My house has been on the market for almost 7 weeks. I’m told the current average time on the market is around 11 weeks. I wish to beat that time, but I can only do so much.

I got a call earlier this evening from a realtor who would like to bring her client by tomorrow. Yay. It’s been several days since anyone has looked at the house. If they don’t come, they won’t buy. A showing is a good thing, and I’m happy that there’s one scheduled.

I’m also tired of it. Not of the showings, exactly, just of the preparation. With every showing there’s a renewed flurry of activity, in addition to the already expanded daily routine. I know I should quit complaining about it, but it’s wearing on me.

I’m starting to feel even more like a nagging mother than usual. “Make your bed, put away your laundry, dust your bookshelves, clean your toilet.” On and on it goes. I don’t like being this kind of mom. I don’t want to freak out if there are fingerprints on my son’s bathroom mirror or if he leaves a pair of socks in the hopefully named “media” room (aka spare bedroom). Both of those things happened today, and I found myself relieved that nobody saw the house in “that” condition. I want us to be able to relax a little and not stress out over trash cans with trash in them or the occasional book or magazine left on a side table.

For now, though, we have to keep tidy. Whether we realize it or not people make decisions based on irrelevant stimuli all the time. I don’t need anyone deciding that this house is wrong for them because there’s a toothpaste tube on the vanity or the shower curtain hasn’t been closed. Stupid stuff, but the brain works in mysterious ways, and I don’t want to give anyone’s brain any reason to say no to this house.

I’m guilty of these silly judgements myself. I know that when I tour homes I want to see clean, tidy houses. I want it to be clear that the seller knows that they are trying to sell. I don’t want to be distracted by the age of the furniture or the color of the walls or the collection of judo trophies on a shelf.

Over the years, I have seen homes in all sorts of conditions, from vandalized, filthy, and falling apart wrecks to the beautifully designed model homes of top builders. My home is none of these, but with a lot of effort hopefully it is closer to the model type than the dump type.

This is a great house. It will make someone a great home. I think they may be stopping by tomorrow, so I have to go.  I want to make sure they feel welcome.