Keeping a house show-ready

Here are six realities that naturally tidy people might not understand about keeping a house show-ready:

“Tidy” is not the same as “hiding the evidence.” Naturally tidy individuals might not appreciate the scramble to hide everyday clutter before a showing. For others, this might mean shoving items into any available space, like stashing dishes in the oven, which is less about tidiness and more about concealment.

Kids and pets are living chaos machines. Managing kids and pets might seem effortless for those with a system. However, for many, the daily mess these family members create can make maintaining a pristine environment a Herculean task, especially when a showing is imminent.

Closets are not infinite voids of storage magic.  While tidy people might organize their closets to showcase space, for others, closets become catch-all areas. The fear of a closet door opening to reveal a cascade of items is a genuine concern during home showings.

Dust exists everywhere, even in places you forgot existed.  Tidy individuals might have regular cleaning routines. However, for many homeowners, cleaning for a showing might reveal dust in places like ceiling fans or baseboards, where dust has accumulated unnoticed.

Things don’t always have a designated spot. Those who are naturally organized have a place for everything. For others, items might live in vague areas. This leads to a last-minute frenzy to find and organize them before a showing.

Keeping a house show-ready is stressful and exhausting! While tidy people might effortlessly maintain their homes in a near-showroom condition, for others, the prospect of a sudden showing can induce panic, turning the home into a battlefield of last-minute tidying, cleaning, and organizing.