Most people don’t mind living in their own mess for some time, and weirdly, it gives you a sense of freedom. Well, until it graduates to frustration and we all get it! The struggle is real. It is funny that no one will turn up when the house is all cleaned up and everything in its place, rather, when it has reached a chaos crisis level. Maintaining an organized clean home may not come naturally to everyone, especially with so many other critical responsibilities lying around. You don’t have to stress anymore, there are several ways you can use to at least pretend that yours is a life of perfection to anyone walking into your home. Here is how:
The Entryway
This is the first place your guests see and you would want to start off on the right foot. Be sure to clear any clutter. Quickly organize the place by placing items in their respective positions. Then swiftly sweep through the hallway. A tip to remember: when you open the door for your guests, don’t apologize for how your house looks; it will only make them more conscious of their surroundings.
Get Rid of Clutter
Clutter instantly makes your home look so messy and uncared for. Pick a bag or baskets then place every clutter from all your rooms. Since you don’t have the time to place the items at their respective places, just bung them in and keep the boxes out of sight (maybe in the garage). As you are at it, consider placing paperwork in the drawers instead of boxes, for an easier time when they need to be retrieved.
The Living Room
This is the place that your guests will sit almost throughout their time at your home. Therefore, you need to spend more time here, since your guest’s eyes will tend to look around as they pass time. Since the clutter is taken care of, now ensure your floor is clean. This can be done by simply swiping through the room, but if you don’t have the time, you can just pick up the visible dirt. Then clean up the surfaces like the coffee table and screens with a cotton cloth. And don’t forget to align, straighten and fluff up your throw pillows. Additionally, flip over the cushions to reveal the as-good-as-new fabric that will instantly make your sofas look desirable.
Fix The Kitchen
The kitchen is a social place and chances are, your guest may offer to help you carry the dishes back to the kitchen. You don’t want it to get awkward, trying to give them reasons why not. You don’t need that kind of pressure. Therefore, if your sink is piled up with dirty dishes, load them up in the dishwasher. Or in one of the cabinets and lock it up, hoping you have visitors’ dishes put aside. Then you’d want to clear anything on top of the counter because they give you a worse look than a few crumbs. Swiftly wipe all visible surface with a clean damp cloth.
Fragrance Control
Hardly, can your house smell of lavender if you have dirty socks, jeans, and dishes lying around. You can easily solve that in various ways. If you want the classic homey scent, you can throw in the frozen cookie dough in the oven. But if air freshener and scented candles are the reality for you, they also work perfectly. Well, if you have neither for whichever reason, you can do it the natural way. Push back the curtains and drapes, then open the windows to get the stale air moving. You can as well turn up the fan. Lovely fragrance is the best tool for fooling anyone that you have a clean house.
The Bathroom
Like some unwritten rule, it’s guaranteed that your guest is going to request to use your bathroom. And there’s nothing that gets you cringing harder than a dirty bathroom. So cut your guests some drama by cleaning the place up. The best way of cleaning your toilet is by giving it a good squirt of the bleach of your choice then let it soak. As you wait, wipe the surfaces and most especially the mirror. Your guest will definitely use it. Change the hand towel and ensure there are toilet paper and hand soap in place. Finally, give your toilet a prompt brush then flush.
Fix Your Home Office
There might be a possibility of using your office depending on who the visitor is. As you swiftly clean this room, you may consider being keen on where you stash your stuff. Clear out the desk of clutter then using a damn clean rug, wipe the surface. Rearrange crooked books so that they are aligned in a pleasant manner.
Hide The Stains
Somehow stains find a way to be very stubborn when emergency guests are about to come, that it’s not funny. Yet, you can out-smart the stains by simply concealing them. If it’s on your sofa, you can use a throw pillow or blanket to cover it up. If it’s your wall, you can have emergency wall curtains. Whatever you come up with, ensure you don’t make it stand out too much or look out of place.
Your Kid’s Room
Your guests may have kids who will want to play around with your kid’s toys as you talk. And since clutter and kids go hand in hand, clear the floor and bed. Place the toys in a common place where they can be accessed easily. Finally, spray the room in case of odor, kids are full of surprises.
Add a Personal Touch
Personalizing your home is mostly done to give character to your home plus authenticity. But at this point, the personalized décor will act as a distraction by attracting your visitor’s attention. It can be done by simply taking your masterpiece vase and placing in fresh flowers. You can also take your kid’s drawings and hang them along the entryway wall. Consider investing in a centerpiece for your living room, because they come in handy at these times.
When you are done doing the above and your guests haven’t arrived yet, be sure to take some time and relax. You can also use the time to freshen up.
