Whether your guests are planned, or whether you want to be prepared for those inevitable surprise visitors who turn up at very short notice (or simply arrive on your doorstep with no forewarning!), a clean-up is usually in order. Luckily though, this can be achieved in very little time, using the tips outlined below:
Begin with a plan
Before you start waving a duster around or plugging the vacuum cleaner in, it pays to create a plan that includes the following things:
- Checklist – listed should be every area that needs some attention
- Prioritization of tasks – consider which tasks are most important and hence should be tackled first
- Timeline – for planned visitors, set specific days and times for every task so that you’re not left rushing at the last minute. For unexpected guests, a little cleaning should be carried out every day, particularly of those areas they are most likely to see or spend time in
Eliminate clutter and do some organizing
Even a clean home can look a mess with clutter everywhere. Start by putting things back in their rightful places, and sorting through any items that don’t already have a home. It may be that you donate some things to a local thrift store, or find new storage places for items you want to keep.
Carry out a deeper clean of key areas
Kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms and guest bedrooms are all prime spaces in the home for guests to spend time in, so if your own bedroom’s a mess, leave it that way and concentrate on areas that your guests will see, and possibly pass judgement on!
Don’t neglect the smaller details
Your guests may not be hotel inspectors, but do you really want to give them a chance to mark you down on cleanliness?
For a 10/10 cleanliness score from even the pickiest of guests, ensure that your baseboards and trims, light fixtures, doors and door frames, and air vents are free from dust and grime.
Make the place smell fresh
Simply by opening some windows, burning a scented candle, infusing essential oils, or neutralizing odors with a sprinkling of baking soda, you can make your home smell much more inviting to visitors and guests.
Use mood lighting
With a combination of natural and artificial lighting, you can create an atmosphere inside your home that’s warm and welcoming. From simply opening the drapes and blinds, to placing softly lit lamps in dark corners of a room, you can easily make your home look as inviting as it smells.
Carry out last minute touch-ups
It never hurts to do a quick walk-about before guests are due to arrive, and touch up any areas that may need attention. This may include running a vacuum over the carpet, giving surfaces a quick wipe down, fluffing pillows and cushions, and making sure guest bed and bath rooms are stocked with towels, toiletries and toilet rolls.
Leave it to the professionals
Even if you’ve got plenty of time to prep your home before guests are due to arrive, is that really what you want to be doing with your free time? Hiring a professional cleaner means that not only can you get on with doing something far more enjoyable in the run up to your guests’ arrival, but you can have a home that’s ready for unexpected visitors, no matter when they arrive or however many of them there may be!
A regular cleaning service will keep your home in a guest-ready state, all of the time.
Hosting guests shouldn’t be all about cleaning, but if you want to make a good impression on them, a certain amount of cleaning is inevitable. With professional help, however, you can ditch the duster in favor of a bit of me-time before the onslaught!
