Preparing for company, whether they were expected or unexpected, is a panic-inducing task at times. Having a proper plan in place will help ease the fear of anything being left undone and keep you from having to kick dust bunnies under the rug as your guests walk into the room. You’ll want to make sure you’re doing things like keeping your eco-friendly laundry products in the proper location and using an efficient bathroom routine. Whether you’re working with a mere 10-minute warning or you have days to prepare.these four tips are sure to impress your guests.
1. Keep Cleaning Products in the Appropriate Locations
Running all over the house looking for one particular product is such a hassle and even a waste of time. You wouldn’t want to hunt around for your laundry detergent sheets every time you did laundry, so you shouldn’t have to hunt down other cleaning items either. Ensuring all of your cleaning products are in the appropriate areas of your home is surprisingly important when cleaning and tidying up for company.
Make a list of every product you use when cleaning your home and which rooms you typically use them in. You may have products you use in multiple rooms, like glass cleaner, and that’s completely fine. Make sure to note each room you use the product in. Write out each tool you use when cleaning as well, like sponges, brushes or even paper towels.
Once you have your list, take stock of everything you have on hand and begin organizing everything in the rooms it gets used most. Keep things like your eco-friendly laundry detergent, bleach and floor-cleaning products in the laundry room. Store the items you use for your sinks and counters in your kitchen and bathrooms. You may want to keep multiples of some things that you use in many places around the house so you don’t have to spend time going between locations. It never hurts to have multipurpose cleaners, scrub brushes and other essentials in various rooms rather than in one central location.
2. Invest in All-Purpose Wipes
Using all-purpose wipes is a great way to quickly clean and disinfect surfaces for unexpected company. You can always do a deep clean on another day when you have more time. These versatile wipes can be used for just about any surface.
Wipe down your coffee table and any side tables your guests may use or see. Be sure to catch any debris so it doesn’t just end up on the floor below. Wipe down any coasters that may have spilled drinks or rings left on them. There’s nothing less appealing to guests than dust, dirt or crumbs on where they’ll be hanging out.
Next, wipe down anything and everything in your kitchen. You can use all-purpose wipes to wipe down the counters, first and foremost. Making sure the visible surfaces are free of food particles will immediately make your home appear cleaner. Double-check your appliances to ensure there are no visible stains on the outside. If needed, wipe down your kitchen sink to disinfect it and give it a nice shine.
Finally, head to your bathroom. The most important things to clean are your sink and toilet. Using all-purpose wipes for the counter and sink is an easy way to instantly fix the appearance of a lived-in bathroom. You can use the wipes to clean the toilet tank and toilet seat as well.
3. Use a Bathroom-Cleaning Routine
By creating a smart bathroom routine, you’ll make your life so much easier and even cut down on the number of washcloths or sponges you have to use. There are many ways to configure your routine, but the basic idea is to group similar tasks together.
Start by cleaning the sinks in your bathrooms. Wipe down the hardware first, then the counters and then move on to the sink bowl. Do the same thing in your other bathrooms before moving onto the bathtub. Start with the hardware again, then clean the walls and finally to the bathtubs. Once you’re ready to move on, you can start working on the toilets. A good idea is to spray down one entire toilet and then spray down the others before returning to the first one to wipe it down. This way, your cleaning product has some time to break down anything on the seat or in the bowl before you get to scrubbing. Start at the tank and work your way to the bowl. Save the floors for last, just in case you make any messes while cleaning the other parts of your bathrooms.
4. Deodorize
If you have kids or pets, deodorizing is a must. It’s not always convenient to simply air your home out. If you live in a climate that gets cold, you won’t be able to just open your windows in the winter. Luckily, you can easily deodorize your furniture, carpet, drapes and even bedding by using a few simple tips and products.
Everyone knows that baking soda is a great deodorizer. You can use baking soda in nearly any application to absorb odors. Sprinkle it on your furniture or carpet and allow it to sit for several hours before vacuuming it away, leaving your soft surfaces smelling fresh.
If your garbage disposal is stinking up your kitchen, you can use lemon and salt to freshen it up. Start by dumping half a cup of salt down the drain and turning on the garbage disposal. The salt helps loosen up any caked-on food. To freshen it up and remove any smells, grind up pieces of lemon rinds.
Conclusion
Preparing for guests can cause some anxiety. Nobody wants to feel embarrassed about their home when they have friends or family over or panic about what parts of the house are clean. Taking these steps to set yourself up for success the next time you prepare for company will make sure that you can feel confident in your home and enjoy the presence of your guests.
