There are several reasons why you shouldn't clean your house before guests arrive. Home Beauty: Urgent Cleaning Before Guests Arrive Design Guest Fun

Most of us do a thorough cleaning of our apartment before guests arrive. This is standard practice because we want other people to feel comfortable seeing the mess in our homes. In addition, we ourselves do not want to be known among the people as slovens and dirty tricks, so we prefer to make arrangements in advance about visits and diligently hide the true state of affairs in our home.

Guests should not see dust on cabinets, dirty dishes in the sink, and socks scattered across the floor. But is cleaning before guests really important? It is believed that this practice hides your true face and deprives you of easy communication. It's up to you to agree with or disprove the reasons listed below.

Demonstration of the true self

When cleaning before guests arrive, you want to make a good impression. However, remember how you behave if your own mother drops in to see you, or best friend? You are happy to be with loved ones, despite the presence of dishes left on the dining table or an unmade bed. Your goal is not to appear better than you really are. And the better a person knows you, the less embarrassment you feel when inviting him to an untidy home.

More guests

If you only feel awkward in front of strangers, that means you'll think 10 times before inviting them. And as long as the desire to have a good reputation prevails, your home will never have frequent guests. You will find a thousand excuses so that a new colleague does not see your imperfections.

Rejection of stereotypes

Why not destroy this incomprehensible standard of excellence and not allow other people to come into your life? This does not mean that you should stop preparing for the New Year holidays and give up forever. wet cleaning on weekends. This only means that some minor nuances should not stop you from spontaneously inviting new acquaintances, and your social group will expand significantly.

Others are more willing to communicate with imperfect people.

In the end, people are so arranged that they are more willing to make contact with those who are not perfect. Small flaws create more relaxed and trusting communication. Just allowing yourself to meet other people more often will make you a little happier.

06.06.2018 10:21

Everyone has been in such a situation: in your house, only the elephant was not dancing, and suddenly friends or mother-in-law call you and ask for a visit. You, of course, are not Cinderella, but if you have an hour in stock, then you can put your home in order. All you need to do is clean up key areas for guests to consider you the perfect hostess.

Hallway: floor

This is the first area a person steps into when entering your home. Shake out the rug, collect the cobwebs, and quickly sweep the floor with a mop. You don't have to pick up your shoes and be meticulous, just make a good impression. If you want to strengthen it, then run a damp cloth along the main routes: the transitions between rooms. When the dust doesn't sparkle in the sun, it feels like you're doing a marafet every day. Remove items from the table or stool in the hallway so guests can place their bags and other belongings on them.

Balcony: animal bowls

If you have cats and dogs, be sure to clean up the trays and wash the bowls they eat from. Check that there are no balls of wool lying around the apartment, which, when the wind blows, turns into tumbleweed. An important point: you are used to and no longer feel the specific smell that is characteristic of pets. But he hits the others in the nose at the entrance. Therefore, to be sure, use air fresheners. Most people love citrus aromas, which are associated with cleanliness and good mood.

Probably, there are people in the world who are happy to clean the apartment. But most people prefer not to spend precious hours of free time cleaning. But I don't want to live in chaos and disorder, so we will tell you how to quickly clean your apartment. This skill will come in handy if guests unexpectedly decide to come by, and simply if there is a desire to devote the weekend not to a rag and a mop, but to more interesting things.

Housekeeping books distinguish the following types of cleaning:

Daily... It includes cleaning the beds, washing the dishes and other small things.

Weekly... This is already a larger-scale event, including cleaning plumbing fixtures, washing the refrigerator, window sills, etc.

General... This cleaning, during which things are moved in closets, chandeliers, windows, etc. are washed.

Modern people, as a rule, try to minimize time costs and not spend a whole day off cleaning. To do this, you need to properly organize your life.

Here are some helpful tips:

Get helpers. Good powerful vacuum cleaner, dishwasher and other appliances will free up a lot of time.

Convenient inventory. You shouldn't spare money to buy a good mop and comfortable rags. Dust is much easier to wipe off with a microfiber cloth rather than an old T-shirt.

Without household chemicals not enough. Now it is fashionable to give up household chemicals, to use "grandmother's" means. But you will have to "pay" for this with free time. Modern cleaning products greatly facilitate work.

Minimalistic setting. People have different ideas about comfort. If you like a style with a bunch of pillows, blankets, various figurines, then you will have to spend long hours cleaning. Those who prefer not to start "dust collectors", put things in order much faster.

We act gradually. There is such a "fly lady" system. Of course, it is not suitable for everyone, but there is a rational grain in it. If you spend 20-30 minutes on cleaning every day, you will not have to “kill” the entire weekend for dismantling weekly rubble.

Use modern systems storage. If all things are in their places, then the room looks clean.

How to clean up in an hour

To clean up in an hour, you need to learn how to combine several things at the same time.

It's worth starting with the bathroom and kitchen. Treat the plumbing and stove with special cleaning agents, while you are doing other things, the cleaning agents will do their job and you will not have to spend a lot of time scrubbing the stains.

If there is no dishwasher in the house, then close the sink in the kitchen with a stopper, pour warm water, add detergent and immerse dirty dishes in this "bath". Let it lie down, but it's better to wash it off later.

In the meantime, go through the rooms, collect things that were out of place. Wipe off the dust, clean the mirrors with a special product. It's time to get the vacuum cleaner, clean upholstered furniture, and then, by changing the nozzle, we remove the dust from the floor.

Now you can rinse the detergent off the plumbing fixtures and stove and wash the dishes. And the final touch - floor cleaning. With a good mop, this job won't take much time and effort.

Before the arrival of guests

If you urgently need to clean up before the arrival of guests, then try to look at the apartment with your eyes an outsider... It is unlikely that guests will begin to look behind the sofa in search of dust or begin to inspect the order in kitchen cabinets. Therefore, we pay attention only to those places that immediately catch the eye.

Hallway. This is the first room in the house that a guest enters. Therefore, we quickly collect the lying shoes, bags, umbrellas and other little things.

Bathroom. Pay attention to the state of the sink in the bathroom, if there are clean towels and toilet paper.

Then the guests go to the rooms. When cleaning in an emergency, there is no time to put things in their places. Therefore, we take a large box or basin, and put everything that is out of place. We'll lay things out later when the time comes. Pay attention to whether there is no dust on horizontal surfaces.

Guests do not come to the kitchen often, unless they want to help set the table. To put things in order in the kitchen, you need to free the surfaces as much as possible and wipe them. Don't have time to wash the dishes? Just stack it neatly in the sink. The main thing is that cups and spoons do not lie on the table.

And of course, you need to pay attention to the condition of the floor. It should be free of crumbs and other debris. If you have a robot vacuum cleaner, you need to start it in advance. If this technique is not available, you will have to use a regular vacuum cleaner. But there is no need to scrub the dust from the corners and thoroughly clean under the furniture, it is important to clean the center of the premises in an emergency mode.

If there are children in the house

If there are children in the house, it is especially difficult to maintain order. As soon as I got out, the toys were scattered around again, and juice was spilled on the cleaned sofa. To keep the apartment in order, try from an early age to teach the baby to eat only at the table and not run around the apartment with cookies or a sandwich.

It is very important to properly organize the storage of toys. This issue needs to be addressed taking into account the age of the child. Up to a year, as a rule, there are no problems, since the play space is limited by an arena or a rug, and an adult gives out toys.

Read also: 7 ways to get rid of cockroaches

By the age of 2, the baby has a lot of toys. But at the age of 2-5 years, children are not able to play for long. Therefore, it is worth dividing all toys into 2-3 parts. And give the baby only one part. When mom notices that interest in toys has faded, they should be removed and replaced with another part.

Tip: don't waste time carefully arranging dolls and cars on the shelves. It is better to purchase a box or special storage basket.

At 6-7 years old, the child should already be accustomed to take care of his toys on his own, insist that after the game everything is put in place.

What is important to remove

When cleaning quickly, you need to optimize your work. Therefore, you need to decide what is important to clean up first, and what can wait.

In the kitchen

In the kitchen, you need to maintain order on a daily basis, otherwise you will then have to spend a lot of time dismantling the rubble and wiping the fat film. It is better to have closed cabinets rather than shelves. Moreover, the front of the cabinets and pedestals should be smooth. Then it will be enough to simply wipe the furniture, without wasting time washing away dirt from grooves and curls.

Cover the top of the cabinets with foil or paper (newspapers will do the same). Then, during cleaning, it will be possible to simply remove and replace this coating, without wasting time on washing.

Try not to keep foreign things in the kitchen. If the surfaces are free, it will be much easier to clean. Clean daily kitchen sink... If you do this every day, it will take a couple of minutes to wash. If you ignore this rule, then you will have to polish the sink until it shines for a long time. You also need to wipe the apron and countertops daily.

In the bedroom

Cleaning your bedroom won't take long if it isn't cluttered with things. Try to keep all the little things in bedside tables or drawers.

We start cleaning the bed. If the bed is in disarray, it immediately creates a feeling of untidiness. Then we collect the clothes, immediately removing the items that need washing in the dirty laundry basket. Now we remove extraneous things that should not be in the bedroom. If there are a lot of such things, then it is better to put them in a box or bag and then distribute them to their places, and not go with each thing separately.

In the living room

In the living room, as a rule, the whole family gathers in the evenings. Therefore, various things often accumulate here. Collect them in a separate bag or box, then distribute them all at once to their places.

Then you need to dust and polish the furniture. Use modern polishes, they will help to quickly put the surfaces in order. Next, you need to wash the glass surfaces - cabinet doors, door inserts, and then clean the floor. The final touch - adjust the pillows on the couch, when they are randomly laid out, it seems like a mess in the room.

You can listen to this article. Play a podcast if you're comfortable with it.

Make a menu

Calculate how many people will be at your party and create a menu based on the number of guests.

It is better to find out in advance if any of the invitees is allergic to any products. Perhaps some of the guests are eating a particular type of food, so try to diversify your food choices so as not to leave that person hungry.

Choosing a menu that will please all guests, you will express your sincere concern for them and your cordiality.

If guests come with children, then please them with something and. A separate small table is a good solution. So it will be more comfortable for adults and more fun for children.

Don't overdo it. It is better to impress guests with the taste of the prepared dishes, and not with their unprecedented amount. Consider decorating treats. After all, the aesthetic presentation is already half the success.

It is better to cook a hot dish according to the recipe you have already tried, but you can experiment with salads. Don't forget fruits and vegetable cuts. They not only diversify the menu, but also serve as a decoration for the festive table, if you use a creative approach to serving them.

Once you've decided on the menu, make a shopping list. Add not only the main ingredients to it, but also other products that you need to purchase: bread, water, juices.

It is better to stock up on groceries gradually so that the large amount does not hit your wallet and your mood, especially if you are planning to have a real feast. In this case, it is better to think in advance how much money you can allocate from your budget and start saving up for the holiday table.

Think over the setting

Prepare the furniture

Once you've decided on your guest list and your menu, think about how you will host everyone. Do you have a large table? Are there enough chairs to seat all the guests? Is there room for outerwear?

You may need to do a little rearrangement so guests don't have to huddle. It is better to think over such details in advance so that they do not catch you by surprise at the very last moment.

If you have very little space in your apartment, and a lot of guests are expected, put a buffet table, ottomans, chairs or armchairs. Firstly, it is unusual, and secondly, you will have a place to dance. Plus, no one gets hurt by overeating.

Select dishes

Make sure you have enough plates, glasses and cutlery for all guests. Select salad bowls and dishes for hot dishes in advance, and think over serving. Here are some ideas for inspiration.

If you are planning an extensive menu, and everything does not fit on the table, then there is an easy way to solve this problem. Do not serve hot dishes, such as mashed potatoes or chicken legs, on a shared platter, but serve them separately. As a last resort, you can do this with salads.

Perhaps you would like to bring some of the guests a treat from the festive table. To do this, prepare many empty food containers, cling film or foil. In addition, you will definitely need them when you remove leftover food from the table. Do not put crystal vases in the refrigerator.

Create entertainment for guests

If you have a folding table, then wipe it completely from dust in advance and check if it needs to be repaired.

Wipe down any favors, lamps and candles, and any decorations you wish to place on the table.

What to do if guests are already on the doorstep

First of all, focus on the room where the guests will be. Remove all unnecessary things from sight. They can simply be moved into a closet or another room. Place your souvenirs, magazines, books and whatever remains on the shelves neatly. Dust all visible surfaces: coffee tables, low shelves, electronics. If you have a carpet or carpet runners, be sure to vacuum them. All this will take very little time.

Then go to the bathroom. If time is running out, just put some cosmetic order there. Remove excess towels and dirty clothes... Vacuum the toilet rugs and clean the mirror and taps. Put in new soap. Spread out the bath curtain so that the tub and shelves are not visible.

Guests may not enter the kitchen, but still wipe the table and surfaces kitchen set... Remove leftover food. And if there are dirty dishes left, then try to hide it somewhere. If you don't have a dishwasher, use an oven for this. You can wash the dishes even after the guests have left.

Ventilate the apartment so that there is fresh air in all rooms. And don't forget to tidy yourself up!

Take it easy

Don't worry if things don't go according to plan. Any holiday is an occasion to meet with people close and dear to your heart, and not an assessment of your household skills. Be friendly and open, then the atmosphere in the house will become much more comfortable.