Need to clean house fast because your house is a mess, and someone’s on the way, don’t worry.
These 5 quick tricks will make it look way cleaner in minutes.
Okay, so we have all been there.
It’s been a crazy, busy week. One child had a virus, the other had a recital.
You have been going non-stop, and you get the text from a distant family member, “Hey, we’re in the area, can we stop by?”
And you look around your house, and it’s like an episode of Hoarders, you know busy mom edition.
There are dishes in the sink because the dishwasher is already full.
Laundry that’s been “in progress” for three days.
Random stuff on every surface that you don’t even remember putting there.
And for a second, you just freeze.
Because there’s no way you can fix all of this in time.
But here’s what I’ve learned (the hard way, many times): you don’t actually need to clean your whole house.
You just need to make it feel okay to walk into.
When Your House Is a Mess But Someone’s Coming Over
Step 1: Start at the Front Door (I swear this helps more than anything)
This is the clean house hack I swear by!
When your entryway is clean, the whole house seems cleaner.
So before you start panic-cleaning, step outside your front door and take a peek inside.
Look at your house the way your friend is about to see it.
Now ask yourself these questions:
What’s the first thing you notice?
Is it shoes everywhere?
A pile of bags?
A pile of toys?
Don’t think about the entire house.
Right now, just concentrate on fixing that first view.
The entryway is your home’s “first impression” for everyone who steps inside.
Now, if you are minutes away from the company, you don’t have time to get some entryway shoe storage cabinets, but here are some I recommend for next time.
My Favorite Shoe Storage Ideas
VASAGLE ELLAN Collection - Boho Shoe Storage Cabinet for Entryway Slim, Entry Shoe Cabinet with Rattan-Look Flip Drawers, Rounded Corners, Narrow for Entrance, Oak Beige UHSC601YC01
Shoe Organizer Cabinet Storage for Entryway - Slim Rattan Shoe Rack for Front Door Entrance, Narrow Hidden Shoe Cabinet with Flip Drawers, Boho Shoe Holder Cabinet，Two Doors, White, Set of 2
BORNOON Shoe Cabinet with 3 Flip Drawers, Hidden Wood Shoe Cabinet,Freestanding Shoe Storage Cabinet for Entryway Hallway.White. 47.2" H*31.5" W*9.45" D.
Einhomn LED Shoe Cabinet with App & Music Sync, Modern Shoe Storage Cabinet with Adjustable Shelves & Pull-Out Drawer, Entryway Shoe Organizer for Small Space, 15–25 Pairs, Black
Step 2: How Does Your House Smell Right Now?
I am absolutely serious when I say that how your house smells to guests matters so much.
As a friend, I am going to tell you now that we are all nose-blind to our own homes.
Seriously, the only time you really know what your home smells like to guests is to leave overnight and come back.
You can have a slightly messy house, but if it smells fresh, people automatically feel more comfortable.
So the best thing to do is have an emergency “make it smell better fast” hack.
To instantly make your home smell better:
- Open a window for a few minutes if you can.
- Diffuse essential oils or use a wax warmer.
- Even just running the sink with some soap or tossing a lemon in the garbage disposal helps.
My little “make my home smell so good” hack is using essential oil diffusers and wax warmers.
I have essential oil diffusers in my kitchen and living room, and mini plug-in wax warmers in the bathrooms.
When I have guests coming over, I turn on my diffusers and the wax melt warmers.
My go-to scents are this fall season collection of essential oils and this collection of citrus wax melts.
Step 3: Clear the “People Areas”
Don’t worry about cleaning your bedroom and other rooms that guests probably will never go in.
Just worry about the rooms your guests will actually be in.
I just focus on only what actually matters:
- The path from the door to where they’ll sit
- The living room and kitchen (or wherever you’ll hang out)
- The bathroom they might use
That’s it.
Grab a laundry basket (or honestly, anything) and just start tossing random stuff into it:
- Toys
- Papers
- That one sock that’s been traveling around the house
- Whatever doesn’t belong
Hide the basket in a closet or the pantry.
Don’t worry about it, you can deal with it tomorrow.
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Step 4: Go for the obvious stuff first
When you are overwhelmed by the mess and company is coming over unannounced, you probably won’t think of the obvious things, so let me help you.
Let’s start with the easy things and do the no-brainers:
- Pull the smelly trash
- Stack or load dishes (don’t even worry about running it yet)
- Wipe off the main table or counter
Even 5 minutes of doing these 3 things makes a huge difference.
Step 5: Turn Down The Lights
If your company is coming over in the evening, turning down the lights can geniusly mask messes.
Turn on your mood lighting, such as lamps or string fairy lights.
Seriously, mood lighting is one of my favorite cleaning hacks!
A mess just doesn’t pop the same in softer lighting, and everything feels calmer right away.
It’s not the best way to clean a house, but it works in a pinch.
Honestly, people notice the cozy vibe way more than anything out of place.
I have battery-powered fairy lights in glass decor on many shelves in my home.
One of my favorite pieces, which I get a lot of compliments on, is this hand-blown conch shell that holds fairy lights.
Related Posts:
10 Organizing Hacks For Your Home
15 Cleaning Hacks Moms Need To Know
17 Dusting Hacks For A Clean House
How To Clean Your House Fast When Getting Company
Hopefully, these 5 steps will help you clean your house fast when guests are coming.
If nothing else, pick one spot and make it feel calm.
Like your sofa or even the kitchen table.
Clear it off, wipe it down.
Just having one spot clean will make your home feel cleaner.
Also, keep in mind your true friends are not inspecting your house.
I have to remind myself of this all the time, because I don’t inspect theirs.
I don’t know why I think everyone looks at mine under a microscope.
One thing I know for sure is that other moms get it. They know you have piles of laundry and dirty dishes.
They’ve had the same days.
The same mess.
The same “I’ll deal with it later” piles.
No one should be coming into your home to inspect whether you mopped your floors. If they do, then don’t invite them back.
At the end of the day
Your house doesn’t need to be perfect.
It just needs to feel lived-in and maybe a little lighter than it did an hour ago.
So just start at the doorway.
Make it smell decent.
Clear what people will actually see.
Then take a deep breath and stop.
Remember, done is better than exhausted and still stressed.
Enjoy your guests!