Decorating Tricks for Hiding Kids Messes While Selling Your Home

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Decorating Tricks for Hiding Kids Messes While Selling Your Home

Written By: Heather Cordonnier
Sunday, September 30, 2018

Hide in Plain Sight

With overflowing toy boxes and tea-party set-ups overtaking the living room, it may be unrealistic to banish all kid stuff to other rooms. Instead, make use of your furniturersquo;s built-in compartments and drawers. Have a storage ottoman next to the sofa? Fill it with everything from action figures and dolls to coloring books, art supplies, stuffed animals and more. Divide the credenza in the family room so that your little ones can store toys behind its closed doors. Accent the open shelves with ceramic vases, family photos, decorative carafes and other appealing decor items.

If your built-in storage is already in use, opt for two or three woven baskets with lids instead. Place them wherever you want, whether itrsquo;s next to the loveseat or on the bottom shelf of a console table. Buyers will be too busy appreciating your homersquo;s cleanliness and open floor space to think about whatrsquo;s inside.

Hide Within Reach

Families in smaller living spaces might consider another strategymdash;underbed and attic storage. While the underside of your childrsquo;s bed may be already home to all sorts of tchotchkes, encourage kids to neaten it up with rolling plastic or rattan storage bins. Discreetly stow away everything from dress-up clothes to seasonal clothing in multiple containers. Slide them out of sight, then help your little one make the bed with an oversized quilt that conceals whatrsquo;s hidden below. The best part? These containers can still be used after moving into the new bedroom or playroom.

For toys that are too big to fit in this space, such as kidsrsquo; teepees and play tents, consider collapsing them and stowing behind a dresser. If the dresser has legs that makes it easy to spot whatrsquo;s behind it, opt for a chest instead.

Rotate Toys in Longer-Term Storage

Consider storing bins of toys longer-term and swapping them out every few weeks. In addition to the attic and basement, the back corner of a deep closet is a great place to stack storage tubs filled with everything from building blocks and board games to miniature cars and pull toys. Strategically hide them behind long coats so a quick peek inside the closet doesnrsquo;t give anything away. Better yet, switch out the storage tubs for suitcases. Rotate the toys in storage every few weeks--kids will have renewed interest when they come out of hiding.

Minimize and Add Some >

Rather than attempting to conceal every toy, consider downsizing. Prior to the first showing, help your little one sort through toys, determining what still gets played with and what doesnrsquo;t. Sort into ldquo;keep,rdquo; ldquo;donate,rdquo; and ldquo;throw away.rdquo; This streamlines the cleanup process and makes it easier to stow away what remains. Bonus? Yoursquo;ll have less to move when the time comes. For every item your children give up, consider rewarding them with small change or a trip to a favorite restaurant or ice cream shop.

For kidsrsquo; areas like bedrooms and playrooms, embrace the playful nature and just add a little >

Strategically rearrange home decor to hide kidsrsquo; messes while your house is being shown, and potential buyers will see a clean space that theyrsquo;ll want to make their own.

nbsp;

Heather Cordonnier is a writer for Crate and Bar>



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Updated: Monday, March 18, 2024

Copyright ©2024Realty Times®. All Rights Reserved

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