I spend my days helping other families prepare their homes for the market. Advising on timing, staging, repairs, decluttering, photography schedules, contractor coordination — all of it. I know the checklist by heart because I created it for our team.
And yet, getting my own home ready to sell over the holidays was a very humbling reminder that knowing what to do and actually doing it — while juggling kids, work, life, and Christmas break — are two very different things.
This wasn’t a “throw a sign in the yard and see what happens” situation. I’ve been working on this house for years. Slowly, intentionally, and honestly in the margins of real life.
Months of Prep (That No One Sees)
What most people don’t realize is that a successful listing doesn’t start the week it hits the MLS. It starts far earlier. For me, that looked like:
- Chipping away at projects one by one between daycare drop-offs and client appointments
- Making decisions about what was worth doing and what was simply “good enough”
- Living in a house that was constantly half-decluttered due to kids toys and to-be-completed projects
There were weeks where progress felt invisible. A repaired thing here, a repainted wall there. But it all adds up — and that’s exactly what I ask my clients to trust.
Selling During the Holidays Is No Joke
Layer all of that on top of the holidays and parenting, and it becomes a whole different level of effort. There were:
- Late nights after the kids were in bed finishing last-minute details.
- Strategic decisions about what not to decorate so photos would still feel timeless.
- Constant resets — because kids live here, and real life doesn’t pause for listings
- That mental tug-of-war between “make memories” and “keep it showing-ready.”
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed preparing your home to sell while still trying to live in it, especially during a busy season — I truly get it now on a deeper level.
A Much-Needed Reminder
Going through this myself was a powerful reminder of what our clients experience. The emotional attachment. The decision fatigue. The pressure to get it right. The vulnerability of putting your personal space out into the world for strangers to critique. It reaffirmed why I:
- Push for realistic timelines
- Encourage progress over perfection
- Build in buffers (because life happens)
- Advocate so hard for thoughtful prep before a home goes live
Because selling a home isn’t just a transaction. It’s deeply personal — even when you’re a professional who does this every day.
This experience has made me an even better advocate for my clients. Not just because I understand the process — but because I’m actively living it.
If you’re thinking about selling and feeling overwhelmed before you’ve even started, know this: you don’t have to do it all at once, and you don’t have to do it alone. There is a way to prepare thoughtfully, strategically, and with sanity intact — even during the busiest seasons of life.
Trust me. I just did it myself.
-By Alison Crim
