better the outcome.