How do you start tidying up ,when you are in need of some company?

Throw everything in the oven and the bathtub then close the shower curtain

hah! That’s great, Judi. I’ve never thought of either of those. I just spend two days furiously scrubbing the house from top to bottom.

I try to keep the apartment clean enough for company in the first place. The big issues are the pile of dirty laundry in my bedroom, the pile of clean laundry in the pantry, and whatever ongoing projects I have going on in the den. But all of those have doors that close; and most of my friends understand the need for projects and thus the clutter in the den.

It helps that every Tuesday night is game night, and that means that the kitchen, bathroom, and dining room need to be presentable.

Pick up all the stuff in the public areas of the house and move to an area that should not be accessed by guests (bedroom, basement, etc.).
Make sure the toilet is not gross and the bathroom sink is clean. Put out a fresh hand towel.
Wipe up surfaces or dust if I have time.
Don’t stress…they’re my friends and family.

well, living in a dorm room is not the cleanest place with extra room, but me and my roommate keep it generally clean. it is always well organized and the worst it gets is when we leave the N64 controllers on the ground. we vacuum once or twice a week and we have a pretty solid setup that doesnt allow for unnecessary crap. we also keep a bath and body works cinnamon air freshener which keeps it smelling good. a bad smell gives the impression of uncleanliness, regardless of the aesthetic standings of the room

Oh I forgot, throw a splash of bleach in the toilet and down the drains so things smell clean!

I will sometimes use empty laundry baskets to throw all the crap in, and hide them in my bedroom. If it’s a good friend, I might not do anything at all…they love me anyway : )