One of the challenges that you'll often experience when selling your home is finding ways to pass the time during open houses and scheduled showings. It's customary to vacate your property during these times, and that can leave you with a block of a couple hours to find something to do while your real-estate agent works to sell your house. Some people struggle with creative ideas, which can leave them either driving around the neighborhood or going somewhere and sitting in their parked car. The dull nature of these activities will make the minutes seem to crawl by, and you might also find yourself feeling anxious about the open house or showing. Here are some better things to do with your time.

Take Your Family Out to Eat

An effective way to spend your time when you need to vacate your house for an open house or a showing is to visit a restaurant with your family. Many people enjoy dining out, and taking advantage of this time gives you a chance to all be together. This can especially be valuable when you have teenagers who have active social lives. Many real-estate agents schedule showings in the evening during the workweek, so if there's a 7 p.m. showing for one hour, this gives you a perfect amount of time to grab a bite together.

Do Something Your Kids Enjoy

While many parents may grumble over the inconvenience of vacating their home, it's important to realize that this can be a hassle for kids too. You can turn the experience into something pleasurable by finding an activity that your kids enjoy. For younger kids, a trip to the park is perfect. For older kids who enjoy sports, grabbing a basketball or some tennis rackets and playing at the local schoolyard can be ideal. Other ideas include taking your kids to a movie or going mini-golfing or go-karting as a family.

Give Back to the Community

There are numerous ways that you can give back to the community during your open house or showing. If you struggle to make time for volunteering, this can be the perfect excuse to get out and give back. Find a local charity that can accept help with little advanced notice. For example, if the food bank is always looking for volunteers, you may be able to visit with your family to help sort and distribute food. You'll often have a day's notice to prepare for a showing, so you can alert the food bank and see whether you can drop by.