The holiday season can be a busy time of year for anyone; there are parties and shopping and baking and gift exchanges what seems like every other day. Add in selling your home, and it’s enough to drive a person crazy. But, selling your home during the holidays doesn’t have to be as stressful as you will think.

You can still have the decorations, the food, the parties, the people and still have your home sold.

The downside to selling your home during the holiday season is trying to keep it show-home ready, but the upside is that the buyers out there looking right now are serious buyers.

Instead of the ones just looking for fun or looking for the near future, you’ll be getting showings from buyers who are looking to move ASAP.

They’re out there trudging through the snow and giving up holiday plans because they want to buy, and they want to buy now.

Although this is something to be rejoiced, keeping your home clean for showings is still a pain. Here are three things you can do to make it easier on yourself and make your home more appealing to buyers.

Decorations

Believe it or not, you can still have decorations up.

Just remember to keep them simple and tasteful; you’re not just decorating for your enjoyment this year, but for others to enjoy your home and begin to think of it as theirs.

Instead of pulling out the tinsel garland and all glitter everything, use this as the year to live one of those minimalist lives that everyone is talking about and keep it clean. A wreath on the door, a candle holder on the mantle or coffee tables, and a center-piece on your dining room table (if applicable) will go a long way.

If your home is on the market at this time of the year, you still need to show buyers how lovely your home can be, especially during the holiday season.

If your home is well-decorated and looks inviting and cozy, buyers will instantly get that feel-good buzz about your home, and when it’s time to make their decision, they’ll think back to the cozy and happy feelings.

Clean As You Go.

This tip can be used in all aspects of life and can be applied no matter the time of year you’re selling, but keeping your home clean around the holidays can be tough. Cleaning your home is annoying at the best of times, but when you have to take your cleaning level up to show-home ready, it can drive a person mad.

Throw in the holiday cheer full of parties and get-togethers and wrapping, and you’re set just to book a hotel for the rest of the season, bubble-wrapping your home to keep it pristine.

The upside to this time of the year is that buyers and Realtors alike will understand if there’s a bit of a mess here and there when making appointments, especially as it draws closer to Christmas day.

Booking a showing on the weekend only a few weeks away from Christmas is bound to end up mixing up plans of family get-togethers at your home.

The good news (sort of) about showings during the holidays is that many showings go down, but the level of interest goes up.

You won’t be getting as many tire-kickers out there looking at your home before Christmas; instead, you’ll be getting those who are really and truly serious, ready to buy before the holidays and move in the winter months.

Keep your Sidewalks Clean

This one is a chore you would have to do regardless if you’re selling your home or not, but when it comes to having buyers and Realtors traipsing up and down your driveway and sidewalks, upping it just a notch or two is always welcome.

Having an icy sidewalk can be a pain for buyers; you don’t want them to slip and fall!

Besides not causing injuries, having a clean sidewalk ups the curb appeal of your home making it look a lot more appealing than one that’s covered in snow and ice.

Hold Out.

Although a lot of people see winter as being a bad time to sell a home, it’s not as horrific as most will think.

A lot of individuals who have their home on the market now will be taking it off to rent or to try again in the spring market; no one wants a house sitting and sucking money out of your savings. If you hold on a little longer, the buyer for your home may be just around the corner.

It’s been said again and again, but it’s true: If a buyer is heading out to your home in the snow and the slush and the cold, they’re serious about buying.

Your home may not be the right one for them in the end, but they’re making an appointment to see it knowing that they may end up putting an offer on it. As long as it’s priced properly and marketed well, a home can do well in any season of the year.