The Most Important Things to Clean up When You Only Have 10 Minutes Before the Company Arrives
An unexpected guest is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, how nice! Company! On the other hand, what if they decide you’re a slob because you didn’t have time to clean up before they arrived? But even if you have only 10 minutes to prepare for the arrival of a guest, you can still significantly change the appearance of the establishment. Here are some tips for getting your house in order quickly .
Choose one area to focus on and clean surfaces
If your guest will be hanging out mostly in your living room, focus on that. Don’t get overwhelmed with other areas, like the bathroom or kitchen, which you can subtly decide once they’re comfortable on your couch. Make a plan to gently but firmly keep them in the same room for as long as they run out.
Next, look at the big picture. Any surface should be cleaned as quickly as possible: floors, countertops, chairs or sofas. If there is any clutter in these highly visible places, hide it somewhere, such as in a closet, laundry bag, or closet. We’re going for the appearance of cleanliness here; you can deal with any secret mess you made later. As a last resort, shove the whole mess right under the sofa.
Vacuum and wipe surfaces
Once the laundry is out of the “laundry chair” and that pile of unopened mail is cleared off the table, you need to get the surfaces to shine—quickly. You don’t have time to do a full dust and wash. Instead, use pre-moistened cleaning wipes ( like these ) or dampen a paper towel. The goal is to remove excess dust and dirt from visible areas quickly, not perfectly.
Hit the backs of chairs, countertops, shelves, shelves and any other hard surface. Dust is a clear sign of a mess! Bonus: Cleaning wipes leave behind a stronger and fresher scent than traditional soap and water.
Dim the lights and take a candle
Clutter, dust and general disorganization will be much harder to spot with little mood lighting. Turn off bright overhead lights and give preference to table lamps, preferably with yellow bulbs . This whole event will run more smoothly if your unexpected guest is still wrapped in a cozy atmosphere and they can’t see well enough to notice the hidden clutter peeking out from under the sofa.
Candles are a nice touch. They will add coziness to the atmosphere, and will also smell good. A house that smells clean is as good as it is really clean; people are easily deceived. Why not dedicate the last few minutes of your 10-minute cleanse to scents? Before lighting a candle, walk around the room with an aerosol air freshener or room spray. Strike pillows, curtains, and anything else soft enough to keep splashes out. Once the fire hazard of the aerosol has been eliminated, light the candles.
If you limit yourself to one room with a pleasant smell, dim lighting, and no clutter, your guest will be blissfully unaware that just a few minutes ago, this place was a complete mess.