Selling your home can be stressful at the best of times, but when you have kids to think about things can be more complicated. It's a factor that can add to your headaches and could make selling your home more difficult. For your kids, it is also a difficult time that could confuse and upset them.

There are some things you can do to make the selling process much easier for yourself and your family. Let's take a look.

Tidying Away Kid's Stuff

When buyers are going around your home, they are trying to picture their possessions in the house. The easier this is for them to do, the better. If they are falling over your children's toys as they go around the house, this will be a distraction that will count against you.

Try to confine your kid's toys to one area of the house and make sure they are as tidy as possible in that room. If possible, you should pack as many of your kids' things away. You should also be packing your own things as well to make sure the home looks as spacious as it can. Staging your home doesn't have to be expensive, there are so many low-cost staging ideas that will make your home show like a model.

The longer you have lived in the home, the more likely it is that there is more that needs to be decluttered. Just clearing away some of this clutter isn't likely going to be enough, keep going.

Find out which of your kid's things they can't bear to be without and make sure you don't pack those. It can help to give kid's a choice between two items when asking them what can be packed. If you ask them about each item, one at a time, it will be very easy for them to claim they need everything. Don't let them feel that they are being punished by this exercise, let them know that everybody is going through this process.

Deep Clean

If you have kids, drinks are inevitably going to get knocked over and food dropped on the floor. You should make sure you do a deep clean to get rid of any sign your adorable children have been living in the home. Clean crayon marks off the wall and doors as well as any food stains. Don't forget to clean the windows, which will likely have handprints on them. It's also recommended to use non-toxic cleaning products and avoid burning candles or using any type of chemical-filled air-freshener.

You could go as far as to paint over walls where there have been kids murals or remove children's decorations. Avoid anything which could potentially put off a buyer. Sometimes they might have their own children, but there is a good chance the decoration still won't be right then. Remove any posters from walls and kid's stuff on the fridge.

It may not be easy to convince your kids of the need to decorate their bedrooms. If you focus their attention on the prospect of their new bedroom and the possibilities it offers, they may be happier about the situation.

Dealing with Showings

You will ideally want to be out of the house when you have a scheduled showing. I can be next to impossible to quickly pick up and leave. If this is the case you may want to have set days and times when you can leave the house. This way your agent can have this time to show your home uninterrupted. This will allow the real estate agent the opportunity to arrange for multiple buyers to view your home when you are out.

You could visit friends or family and have a meal out on those nights. If there are regular times during the week when everybody will be out of your home, let the agent know. Most of the time, this arrangement should allow you to be more organized, making sure the home is prepared and everything tidy.

Have a bag ready with stuff the kids will need and plans for outings at other times, should the agent need to show your home outside of these times.

Helping Your Kids Deal with the Move

Depending on the age of your children, they will have a different reaction to the move. They could be upset and worried about the change. You should remain positive about the move, highlighting the positives it will have to your kids. Support them and be flexible to make them more comfortable in this difficult time.

Try to maintain their routine during and after the move, but keep them informed through the process. If you don't, they may end up finding out before you have the chance to tell them the house is for sale.

Your kids may be unhappy about leaving friends in their old neighborhood. Consider holding a going away party and another when you have moved. Create a book of memories of their friends and their time in the old home. Allow them to stay in contact with their old friends through social media. If your kids are still very unhappy months after you have moved, it is worth considering therapy.

Selling your home can be difficult for your kids, make sure to keep informed and get them involved in the process as much as you can. If you follow our tips and plan ahead, you can make selling your home easier for the whole family.