Things I Do So My Home Is (Almost) Always Ready For Guests

Things I Do So My Home Is (Almost) Always Guest Ready

If you're anything like me then the thought of company dropping by (especially your mother in law!) makes your pulse quicken and hands get clammy. I can't say I'm a naturally tidy person, and I can't say my house is sparkling clean all the time either, but I can say that I have become tidy through training and I work on it everyday. Through a lot of trial and error I have finally come up with a handful of things that I can do room by room to keep the tornado at bay. I start in the living room, carry onto the bedrooms, hit the bathroom, and the kitchen takes the longest and most amount of effort so that is usually last.

Living Room

In the living room I do a quick pick up if there are toys and whatnot out and I have an important rule when it comes to picking up that has been a game changer for me. The rule is that when you pick something up take it to where it belongs and put it away. I only want to pick an item up once and put it down once.I used to just go through all the rooms and find things that below to other rooms and put them in the rooms they belong in but just setting it inside the door of that room. Then when I'd get to that room I'd just pick the stuff that was returned to the room away then get to the rest of the room. Picking the same thing up twice and setting them down twice and I'm not about that life. It just takes up more time and makes you work harder than you have to and as mommas why do we need to be working harder than we already are?! So just putting things away immediately is an awesome thing for me. Anyways I do a quick pick up, I'll wipe down surfaces, windows, the tv, the computer if needed, and vacuum if needed. BOOM. One room done and it feels so good! 

Bedrooms

I always start with making the bed. A bed that is made just instantly makes the room look tidier. Next quick pick up and vacuuming if needed. I will also wash the bedding once a week on my second wash day. BAM. Three rooms done (we have a two bedroom house).

Bathroom

We have one bathroom so cleaning this takes no time at all. Every other day I'll clean the toilet and wipe down the shower and tub. Everyday though I'll do a quick wipe down of the mirror, sink, and wipe down the outside of the toilet. Sweep when needed and pull the little trash if needed. Four rooms are done and it has taken me at max 15 minutes! So close to being done!

Kitchen

 The kitchen always takes the longest for me simply because of dishes. A family of four creates a surprising amount of dishes quickly. As long as my sink has little to no dishes this room stays looking pretty picked up.Keeping the counters cleared is another thing that helps this room stay picked up. Sweeping happens once a day then whenever its needed throughout the day.

Misc.

A few other things that I try to keep up on is laundry. If I break it up between two days then I don't have to cry over the mountain of clothes, and matching socks is way faster. I like to run steaming hot water down the drains then follow it up with some bleach down the drain to kill all the stink and grossness that is a sink drain. I do that at night before I hit the hay, something about a super clean sink just helps a girl sleep better at night. Last but not least a house that smells good is always more inviting! My go to wax melts, fabric spray, and just plain cute home decor is Pink Zebra hands down. The soy wax is not only healthier to be around when its being warmed, but the scent lasts longer, and you can mix and match all the delicious scents. (Check out my site with Pink Zebra www.pinkzebrahome.com/duffyhomeessentials) 

I know it kinda seems like a lot to just maintain the cleanliness but in all actuality it took maybe 20-30 min and the house is clean for a clear mind and a pleasant surprise visit. And really a half hour of your time is worth it to have everything clean for your littles and your husband and yourself. I hope my few little steps are helpful to you mommas out there whether you are naturally tidy or if you are training yourself to be tidy.

If you are overwhelmed with where to begin because your house is actually looking like a tornado you should head over to another one of my posts called My #1 tip to clean when you really don't want to.

Leave a comment below and tell us how you keep a presentable house or what your least favorite part of cleaning is!