I’m starting to realise that having kids makes you think about moving house a lot. As they grow and develop and change, it feels like the house just isn’t that flexible. When the kids are newborn, you probably wish you could wheel the pushchair straight into a utility area out of the rain. That’s so much easier than standing in the rain battling to fold it down. But what if you don’t have anywhere to wheel it into?

The next thing you know your newborn is starting to crawl around. That hardwood floor suddenly becomes a hazard instead of something you loved about the house when you moved in. Toilet training with no downstairs loo is a challenge too. The list of what’s not ideal about the house can quickly get very long!

Whether we take the plunge to move or not, there’s no harm in having a look at houses on the market. If nothing else, it gives you a good idea about what’s out there. It also gives you a peek into how other people live! I know one of these days I’m going to view a house and fall in love, though.

When I’m looking at properties, I tend to look at places that are listed by agents I know like Redmove. I’m always a little bit wary about properties being sold by the owner direct. It’s a big investment to buy a place, so I would prefer to go with a reputable company. If you’re looking to buy a new place but you have to sell your home too, it can often be easier to use a single agent.

Flickr.com is the source of this photograph

Many agents suggest you get your home in good decorative order before trying to sell it. That makes sense. You want your place to be seen in the best possible light to make sure it sells for the best possible price. I’ve been told it’s important to dress the rooms for the intended purpose. I’ve seen a few dining rooms with exercise bikes and old boxes in the way. It did put me off a little too.

I’m always on top of the decor for my children’s room. I think it’s important it looks fresh, clean and cared for. Decluttering and tidying feels like an endless task at times. Kids grow out of things so quickly! But accidents happen occasionally. A wipe down of the paintwork after some art attempts is usually enough, but sometimes I have to get creative too! A lick of paint or well-placed poster helps.

I don’t know that I will move house. But with a growing family, I know I might not have a choice one day. It would be nice to have more room. And it would be very nice to have a more functional place to suit my ever-changing lifestyle. It might be the stuff of dreams, but I still enjoy browsing the web for places for sale.

It’s quite nice to view properties looking their best for a sale. You can certainly pick up some nice ideas for decor. For now, I’ll just hope my home is flexible enough for us all.