Showing Your Home While You Live There: A Checklist

Selling a house you still live in means two jobs at once. You are running a household, and you are keeping a place ready for strangers to walk through, sometimes on short notice.

This checklist is for showing your home without letting it take over your life. It covers photos, daily habits, pets and open houses.

Why the prep matters locally

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Homes in Franklin had a median of 55 days on market, based on Redfin data for a rolling three months as of 2026-09-30. Those are weeks of living with showings on the calendar. The average sale-to-list ratio was 98.1% in that same Redfin data.

I can’t tell you how your home will do. Every house, price and condition is different. But a routine you can repeat in 15 minutes makes the weeks easier. You can compare these numbers with other cities on our market data for the I-65 corridor page.

Before the photos

Listing photos are taken once, so do the big prep first.

• Clear counters in the kitchen and bathrooms down to a few items.
• Pack up about a third of what is on shelves and in closets. Full closets make rooms feel smaller.
• Move extra furniture to a bedroom or storage if a room feels crowded.
• Replace burned-out bulbs and wipe light switches and door frames.
• Take down family photos and personal collections so buyers can picture their own things in the rooms.
• Clean windows and open the blinds on the day of the shoot.
• Tidy the yard, sweep the entry and put away hoses, bins and toys.

Ask your agent for a walk-through before photos are scheduled. A second set of eyes catches things you stopped noticing years ago.

The daily reset routine

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Once the home is live, you want to be able to get it ready quickly. A simple routine works better than a big weekend cleaning.

Every morning:

• Make the beds.
• Run the dishwasher and clear the sink.
• Wipe bathroom counters and mirrors.
• Take out the kitchen trash.

Before you leave the house:

• Turn on lights and open blinds.
• Set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature.
• Put laundry, mail and bags out of sight.
• Do a quick scan for odors. Trash, litter boxes and strong cooking smells are the usual causes.

Keep a showing bin. A laundry basket or bin by the door lets you sweep up loose items in a minute and carry them to the car.

Protect your valuables and paperwork

People you don’t know will be in your home, so treat it like any other time you have visitors you haven’t met.

• Put jewelry, cash, medications and small electronics in a locked spot or take them with you.
• Move bills, bank statements and anything with account numbers out of sight.
• Keep a list of keys and codes your agent will use, and change garage or alarm codes after the home is under contract.
• Ask your agent how showings are scheduled and how feedback is shared.

Pets and showings

Pets are family, and they can also make a showing harder for everyone. Plan for them in advance.

• Have a plan for every showing. Take pets with you, or arrange a friend or sitter. A pet left behind can be stressed by visitors, and a visitor can accidentally let one out.
• If a pet must stay home, put a note on the door and tell your agent so the showing agent knows.
• Wash pet beds and wipe down floors and baseboards where fur collects.
• Move food bowls, toys and litter boxes out of view during showings.
• Fix scratches or marks on doors and trim where you can.
• Check that the fence and gates are latched if the yard is part of the showing.

Planning ahead means fewer surprises on short notice.

Open houses

An open house means your agent hosts the home for a set window and the public can walk in without an appointment. Here is how to handle it.

• Plan to be away for the whole window, with your pets.
• Do the valuables and paperwork steps above before the day, not that morning.
• Do the daily reset routine, then a final walk-through. Turn on lights, open blinds and check the entry.
• Park on the street or in the garage if your agent suggests it, so visitors have room.
• Leave the questions to your agent. If you are home, you may find yourself talking about the home instead of letting people look.

Not every sale needs an open house. Ask your agent whether one makes sense for your home and price point.

Be ready for questions about the home

Buyers and their agents often have questions once they are interested. Having the answers ready saves time.

• Tennessee sellers complete the residential property condition disclosure, or the exemption. Homes built before 1978 also come with the lead-based paint disclosure. The Tennessee Real Estate Commission has official information on these forms and agent rules.
• Termite and wood-destroying organism (WDO) inspections are commonly requested by buyers and lenders in Tennessee.
• Radon testing, a sewer scope and a termite inspection are common add-ons to a standard home inspection. The EPA radon information page explains what radon is and how testing works.
• Know your own property record. The Williamson County property search lets you look up your address. Tax and school details depend on the exact address, so point buyers to the county and the school district rather than quoting numbers.

This is general information, not legal advice. Your agent and an attorney can answer questions about your specific disclosures.

Think ahead to moving

Living in the home also means you are already packing. Boxing up off-season items and extra belongings helps both the showings and the move. Our free moving checklists cover the steps, and for Franklin homes you can read more on selling a home in Franklin.

Next steps

If you want to talk through a plan for your own house, start with finding out what your home is worth, or contact Scott directly. I’m a REALTOR® with Hive Nashville, and I can walk through the house with you before photos and showings begin.