On Friday afternoon, after two weeks of working and cleaning and purging and painting and storing and moving, I stood in my yard and saw the fruit of our labors.
Thus ends phase 1 of this adventure. House on the market – Check. Now we just have to keep it clean.
Ha.
We had the house all gussied up on Friday. We took Saturday to just chill and hang out with the kids. There was a showing today. It took us two full hours to undo what the kids hath wrought in 24 hours.
This doesn’t include the marker on the garage floor or the crayon marks on the walls. Because we can’t get those off.
We’re all learning some lessons this week. I’m learning to just pick up something whenever I see it, no matter what, to interrupt whatever I’m doing to tidy. I’m learning yet another layer of patience as I try to let seven kids be seven kids in a space where we don’t want potential buyers to know we have seven kids.
The kids are learning that their lives weren’t really all that difficult after all until we actually needed to keep the house clean. You mean I can’t leave ANY clothes on the floor? What?
“Everything” is in storage or “everything” is on the floor. “Everything” is freshly painted and “everything” must be hidden immediately. The kids have less toys to deal with and yet the messes are just as huge. So we readjust – they work on taking better care and I work on realistic expectations.
We’re talking to the kids about all of this A LOT. We want to answer all of their questions (as if we have all the answers) and we want them to feel part of this decision. This is for them, for our family.
We sat and made a list of what we wanted in a new home. Some of the kids’ answers surprised us. But it united us as a family. We have a goal, a reason for setting out on this adventure.
And we’re doing it together. Faults and foibles, messes and mistakes. We’re learning to love each other a little better through it all.
And then there’s the joy of just having a lovely put-together home. Even if it’s only for a split second. Or the random adventures we’re forced to take during showings. We grabbed lunch after church and headed to a nearby park. We ate a happy meal on a picnic table and enjoyed togetherness, away from our shiny house. The kids ran and sang Newsies songs at the top of their lungs (I am perhaps a bit regretful that I showed them that movie now that they sing All the Songs All the Time.)
The air was cool, the sky was clear, and we all seemed to feel that the day was a gift. Now I sit on my freshly painted porch with actual furniture (who knew porches were for sitting?) and we rest. We are together.
And that is all we need.
Joining up to help host a synchro-blog with these lovely ladies:
For more of an explanation of what we’re doing, head over to FriedOkra’s place. The short version is: if you write about parenthood, we want to link you up. You can enter your link on any of the hostesses’ blogs and it will show up at all the other blogs. So whether it’s the funny or the fatal side of parenting, share it with us! We’ll be doing it every Monday. Join us.. we’ll hang out in the ‘hood. No big whoop.
May I make a suggestion for showing a house with lots of kids in it? Don’t knock yourself out for every room. I’ve done this A LOT and have decided that the first impressions are the ones that sell or don’t sell the house. Last time I just made positive that the entry way and first room or two were clean. The rest I tried to make sure beds were made and no dirty underwear (or diapers) were on the floor. If you have a basket in each room that makes for a great “stash and dash” way to throw things in instead of actually putting them away (and if you fold a blanket and lay it over the top it looks like it’s a basket of laundry or something waiting to be put away).
If we really believe that ultimately God is in charge of selling the house it makes it much easier to relax. Especially if you leave the house for an activity and come home to find that there’s been a showing while you were gone and that this was the ONE TIME you didn’t make your bed or load the dishwasher before you left!
Have you tried Mr. Clean magic erasers for the crayon marks on your walls? IT WORKS!!! My son, when he was 2, found a black sharpie laying on the counter. He scribbled ALL OVER my kitchen cabinets… I’m not proud of the ensuing tears and gnashing of teeth on my part– but the magic eraser got it ALL OFF!!!!
Good luck with the sale!
So, what exactly are the kids asking for the in the new house? Anything crazy??? : )
This is so funny. I’ve only done it with four kids, and that was challenge enough! We had to keep in mind some sage advice, “Selling houses is no big deal for God.” Ditto on the main rooms are the cleanest idea–kids DO live there.
Thant said, some of my favorite memories are those “forced adventures” during showings.
Enjoy this season–may it go smoothly and in perfect timing!
Blessings,
April (oh, and I’m regretting showing my kids “Oliver”–due to AlltheSongsAlltheTime!)
JJ – Well, it wasn’t too weird. Besides the pool and the playground they requested, they wanted a “place to read” and “space to explore, maybe some woods.” Ironically, that’s kind of why we’re wanting to move. To give them more space. We just didn’t really think they’d noticed the squish yet. Shows how dumb we are.
Wow, what a big day! I love that y’all made it a family thing and everyone had some “input”
. We always laugh when we have an event (or of course having the house on the market takes it to a different level 
), because even though we always “try” to keep the house clean, it forces a new level of clean, which is nice (after the cleaning is done and you can just enjoy the clean 
) 
We moved many, many times when I was growing up, and not once did my parents try to include us in their decisions. They just did it, and as the oldest of eight, I just did it too, showing after showing, cleaning, cleaning cleaning. To this day, I can clean an entire house (and bathrooms) to showing level in an hour. WITH kids. It’s all about knowing where to put your clutter.
I’m excited for you. This feels so very right for you guys.
foibles…love this word! Love that in the midst of all of your chaos right now and late night organizing, painting, cleaning, that there is a common purpose. We just know there is something amazing in store for you!
~Chris Ann & Kristin
Good Luck!!!