Put pet gear away before showings
Move bowls, beds, and litter out of sight, and air the rooms they sat in.
Pet gear tells a visitor about the animal, not about the room. Before a showing or a photo appointment, pick up bowls, beds, toys, leashes, and the mat by the door. Put them in one closet or in the garage, somewhere you can find them again the same day. The room should show the floor, the window, and the way through.
A water bowl by the back door is the usual example. It leaves a ring, and it sits in the path. Move the bowl, wipe the ring, and check the corner for a toy that rolled under a chair. Litter boxes should be scooped and, for the hours of the showing, moved to a closed laundry or bath that is not on the photo list. If that is not possible, clean the box and close the door of that room only if you are also willing to have the room skipped. Do not pretend a closed door hides a smell.
The cost is time and a rag. Budget fifteen to thirty minutes before each showing if the animals live in the main rooms. A small bin or one laundry basket makes the pickup faster the second time. You are not redecorating. You are clearing the things that only make sense to the household.
When the showing is over, put the bowls back before you do anything else so the animals are not waiting on an empty kitchen. If you have more than one showing in a day, leave the basket by the closet. The reset should be the same each time, not a new plan invented at the door.
What to do
- Pick up bowls, beds, toys, and leashes before a showing.
- Wipe the spot where a bowl sat.
- Move a litter box only to a room you are willing to have closed or cleaned.
- Put the gear back as soon as the showing ends.