Last Minute Home Showing Checklist (with Free Printable)

Inside: A free printable comprehensive checklist that tells home sellers exactly what they need to do right before showings and open houses to take away some of the guesswork and stress!

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You get the call or text. You have to be out of the house in less than an hour or two. With kids. With pets. Leaving the place looking like no one lives there. The thought seems impossible.

But it is possible. All you need now is a day-of game plan if you’ve done your prep work using the tips and tricks I learned working as a home stager.

See that post, “99 Home Staging Tips and Tricks from the Pros” first if you’re still getting your home ready to put on the market.

After you’ve completed the staging, cleaning, maintenance, and repairs, this companion guide will help you remember everything to get ready for the days you’ll show it off!

How To Prepare for a House Showing.

Unless you’ve moved out, you don’t live in a perfectly preserved, staged bubble. You’ll need to quickly be able to remove the stuff of daily life that shouldn’t be out when showing your home to prospective buyers.

The best way to make your home show-worthy is to keep up with regular weekly cleaning, laundry, mowing, and yard work. A house that looks clean and in good condition will bring top dollar in the competitive real estate market. Then on showing days, all you have to check off are the items on this list to give you peace of mind that your house is ready!

Tasks to Get Your Home Ready for a Showing by Room:

Whole House.

• Turn on all overhead lights and lamps
• Open or raise all window blinds and coverings to flood rooms with natural light
• Pick up and hide clutter
• Spot vacuum where needed
• Lower or raise the thermostat as needed (72 degrees is comfortable)
• Open all interior doors except for closets and storage areas
• Make sure valuables, jewelry, prescriptions, sensitive financial documents, and firearms are secured

Kitchen.

• Empty the sink
• Hide kitchen towels, rags, sponges
• Put away small appliances
• Clear counters except for planned staging decor
• Wipe away crumbs, drips, and splatters from counters, cabinets, appliances
• Clean fingerprints from microwave and refrigerator
• Remove pet bowls
• Empty smelly garbage and hide visible trash cans

Bathrooms.

• Clear the counters except for planned staging decor
• Remove personal hygiene items from the tub and shower

SH&H Tip: Keep personal toiletry items in a plastic bin or tote that you can quickly tuck in the closet on showing days.

• Hide towels and rags
• Put out white towels that are only for showings
• Check the toilet and close the lid
• Check the sinks, tub, and shower for hair and cleanliness

SH&H Tip: Spritz and wipe down the tub, shower, and glass with cleaner every time you get out, Wipe the mirror, shine faucets, counter, and sink with a towel after you get ready. Each only takes a minute and it’s an easier way than trying to clean them all right before a house showing!

• Check and clean the mirrors if needed
• Adjust shower curtains open or closed, depending on whether what’s inside is a positive selling point
• Hide everything on the floor – i.e. wastebaskets, plungers, etc.
• Hide prescription drugs beyond putting them in a drawer or medicine cabinet

Bedrooms.

• Make the bed
• Put away all personal items on nightstands leaving only a lamp and/or decorative item

SH&H Tip: It’s a good idea to keep valuable items like fine jewelry hidden away in a lock box or safe while your house is on the market unless you know you’ll be wearing it when you leave the house every time.

Living Room.

• Fluff pillows and straighten cushions
• Fold throw blankets
• Hide pet beds and toys
• Put away remotes, magazines

Laundry Room.

• Hide all laundry, dirty or clean
• Close the washer and dryer doors

Home Office/Work Stations.

• Hide all papers, mail, and desk clutter
• Shut down computers and devices
• Make sure all personal information and financial documents are secured

Playrooms and Kids Rooms.

For the limited amount of time your home will be on the market, consider packing up some of the toys and other things in these rooms and leaving only some favorites.

For what’s left, bins will be your best friend to toss things into to quickly tidy these rooms— even the kids can handle this task!

Pet Items.

The idea of pets living in a home with their hair, smell, and accidents can be a turnoff to home buyers even if they love animals. Have a place planned to quickly stash:

• Beds and crates
• Food and water dishes
• Toys

The Exterior.

The front yard will be buyers’ first impression and the backyard will be one of the last. On showing days:

• Blow off porches and patios (I use this lightweight Ryobi leaf blower all the time)
• Put garbage cans away
• Make sure garage doors are down
• Move cars out of the driveway
• Check the swimming pool for debris

Where to Hide Items During a Home Showing.

Where to hide all of the stuff we’ve talked about?

It’s a great idea to place a simple bin somewhere in each room where it’s out of sight to quickly stash away the things you don’t want out. And it makes it easy to get your everyday things right back out until the next showing!

Make a spot in a nearby storage space or closet. If you’re running out of hiding places, here are a few other ideas of where to stick things that won’t take much time at the last minute:

• In a laundry basket you can take in the car with you
• In the laundry hamper
• Under the low hanging clothes in the closet
• In the washer and dryer
• In the dishwasher

Put Out Special Items Just For Home Showings.

Going above and beyond with the little things can make potential buyers feel like your house is their new home!

• Information about the home – If your real estate agent provides brochures or flyers, set them out near the entry or on the kitchen counter. Or make your own binder of features and information. Include photos of the front of the house with holiday decorations, and of the yard when it’s at its peak if you’re selling when it’s not green.
• Set out a tray or basket of snacks or cookies and some water bottles for buyers.
• Fresh flowers in the kitchen are a nice touch for an open house.
• Check the smell. Sprinkle a tiny amount of Carpet Fresh on rugs as needed (so small it’s not visible). Light a candle in a mild, universal scent (if someone can attend to it while you’re gone).

For more tips on how to make your house smell good for showings, see the post “How to Make Your House Smell Incredible: Real Estate Expert Secrets“.

• Put on some soft smooth jazz or instrumental music. Search for “music for real estate open house” on music services. If you’re using a phone, remember it has to stay at the house.
• If it’s cold, consider lighting a fire in the fireplace.

Free Printable Last Minute House Showing Checklist.

Having just gone through selling my house, the reminder list I made for showing and open house days helped save my sanity! The list told me exactly what I needed to do and I didn’t have to think. A godsend in the craziness of moving.

I want to pass on the work I’ve already done to help you too, so I took my list of things and revamped it into a free printable that you can use for your own home!

You can download your printable checklist in the subscribers-only library down in the footer menu. (The password is at the bottom of every email you get from me.)

If you’re not already a member of the SH&H family, I’d love to have you join me! You’ll not only get email updates, but you’ll have exclusive unlimited access to all the bonus materials in my free subscriber-only library, like this:

Keep in mind you’ll never achieve a perfect home in pristine condition that only a brand spanking new house can offer—trying will only drive you bonkers and make you throw your hands up in defeat. But I hope using my list helps showing your home feel more manageable and saves you some stress.

Let us know in the comments if you found it helpful and if you have anything to add!

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