If you had limited time to clean a dirty and cluttered house, what would you recommend cleaning or doing to prepare for company?
Asked by
jca (
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January 29th, 2012
I went to visit a friend the other night and her house is usually somewhat cluttered, with the toys and stuff of two parents, two kids and a dog. She was expecting an old friend for dinner the next night, and we were discussing how her house was not going to get cleaned to the point she would have liked, for the first time visit from the friend.
I recommended taking stuff and putting it in bags and putting it on the side porch. I think the main thing, if you’re having people over for dinner, is having the dining room table clean and free of clutter.
I was wondering what advice other Flutherites would give, as a quickie way to clean up clutter and prepare for company.
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11 Answers
Concentrate on the rooms the visitor will be in: the living room, dining room, bathroom. Close the bedroom doors.
I would say pick up the debris.
Instead of placing things in a bag and placing them on the porch I believe you said, why not just dedicate time and put stuff away in their proper place? I would start with a garbage bag to merely throw out what clutter is seriously not being used, or that will be missed, actually dedicating time to this and facing in head on can make situations like this go away very quickly.. more than most people realize.
Bathroom, whisk some clutter into a bedroom and close the door.
I am that person, and my solution is pretty much boxes out of sight, rooms to be used are vacuumed and surfaces wiped down, kitchen given an extra wipe down, people like to see that where food has been prepped it’s fairly clean. Doors to other rooms closed, and keep in mind that the friend is coming to visit, not inspect the house. That’s not as disingenuous a statement as it sounds, I’m a cluttered house person, and if I remind myself that my friends are there to see me I relax and have a better time.
@EverRose11: When you’re under the gun for time, sorting and tossing and putting things in their proper places are not an option. Those of us that are “differently organized” can’t do it quickly.
Bathroom/s cleaned.
All other room doors closed.
Clutter can be put aside in the garage, a bedroom, pantry, closet.
Pick up clutter, clean bathroom and kitchen. No obvious dust.
I would focus on making sure bathroom and kitchen are clean, and the eating/sitting area is free of clutter.
Bathroom definitely.
Put away obvious clutter.
Clean kitchen surfaces.
In rooms they will visit.
Sweep or vacuum the floors. It is amazing what a different a swept floor can make.
Wipe over surfaces.
Focus on cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. Keep the bedroom door closed. Pick up obvious clutter and take out trash.
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