cheat your way to a perfectly clean and tidy house in no-time – and your guests will never be any wiser.
Are you ready? Here goes:
1. Prioritise your hallway
Remember this: First impressions matter. Meaning, if you greet your guest with a hallway that is overflowing with coats, bags and shoes, chances are they will automatically assume you don't have your s**t together, and that the rest of the house will no doubt be more of the same.
Tidy away any mess, make room for them to hang their coats up and (if you have one handy) light a lovely scented candle and place on your console table – a pleasant smell makes everywhere seem better.
It can be hard to know where to start if your guests are already on their way, but remember that a tidy house will always – at least on the surface – seem pretty clean too. Or, at least, far cleaner than a messy house will.
So start by tidying.
Tip: Bring a large basket around with you and gather everything that doesn't belong in a certain place or room. Then stash the basket somewhere out of view, and get back to it when your guests have departed.
If you want to be really effective, decide which direction you are going to tidy in (as in room by room), and stick to that. Blast through the rooms quickly and gather everything that doesn't belong where you find it. Straighten books, fluff cushions, close cupboard doors and turn off the TV.
Make sure surfaces (tables, shelves etc.) are tidy, it will make everything seem more in order. Dust where everyone can see, it is situations like these baby wipes were made for.
4. Tackle dust
Take a quick glance across your floors, in corners and under tables and chairs for large balls of dust. Remove them.
Few things are as gross as a dirty bathroom or downstairs toilet, so make sure you blast through any bathroom your guests might go in to. Clean around the sink and taps, hang up a fresh towel, clean the toilet bowl and stack up a few extra rolls on toilet paper – you never want to leave your guests asking for some.
And don't forget the mirror.
6. Dim the lights
It might seem like a sneaky trick, but the lower the lighting, the less likely your guest are to see your dirt.
