This morning as the sun rose up over the San Gabriel Mountains in the distance, I admired the light splashing around my living room. I felt good. Clean. And then it hit me. I have been clean for two whole weeks straight! My owners have never fussed so consistently over me than these last two weeks. Dishes get cleaned and put away immediately after use. Clutter is a dirty word of the past. Dust balls are promptly sucked up by the Dyson. Beds are made. Bathrooms scrubbed. Windows washed. I sparkle. It feels good. I look inviting. Appealing. Dazzling.
Perhaps you’re familiar with this phenomenon. I admit, it is a wonderful side effect to being ‘listed.’ The threat of a potential buyer walking through the house on any given day is enough to motivate even the laziest homeowner into action. Okay, so that was slightly judgemental. I know. Lazy is harsh. You homeowners are a busy bunch. It’s not laziness it’s busyness. Right? Whether it’s laziness or busyness or a mixture of both, the phenomenom still holds true.
In order to help them maintain my cleanliness, my owners have been following a tip passed along to them by Pam Weinert- a realtor from Barrington, Illinois (and my owner’s mom.)
Pam’s tip:
"Commit to keeping the house 5 minutes away from showing condition at all times!"
You could try this without putting your house on the market, but I think the fear of people walking through is what makes it so effective. Nobody wants strangers to think they’re lazy. And when you’re selling a house (this couldn’t be more obvious) you want it to look its best.
But, I suppose if you need something to really motivate you to clean your home without going so far as putting it on the market, you could throw a dinner party. At least it will be clean for a few hours. And that’s better than never. Your house will thank you for it.
Pam Weinert- Re/Max of Barrington (Illinois)
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