Tidy Up Fast for Unexpected Guests

Six Tips to Tidy Up Fast

If your first instinct is to dive under the covers or hide in the dark when the doorbell rings, you need these tips for tidying up in a pinch. Now that it is warm outside, you might find that more people are gathering. Whether you call it the ten-minute tidy, last-minute hide-and-sweep, or speed cleaning, knowing how to tackle messes quickly means you don’t have to stress about unexpected visitors.

Instead of breaking into a cold sweat when guests drop by, welcome them with open arms and warm smiles. Use these six simple tips to get your home guest-ready in a snap.

1. Declutter Regularly

It’s much easier to tidy up when you don’t have a bunch of things. Make it a habit to regularly declutter unnecessary or unwanted items to keep your inventory at a more manageable level. Don’t worry about organizing your entire house during these sessions, just focus on paring down extraneous stuff.

Good times of year to declutter are before any special occasions that typically include an influx of new things, like a birthday or Christmas. Spring cleaning is another popular time to purge as it tends to be when people desire to refresh their spaces and minds.

2. Create a Gathering Bin for Misplaced Items

When you need to pick up in a pinch, you don’t always have time to put everything away. Have a large basket or bin devoted to quick clean-ups. When you’re facing a short timeframe, anything that doesn’t have a home or you don’t have time to put away goes into the bin.

Put the bin in a closet or out of the way in a spare room. Later, after your guests leave or when you’re finished with other commitments you can put things away. Devote 10 to 15 minutes to returning the items to their correct homes.

3. Concentrate on Large, Flat Surfaces

When large surfaces, like the floor, dining table, or sofa are full of stuff, it registers in our minds that the whole house is a mess. But when these large areas are clear, it sends the message that the entire home is clean and tidy.

Plus, when the floor and other flat surfaces are free of clutter, they invite people to sit, move about, and stay. Guests don’t have to worry about tripping over toys or shoes or pushing a bunch of stuff out of the way to find a place to sit.

4. Close the Doors

Unless your guests are staying with you overnight or for an extended time, they’re likely only to be in the main living spaces. Therefore, when you need to clean in a hurry, don’t worry about private spaces like bedrooms, personal bathrooms, the home office, etc.

Close the doors on these rooms and focus on shared areas like the kitchen, den or living room, and main bathrooms. If your guests plan to stay overnight, add the guest room or wherever they’ll be sleeping to your list.

5. Give Everyone a Task

If other people live in your home, then cleaning should be an all-hands-on-deck affair. Create a plan with other members of the household regarding a ten-minute tidy or fast clean-up.

For example, you might be in charge of returning items to their correct places or gathering things in the clutter box. Your partner tackles the main bathrooms, and the kids run the vacuum and wipe down countertops.

Make sure everyone knows what their job is, and when it’s time to clean, set a timer, and get to work. When kids are involved, add motivation by turning it into a game. Whoever finishes their task first earns a special reward, gets to choose dessert, or earns a later bedtime.

6. Devote Two Minutes to Tidying Every Night

Every night, before you go to bed, create a habit of setting a timer for two minutes and picking up as much as you can in that time. Focus on the main living areas, return items to their proper places, load the dishwasher, and wipe down kitchen counters.

You would be amazed at what you can accomplish in two, fully-focused minutes. Straightening up nightly keeps messes from piling up and becoming overwhelming. Therefore, when you have to clean last minute, the process won’t be so daunting.

Remember, a quick tidy isn’t about a meticulous deep clean or tackling major home improvement projects. Instead, focus on making your home presentable and comfortable for guests.