Don't apologize for the mess in your house!
Collected the best tips from Rachel's Hoffman book in this article. If guests are on their way and the house is a mess, they will definitely help you out.
1. Tidy up at the entrance
The condition of your entrance hall determines the first impression of your guests. Clean up clutter by the door and make room for shoes and outerwear. If you have a rug, vacuum or broom it, or shake it outdoors. Often it's these innocuous doormats that collect most of the dirt.
If you have time, take Hoffman's advice: she suggests leaving the house for a while and then coming back to take a look around.
2. Close off some of the rooms
It's not worth spending time cleaning rooms that guests won't enter, such as bedrooms, dressing rooms and storage rooms. And to make sure they don't get there, you can simply close the doors to these rooms.
3. Vacuum the rooms you plan to have guests in
You may not have time to mop the floors and clean the carpet (by the way, you can just send it to the balcony). But it's worth at least a quick run with a hoover through the main rooms where guests will be staying. For example, the hall and the corridor.
It is also worthwhile to separately pass the brush over the places where dust, dirt or pet hair accumulates. Cats, for example, often sleep on sofas, armchairs and windowsills.
4. Tidy up the kitchen
To instantly create a sense of order, remove unwanted items from the table. Then wipe it down with a damp microfiber cloth or cleaning cloth.
Send the dishes to the dishwasher or hide them under the sink. It's ideal to have time to wash them as well. Vacuum or sweep the floor to remove at least large crumbs.
5. Clean the bathroom and toilet
Your guests will probably use the bathroom more than once during the party, so give this area at least a couple of minutes. To save time, fill the toilet bowl with cleaner first and then get on with the other chores.
Take care of the mirror. Use glass cleaner to remove stains from it. Don't forget to hastily wipe down the rest of the surfaces - drawers, shelves, washing machine. If you're pressed for time, you can just go over them with a damp cloth without using detergent.
Then clean the toilet bowl with a toilet brush - the liquid you poured into it earlier will have just enough time to work. Finally, get fresh hand towels and make sure there is soap and toilet paper in the bathroom.
6. Put away unnecessary items
To do this quickly, take a laundry basket and put items in it that are out of place and spoil the look. For example, cheques and rent payments can pile up on the coffee table and books, tablets and small toys on the TV cabinet. If you don't have time to sort them into their places, just hide the basket in the cupboard.
7. Fluff up the cushions
This will instantly give your living room a more sophisticated look. And it's worth whipping up both sofa bolsters and decorative doormats. And by positioning them correctly, you'll hide any stains that you haven't had time to clean.
8. Get rid of dust on visible surfaces
This could be coffee tables, skirting boards, lampshades. Don't waste time on areas that guests are unlikely to notice, such as the top of the fridge or the space between the wall and the radiator.
9. Use an air freshener
Or a non-toxic cleaner - like the one you use to mop the floor. You can just spray it in the air if you don't have time to clean.
The smell of cleaning product can help fool your brain. There's nothing wrong with this little hack - especially when it comes to express cleaning. When time is short, the feeling of cleanliness is more important than actual cleanliness.
And in general, remember: if you don't draw attention to the mess, it's possible that no one will even notice it.
Rachel advises against apologizing for your house being ‘a bit untidy’. By saying this, you make everyone feel uncomfortable, because visitors will be forced to judge your place and argue that it's clean and cozy, even if they don't really think it is.
