Does your life involve a demanding boss, kids who must be pressed on homework and a spouse who travels a lot on business? Beyond all that, are you also planning to sell your house in the near future?

If so, Neen James, a time management expert and author of "Folding Time: How to Achieve Twice as Much in Half the Time," says it's understandable if you feel overwhelmed by the house project. After all, preparation for a home sale inevitably involves -- among other steps -- many hours sorting through such belongings as kitchen gadgets, excess shoes and boxes of books.

Due to scarcity of free time, she says many homeowners need a strategic plan to accomplish all the must-do tasks necessary to make their place saleable. These can include cleaning, organizing and culling through a large volume of excess accumulations in closets, drawers and stash areas, such as garages.

"In the U.S., many people have so much stuff in their garage that they can't even put cars in there," says James, a native Australian who contends that clutter problems are less pervasive in her home country.

Here are a few tips for home sellers:

-- Reduce the huge home sale project into small pieces.

Frantic people trying to tackle all that's involved in preparing for a home sale, or any other sizeable project, would do well to break their work down into 15-minute increments of uninterrupted time, James says.

"You can get a lot done in 15-minute slots. Actually, I'm convinced you can conquer the world in 15-minute segments," she says.

Suppose, for instance, that your bookshelves are bulging with excess volumes, including many you've already read. In just 15 spare minutes, for example, you could clear through a single shelf that contains your cookbooks. Then when time allows later, you could tackle other shelves that hold novels or a collection of art books.

James suggests that in between 15-minute work sprints you take small breaks to help keep up momentum. These could involve a brief jog outside or a quick cup of coffee.

"Just be sure that on your break you don't eat a ton of sugar or other simple carbs that could lead to an energy slump later," she says.

-- Make sure you set strategy before tackling your home preparation project.

Peter Turla, a former rocket scientist who now conducts time management seminars for employee groups, says that anyone who needs to prepare a property for sale should start with an action plan.

"You don't have time to not plan," he attests, adding that planning at the front end reduces the need for backtracking as a project progresses.

Stefanie Coleman, who's taught time management and productivity seminars for more than a decade, says that project planning should be done in several stages. The first involves brainstorming and then itemizing all the possible tasks that could help move you toward your final goal -- a process called "mind dumping."

Second, revisit your list, crossing out steps that sound impractical and highlighting those that will have the most impact.

Third, put all the remaining items on your list in order by priority.

Your fourth and final step involves scheduling -- entering all the key tasks for your project on your calendar to be done within time periods when you expect to be free of other commitments.

-- Avoid overscheduling your time.

Though Coleman underscores the importance of entering all your steps on a calendar, she cautions against scheduling your time too tightly.

"Often there are unplanned intrusions -- like a sick child ... on the same day you'd planned to reorganize your kitchen cabinets," Coleman says.

To allow for unplanned interruptions, she urges home sellers to allow an extra 20 percent cushion for unscheduled time. For example, suppose that one Saturday you hope to spend 10 hours cleaning out your garage. In that case, Coleman suggests you schedule just eight hours of work, allowing a couple of hours to deal with the unexpected.

-- Seek out a support person.

Many busy people who could afford to hire a professional organizer decline to do so, James says. Still, she says it's often smart to seek an organizer's help when confronting a major project. (One source for referrals is the National Association of Professional Organizers, www.napo.net.)

If your finances are too tight to pay for a professional organizer, James suggests you barter for services with a friend or relative. For instance, you could trade baby-sitting for help sorting through your clothes.

As James says, getting outside help with home chores hastens the pace at which you should be able to sift through your belongings. That's because someone not living in your place can look at your accumulations with fresh eyes.

"With an outsider there to keep you on track, you'll make quicker decisions on what to keep, give to charity or toss in the trash can," she says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

After turning 60, a senior-level engineer and his teacher wife sat down to map their next decade.

They knew for sure they wanted to sell the dated-looking property where they'd raised their kids. But the tougher decision was about their next house. Should they downsize like so many of their 60-something friends? Or upsize to buy the trophy home they'd always wanted?

"This couple had extremely mixed feelings. They worried that upkeep on a big house would be expensive," yet they also wanted the luxuries and space of a large house, says Sid Davis, the real estate broker who represented the couple.

Ultimately, they decided to buy a larger house and soon found the perfect place -- a sprawling, one-level property with 4,500 square feet of living space and lots of extras.

"Their ideal was to create a mecca that would draw their four grown kids and eight grandkids. And the house they bought fulfilled all their wishes perfectly," says Davis, the author of "A Survival Guide for Buying a Home."

Of course, not all buyers heading into retirement can afford to trade up.

"Only about 20 percent of my baby-boom-age buyers are going bigger," Davis says.

Yet, just as the market for large SUVs is again increasing, so are more people revisiting the idea of owning a larger living space.

Here are a few pointers for buyers:

-- Systematically think through your "must have" priorities.

"Ranking your priorities is an absolute key. Ultimately, your best living style is determined by your personal preferences," Davis says.

If you're married or living with a partner, Davis recommends you both rank your housing priorities. Then compare notes and if there are differences, strive for compromise.

Though Mark Nash, author of "1001 Tips for Buying & Selling a Home," is single, he faced his own set of trade-offs a few years back when he decided to sell his 3,200-square-foot house in an upscale city neighborhood in favor of a 1,000-square-foot condo in a middle-income suburb. He could have moved to a larger home, but his higher priority was to save enough money to also buy a modest, lakeside getaway.

While he did save money, his move to the condo came with sacrifices. Though he liked his neighbors in the complex, he missed the leafy area where his city house was located. He also missed the privacy of a single-family property. As a result, he did a U-turn, selling the condo and buying another detached house.

"The buying decisions you make should focus mostly on functionality and what works for your household," Nash says.

-- Challenge your need for a spacious house for parties or houseguests.

Like the engineer and his wife, some people seek a large house to host big family gatherings or office parties.

If home-based entertaining is something you value highly and you're comfortable with the payments on a big property, why not go for it? But if you're more interested in the financial benefits of living smaller, you may wish to consider less-expensive approaches to hosting friends and family.

As an alternative to home-based entertaining, Mary McCall, a real estate broker and past president of the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.com), suggests treating family or friends to a dinner at a restaurant with a private dining space. And if your house is too small for overnight family visits, a nearby hotel could work well.

"Many people worry they'll someday outlive their retirement savings. They greatly fear taking on a big mortgage. Also, many folks aren't interested in hosting Uncle Joe or Cousin John when they come to town. They'd rather put them up at the Holiday Inn," McCall says.

-- Face reality when it comes to your storage needs.

Davis says some homebuyers like big houses because they place a premium on storage space.

Assuming you can afford it, Davis says buying a large house for extra storage space could be a reasonable plan if it saves you the expense of long-term use of a rented storage unit. But he warns against the notion that you can keep accumulating possessions just because you have a big house.

"Remember that no matter the size of your house, storage space is always finite," he says.

-- Don't delay, whether you plan to buy a small home or a big one.

Obviously, the trend in property values varies widely from one locale to another. In some areas, prices are flat or still drifting downward. But in most neighborhoods, values are continuing to rise in tandem with the economic recovery.

If you're planning to buy a big house in a popular area with ascending home values, Davis urges you to avoid postponing for long.

"The rates on jumbo mortgages are especially reasonable now. So if you're determined to move into a larger house, try not to dally," he says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

Landlords are now commanding premium rents in an increasing number of popular neighborhoods. That makes it all the more difficult for long-time renters to save sufficient funds to afford the transition to homeownership.

Tom Early, a past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org), says rising rents mean tenants have little discretionary income left to save for a down payment or closing costs.

He says renters who have a child or two are especially strongly focused on homeownership, and because of such obstacles, some couples with kids try to pursue an interim step by attempting to move into another rental unit --ideally a detached house -- in a neighborhood with well-rated schools. But Early says rentals in such neighborhoods are exceptionally hard to find.

Although the barriers facing many first-time buyers are substantial, many who plan ahead and find a well-priced property can meet their goal.

Here are a few pointers for buyers:

-- Scout out the best neighborhood you can afford.

Many who've felt trapped in a rental unit for years get very excited when they first start shopping for a place to buy. But it's a mistake to let yourself fall in love with a particular house before you've scouted around to find the best one you can afford, says Michael S. Knight, a Chicago-area financial adviser affiliated with the Garrett Planning Network (www.garrettplanningnetwork.com).

"It's not uncommon for people to choose a neighborhood too quickly," says Knight, who recommends you compare several areas before making your pick.

To help with your due diligence, he says it's wise to sit down for an informal chat with an agent who specializes in the sale of real estate in each community on your short list.

Which neighborhoods are most likely to hold or gain value in the future? Ashley Richardson, an agent affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.com), says access to high-quality public schools is one critical factor, along with nearby quality public transit.

"Millennial homebuyers -- those in their 20s and 30s -- don't want to ... spend a lot of their free time commuting long distances," Richardson says.

In addition, she says buyers of all ages want to live in an area where they can easily walk to shops and restaurants.

How can you quickly assess whether a neighborhood is pedestrian-friendly? One way is to visit a website that rates communities for their "walk scores." Just go to www.walkscore.com and type in the address of a house in the neighborhood.

-- Look for a good deal from sellers who are highly motivated.

The biggest wave of recession-era foreclosures has passed. But in every market, there are still sellers who must move and are anxious to do so. Richardson recommends that buyers searching for a good deal consider homes that have languished unsold for multiple months, usually because they were overpriced when they first hit the market.

It's not always easy to identify highly motivated sellers. But if a property is nearly vacant or there are no clothes in the closets, you can normally assume its owners have moved. You can also learn more by posing polite inquiries to neighbors living near the property.

"Stop by on a sunny Saturday or Sunday when you can chat with residents who are out in their yards. Tell them you admire their area and would like to know about for-sale properties there. If you're friendly, most people will try to help you," Richardson says.

-- Try to buy a house big enough to meet your needs for a lengthy period.

Before the last recession, many buyers were focused on "flipping," the practice of buying properties in hope they'd appreciate quickly and could then be sold for a profit.

But many who tried this game failed, teaching others a cautionary lesson about how tough it is to make speculation work.

"Forget about flipping, especially when it comes to buying a first home for your family. In any case, you wouldn't want your children changing schools too often," Early says.

-- Make sure you stay within reasonable limits when shaping an offer.

Once you've pinpointed a solid neighborhood and found a dream property there, you may be ready to make a bid. But Richardson says that before deciding how much to offer, you should obtain some facts and figures on recent sales in the area.

Ask your agent to give you statistics on homes that have sold recently -- the fresher the data, the better.

Are you seeking to buy your dream property in a popular area and know you'll face rival bidders? In that case, Richardson says you may wish to add a small monetary sweetener to help you outdo the others.

"You don't want to overshoot the value of the house by a huge amount. But you may wish to add perhaps $1,000 to $2,000 to your bid. If you truly love the place you've found, that's not a lot of money when spread over all the years you'll be living there," she says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)