5 Things to Do 30 Minutes Before Company to Make Your House Look Cleaner

You just received that call that you have company coming over. They CANNOT see your house in this state. It looks like you have not cleaned in two weeks. (I won’t tell anyone you really haven’t, no worries.) Now what?

Five tasks. Just five things that you can do in the next 30 minutes that are going to make your house appear much cleaner than it actually is. You will not look like your house belongs on an episode of Hoarders, and if you use the right products, your home will smell fresh and clean!

First thing is first, clean those dishes! Whether is it loading them into the dishwasher, or quickly scrubbing them up, getting them clean and out of the way will improve the look and , ahem, smell, of your house really quick! Do not forget to scrub out your sink and wipe the counters when you are done to do away with the evidence!

Have pans that absolutely HAVE to soak and will not clean easily? Into the oven they go, just do not forget they are there come dinner!

Total time: 5 minutes

Laundry

Don’t look at me like you are that perfect person who has it all caught up! (If you actually do, kudos to you, I hate you. Not, really, but I am constantly buried in laundry.) Chances are you have it all sorted into piles to wash, scattered all over your house, or clean and waiting to be folded and put away. If it is dirty, get all those clothes put in a hamper and hidden back by the washer! If it is clean, get it to the rooms it goes in.

Not enough time? All the clean laundry goes to the master bed and the door to the bedroom gets shut. Unless your master bedroom is in your living room (I wouldn’t do it, but I have seen it done.) Then no one really HAS to be in there. Plus, look at how much cleaner it looks since the laundry is condensed and hidden from sight!

Total Time: 3 minutes (If you bust ass!)

Bathroom(s)

No one likes a dirty bathroom. The good thing is, that they are quick to clean! First off, shut your shower doors or shower curtains and forget about the shower/tub. No one has time for that, and let’s face it, why will your guests be in your shower/tub anyway? Next, toilet bowl cleaner into all the toilets! Let it sit while you wipe down counters and sinks, and wash the mirrors. Come back and scrub out the toilets quickly, then grab the trash and viola! Clean bathrooms! (Ok, not perfectly clean, but presentable nonetheless.)

Time:5-7 minutes (Depending on the number of bathrooms)

Sweep/Mop/Vacuum

Yes, I know, you hate it. I do too. But how much better does your house look once it is done? Do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to sweep, vacuum and spot mop your floors. You will get a little extra sparkle, and, if you use a great cleaner, your house will even smell fresh when guests arrive. Do not like the smell of your cleaner, or is it just not cutting it? Grab Febreeze and hit the carpets, rugs, and curtains with it. If you have time, lightly douse the furniture too to give your house an awesome scent! (Can’t tell I have done that before, can ya?)

Time:10 minutes (I said we were doing a quick run-through, not scrubbing the stain out of the carpet that has been there for 7 months. You can worry about that shit later.)

Various Clutter

Ok. Now you are in the home stretch. With just a few more minutes to go, now is the time to go through, room by room, and pick up/straighten the chaos. You do not have a lot of time, so the deep cleaning (or purge of junk you promised you would do months ago) will have to wait. Presentable. That is our focus, remember? Only focus on the main rooms at this point, kitchen, living area, playroom, and dining room. Finished? Great! I am adding in another step! Do not worry though, you will like this one.

Time: 5-7 minutes (Depending on what is left.)

LAST STEP

Ok. First, go into the freshly cleaned bathroom and ensure you do not look like hell. Comb back your hair and brush out your clothes. Better? Next, go to the kitchen and pour yourself a glass of wine. Go sit yourself on the couch, and pretend you did not spend the last half hour running around your house like a crazy person following the advice of a mom who has done this one too many times. Don’t you look fancy and relaxed? Congrats on making your house appear presentable! But who am I kidding, it looked that way the whole time, right?

Want to see how else I sometimes lack in my “Momming Duties? Check out my post on how I quit momming from time to time!

What are your “must do” items when you hear the company is coming? Let me know in the comments and happy cleaning!