How to Spiff Up the House in Five Minutes
There’s an odor that can only be traced to either the trash, the dog or whatever is growing mold under your son’s bed. The living room looks like something from an old mystery flick – the bad guys came in looking for the secret microfilm. They turned everything inside out and then left.
So, what do you do? Should you call your friend back and fake an illness? Do you burn the house down and meet your friend outside when the firemen arrive?
Your first step is to realize that most people’s homes have their own share of clutter and mess. You are not alone in your filth. Yet, it is understandable that you would like to invite your friend inside without them having to move over your three-year-old’s dirty underwear just to find a seat.
Let me give you a few easy steps you can take to turn your chaos into something a little bit more inviting. It only takes about five minutes. It won’t transform things into a Martha Stewart setting, but it can at least bump it up a notch from “horribly embarrassing!”
What’s That Smell?
Run into the kitchen and grab a small saucepan. Fill it halfway with water and put it on the stove over a medium-high heat. Sprinkle in some cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg and maybe a clove or two (they can be whole or ground up – doesn’t matter). That will start to simmer in a few minutes, letting off a wonderful aroma of baked goods … without all the baking!
Where Did All This Stuff Come From?
Find a laundry basket or something similar. Use anything that will hold and transport stuff. Then, head to your main living area where you will allow your guest to be (NOTE: spur of the moment guests don’t get the run of the house – you can keep them confined!). Start chunking in all of the clutter. Move fast. If your friend lives close, even throw the trash in with it. You can always sort it out later. Run quickly to the bathroom and do the same, just in case said friend has to pee during their visit. Do a quick toilet paper check. Toss any bathroom items into the tub and shut the shower curtain. Now, hide the basket filled with clutter.
Open Floor Plan – BAD! Doors – GOOD!
On your way back to the living room, shut doors. Shut them all. Slam them in delight. Aren’t doors glorious?
Swiper, No Swiping!
Give your simmer pot a quick glance in the kitchen. If it’s boiling, then lower the heat to low. You can pick up the pan and give it a gentle swirl to keep the spices dispersed. No time for spoons and actual stirring right now. Grab a paper towel. There’s more work to do.
Run the paper towel quickly over your coffee table and any other surfaces that have become so dusty they resemble your grandmother’s attic. If there are food particles, just swipe them straight off the edge and onto the floor. Your only other option is to skip the quick-dust and just tell your company that you’ve started covering all of your furniture with felt. Granted, this only works if your friends are idiots.
You Can Eat Off My Floor – Literally!
Now, give the living room another check. How about the floor? Is it covered in crumbs of popcorn, pretzels and smashed goldfish? What about the stuff you just dusted off the tables? Grab your Hoover and vacuum only the places you see. Don’t move furniture. Just go, go, go! If you have a Swivel Sweeper, or something similar, you can do it even faster and more easily than a full-size vaccum. Remember, this is not spring cleaning. This is freak out mode!
There You Have It
Toss the paper towel and put away the vacuum. When your guest arrives, greet them at the door, playing up the huffing and puffing. Just greet them with a, “Sorry, I was getting in my workout when you called. Come on in!”
