Just imagine: you’re sitting at home, enjoying a good book and a warm cup of tea when, suddenly, the doorbell rings. You weren’t expecting visitors, but there they are. You panic as you look around your home and see it’s a mess! You don’t want them to see your house, but you don’t want to be rude and not answer the door. What do you do? Well, with these great tips you don’t need to worry about that predicament ever again!
Keep it smelling nice
One of the first things that your visitors will notice when they walk into your house is the smell. So, whether it’s the smell of stinky shoes or vanilla and lemons, your guests will notice it. I like to keep a few candles on hand and just have them burning throughout the day when I’m home. If you like wall plug-ins or sprays, that’s fine. Just choose a great scent you like and keep it on hand to make your home smell great always.
Put things away
Don’t get into the habit of just throwing your coat on the ground, your bag on the table, and your shoes on the floor. Instead, designate a space for all of these things and use them! Get a shoe rack to hold you and your family’s shoes, make sure coats always get hung up or put in the closet, and designate a spot for backpacks, purses, and bags. That way, if guests come by, you won’t have to scramble to pick everything up.
Stay tidy
If guests stop by unexpectedly, they probably aren’t planning to stick around for a long time. That means you don’t have to have your home deep cleaned, just nice enough to look clean (you can do the deep cleaning later). So, make sure your home is always at least neat and tidy, not necessarily dusted, vacuumed, and polished until it shines. Having the magazines organized, the pillows fluffed, and the coffee table cleared off are a great start.
Clear surfaces
Just like with the coffee table, avoid creating clutter on any of your surfaces. That means the table, counters, bookcases, entertainment stands, etc. If you get into the habit of keeping papers, toys, and other objects off those surfaces than it will make your home look a lot cleaner without doing much work at all!
Keep it light
This is something that I ALWAYS forget when guests come over, but make sure you have enough light in your home! If there’s an unexpected knock at the door, take a few seconds to turn on the lights if you were sitting in the dark. That way, when you open the door, your home won’t look like a cave but a well-lit house!
Organize the entryway
Most of the time, if your guests know they have come unannounced, then they won’t ask to come in or visit for a long time. Use this to your advantage! Quickly clean the areas that they will see—no need to focus on the bedroom or back rooms if they’re out of sight. Clean up the entryway by stuffing things in the closet, if you have to. It just depends on how much time you have!
A mess isn’t the end of the world
Lastly, just remember that, if your house is a mess, that’s not the end of the world. Hopefully your guests understand that, yes, we’re all humans with busy schedules and lives, so they’ll understand if it’s a little messy. And, chances are, your house isn’t even as messy as you think it is! It’s probably just as messy as anyone else’s house would be if they had unexpected guests coming. So, just remember that, if they do see a bit of a mess, it’s not the end of the world! Take a breath and relax.