Trying to sell a house and manage a family at the same time can be extraordinarily difficult. Keeping a home ready for viewings is hard enough when only adults live there. Children are clutter machines, and trying to keep up with them can feel like it’s taking up all of your time. You might be tempted to spend a lot of money hiring professionals to ready your home, but try these tips first—you may be surprised at how well you can handle the challenge on a budget with a little planning.

1. Create a Last-Minute Routine

Sometimes when you’re selling a house, your real estate agent may find buyers who want to see the house as soon as possible – and the only good time is right now. When you’re in this situation, you need to have a quick, last-minute routine you can use to get your house ready for viewing as fast as possible.

Use an open house checklist to run through your property and make sure everything is ready to go. This should include items like making sure everything is tidy, getting in as much light as possible, and reducing any unpleasant or distinctive odors. Having this checklist on hand will save you from scrambling if you have to move fast.

2. Vacuum Regularly

Keeping the floors show-ready can be a challenge, but a good vacuum can make it substantially easier. Make sure you have one that can transfer between hardwood and carpeting, as well as features attachments that can sweep up hard-to-reach places. This is especially important if you have a pet that sheds: Even animal lovers may be turned away by dog hair tumbleweeds at a viewing. If you don’t already own a reliable vacuum, search for deals on eBay. According to Rakuten, you can save money at eBay by adding the Chrome extension so you’re alerted to deals, shopping from the Daily Deals page, and finding cashback opportunities when you buy online. This way, you can get a great product at a much more affordable price.

3. Pack Away Unnecessary Items

As soon as you know you plan to move, you can start packing away items you don’t use in your day-to-day life. Kitchen items, toiletries, and clothes are the main things you should keep on hand. However, decorative items (especially overly stylized or personal ones), books you’re not reading, and other infrequently used items can stay stored in boxes.

You benefit from this in several ways. First, the more you have packed away, the less chance there is for the house to get cluttered between viewings. Second, by getting ahead of the packing, you can save money, as you’ll feel less pressure to hire a packing service.

4. Have Daily Tidy Sessions

If things get away from you, you might feel like you need to hire a cleaner to get the house back into viewing shape. However, by planning daily tidy sessions, you can save the money you might spend on hiring a professional. Get the entire family involved, assigning kids age-appropriate tasks they can manage every day. This way, the house always stays at a base level of readiness.

5. Keep Kitchen and Bathroom Surfaces Wiped Down

The two spaces in your house most likely to accumulate grime and odors are the kitchen and the bathroom. Pay extra close attention to these areas. Built-up messes in these rooms are likely to require pricier cleaning chemicals or equipment. By staying on top of it, you save yourself time, money, and stress.

6. Neutralize Décor

Finally, go through your home and make your décor as neutral as possible. When someone views a house, they should be able to picture themselves living there. Family photos and heirlooms can make this harder. Even if the sellers aren’t actively thinking about it, they’re still less likely to be interested in a home with very personal or stylized décor. If you need to buy neutral pieces, you can save money by focusing on small decorative accents like pillows and towels, and you can rent furniture if needed.

By taking a proactive, budget-friendly approach to keeping the house free of clutter, you’ll keep your stress levels low and your home show-ready. Get the entire family involved as much as possible, and you’ll woo the right buyers in no time!

Kristin Louis is a former advertising copywriter and has two rambunctious boys, 10 and 7 years of age. She created ParentingwithKris.com to share her experiences about the trials and tribulations of parenting.

Six Budget-Friendly Ways Families Can Ready A House for Sale by Kristin Louis