Quick- someone is “stopping by” unexpectedly- but your house is a mess! 5 quick things to do to make your home LOOK clean and tidy in a pinch. Use these fast ways to tidy up and make your house look presentable for unexpected company.
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You know that feeling you get in your stomach when you see the President of the PTA get out of her car to drop her kid off for a playdate looking like she plans to actually come in? How about when you see your in-laws pull in the driveway for a “surprise: visit with the grandkids.
Gulp.
Then the cleaning race is on!
You rush around trying to make it look like you have spent all day effortlessly cleaning up your home. When reality you were binging This Is Us on Netflix and finishing that bottle of wine from this weekend (and this is downtime you deserve!!!).
With a few quick cheats, you can make your house look as presentable as possible without running around trying to Windex and scrub before your guests make it to the door!
How to make your house LOOK clean in a hurry:
1. Stall! – Have your hubby answer the door and show your guests how well the new petunias are blooming. Have the kids run downstairs with their newest pieces of artwork for Grandma to admire. It might buy you five minutes to run through this list!
2. Grab a tote and contain the clutter- Toys lying around, shoes on the floor, paperwork that needs “dealt with”- we ALL have it! It’s part of life! When you have guests coming, grab an empty tote (or an Amazon box- I know you have some!) and throw all the clutter in the box to put away later. Minimizing visual clutter will instantly make your house look tidy!
3. Wipe it down! If you have the time, wipe down counters and wipe up any spills. Throw dirty dishes in the dishwasher and any clean ones you haven’t put away yet get hidden into the microwave 😉
4. Shove it under the rug- Literally. If your floors could use a good scrubbing but you haven’t had a chance to get to it yet, grab a throw rug from another room and temporarily “repurpose” it into the room you need it most! It will hide any spills or spots you haven’t cleaned yet. It also takes the focus of the bare floor.
5. Dim the lighting. Call it cheating if you will, but turning down the lights will hide some of the home maintenance you missed. Use a dimmer if you have one or just turn on fewer lights. You can even utilize candles when appropriate- but don’t make it weird 😂 ; use a combination of lighting and candles! (BONUS TIP BELOW!)
BONUS TIP! Have a system– When you have a cleaning plan or maintenance system, you are less likely to find yourself in a messy bind! Surprise visits happen but you can save yourself the last-minute cleaning rush if you already have a handle on the mess with a maintenance plan! In The Happy Mom System, we use a declutter plan and also use daily tasks checklist to help us keep ahead of the mess. You can grab a free copy of the Daily Clean Home Checklist below. No more weekend “catch up” on cleaning!
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
- How to get motivated to clean; 3 easy tricks to try even if you feel overwhelmed!
- Where to start when you are overwhelmed by the mess in your house!
- 5 Day Declutter Jump Start for Super Busy Moms! (or anyone feeling overwhelmed!)
***For more tips, tricks, and to watch me fumble through this while motherhood balancing act, follow me on Tik Tok : @thehappymomsystem
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