You're better off if you leave potential buyers no reason to offer less than you are asking. Send pets away or secure them away from the house when prospective buyers are coming. You never know if people will be annoyed or intimidated by your pets or even allergic to them. And you never want a prospective buyer to have to avoid animal droppings. Send the kids to grandma's or take them on a walk around the block.
Children can be noisy and distracting to someone interested in looking at a home.
There's nothing that improves the value of a home for a lower cost than a fresh coat of paint. And it's often easier to paint a room than it is to scrub it. Be sure to avoid black, violet and pink. Keep noise down. Silence is a restful sound that offends no one.