How to maintain staging while your home is on the market

Once your home is on the market, you never know when a real estate agent will bring potential buyers by.

You could have a week's notice or just a couple of hours. Regardless of the time frame, if you are living in the house with "occupied staging," you will need to reset the staging of the home to make it showing-ready each day.

If you consulted a stager, they might have given you a checklist of things to do. But if you are staging yourself, here are some basic tips and tricks to consider.

Take time to really deep clean the kitchen, but you will need to maintain that with daily refreshes. Build out a "reset routine" that includes cleaning the counters, sink and floors.

Dishes either need to be clean and put away or out of the house. If you have a last-minute showing, just take them with you.

Pro tip: Have a bin, laundry basket or big tote bag ready to put any messes you don't have time to get to and put it in your car.

Avoid cooking extremely fragrant food when the home is on the market, and if you do, be sure to air out the kitchen afterward.

Along with decluttering, you want to keep tables, counters and shelves clear of any clutter. If you keep your mail on the counter, start a box or file that can be your temporary storage area for miscellaneous items.

Each time you are done sitting on your couch while your house is on the market, take a few seconds to reset the room.

Pro tip: Fluff the couch. Pick up each throw pillow, give it a shake and set it down. You can give it a karate chop down the center for a clean, uniform look.

Fold your blankets and place them over the back of the couch or put them away in a basket or closet. Less is often more, so you don't want to overwhelm the couch with pillows and throws.

Like the kitchen, surfaces need to be clean and clear. You can display a few items like an oversized book and candle, but for the most part, the coffee table should be uncluttered.

Try to vacuum, dust and sweep as often as you can to keep the space fresh.

Your bedroom is likely the most personal and private space, so it can be hard and uncomfortable to have strangers taking a tour. Remember that when the home is on the market, it is an asset and you are trying to sell this bedroom.

Making your bed will need to be a daily chore when the home is on the market. Aim for a clean, crisp-looking bed.

Pull the sheets tight and fluff the pillows. The pillows you put your head on should not be visible, so cover them with throw pillows or pull the bedding over them.

Pro tip: If you want to elevate your bedding look, try a layering method. The first layer is a quilt or thin blanket pulled up to the top of the bed under the pillows. Then add a comforter on top. Fold it down in half to the end of the bed, then pull it up again to the halfway point to create a puffy level. You can add a throw blanket at the end for an extra layer.

For pillows, you can use the matching shams that come with comforters or quilts. Adding some larger euro pillows and smaller throw pillows can add extra dimension as well.

The bathroom is another intimate area that can be awkward to have people in to see. It's best to erase as many traces of yourself as possible. A buyer does not want to see your toothbrush or used tissues.

Try to limit your family to one bathroom to make it easier to manage. Don't leave any trash in the waste bin, and make sure all the hair is out of the shower drain. Wipe down the mirror regularly, and make sure there is no toothpaste on it.

Pro tip: You want to limit the amount of products in the bathroom. While a buyer probably won't walk away because there is a shampoo bottle in the shower, just take out your products and stick them under the sink.

The bathroom will need to both appear and smell clean. So, clean it before every showing, but if it's a last-minute appointment, then focus on drying the counters, hiding personal items and shutting the toilet lid. A little air freshener won't hurt, but keep the scent neutral and don't overspray.

You may want to have your toiletries in a travel bag to keep things stored and contained.