Get Your House Guest Ready in Less Than 10 Minutes

Ordinarily you’re a pretty clean person with a neat house. Unfortunately, today is the day you decided to forgo all things sanitary and let your kids wreak havoc on everything from the floors to the walls so you could spend a little extra time reading your new book (which we are willing to bet contains a character by the name of Mr. Grey). Even more unfortunately, your mother-in-law just called to say she’s in the neighborhood and wants to see her favorite grandkids. She’ll be at your house in less than 10 minutes. After you enthusiastically (read: inwardly cringe) say you’ll see her in a few minutes you look around your war-zone and have a panic attack. Here are a few quick tips to get your house looking good in a matter of minutes – and keep your excellent daughter-in-law title.

Baskets and Bribery

Tell the kids they have three minutes to pick up their toys from floors in the main area of the house and the one who is finished the fastest will get a prize. Then place some decorative baskets on the floor and tell them to start throwing toys in the baskets. Shove the baskets in a closet or against an empty wall to make the room look tidier while still providing a place for toys that shows your guests that your kids have a little fun.

Bathrooms

Don’t worry about your bathroom or the kids bathrooms. Shut the doors and quickly wipe down the counter and toilets in the bathroom your guest will use. Place anything out of place under the sink and go with the term, out of sight, out of mind.

The Floors

Quickly run the broom over the entry way both inside and outside to make it look cleaner and more welcoming. Do the same anywhere you see any debris or dust. We prefer domestic resin flooring options because it is easy to clean and maintain. Straighten the door mat, place shoes in a presentable line against the wall and remove anything that looks out of place.

Smells Good

Light a few candles in the entry way, the living room and the kitchen to make the house smell fresh and clean. Your guests will notice how nice your house smells instead of the extra dust on the television or fact that the floor hasn’t been vacuumed in who knows how long.

Kitchen

Throw all dirty dishes in the dishwasher and wipe down the counters. Anything on the counter can be swept into the junk drawer or into a grocery bag and placed out of sight until your guests leave.