How to impress your house guests in under 15 minutes!

Not that we are having a ton of house guests these days, but when we do it can catch you off guard! There is nothing worse than someone telling you they are on their way and you have to break out into a speed clean like your life depends on it. Scrambling to pick up the kid’s toys and throw the dishes into the dishwasher is just the tip of the iceberg. Here are some simple tips on how to impress your house guests in less than 15 minutes!

Smell
A good was to impress your house guests is to make sure the place smells nice. This can even trick the mind to thinking your space is a lot cleaner than it actually is. Lighting a candle is always a great idea, not only is it going to make your space smell nice, it is always a great addition to the overall mood of your space. Another tip is for the bathroom- grab your favorite essential oil and drop a couple drops inside the toilet bowl and down your sink drain! Lastly, this is especially helpful if you have pets; always have on hand a fabric refresher to mist on all of your fabric furniture, pet beds and small area rugs.

See
What they can’t see doesn’t hurt them! Try to think over where your guests will be hanging out when they come to visit and prioritize these areas. The rooms you don’t want them in, simply hide your clutter in and close the door! That can wait to be sorted until a different date. Even if you are not planning on hanging out in the kitchen, always make sure to straighten it up- no matter what! Everyone tends to gather here. Clear the counters, do a quick wipe and you’re set!

Special touches
To really impress your guest in a time crunch, small touches will save the day. The couch can easily look a mess, it’s time to fix it by fluffing up your pillows and folding your throw blankets, creating an inviting sitting area. If you have a garden, run out and cut some fresh flowers to plop in a vase and set on the counter. Nothing says you have your life together like always having fresh flowers! If you still have a couple minutes left, scavenge through your fridge and pantry to find some snacks to place out, no matter how many people are actually coming over, snacks are always a nice gesture. To accompany your snacks, an adult beverage is a great idea as well. After a couple drinks, no one will even notice the other messes you missed!

It’s always a good idea to keep up on your house work just incase someone decides to make a surprise appearance. Although, that isn’t realistic in most cases. As soon as you are “keeping up”, the kids make another mess, your husband leaves his shoes in the middle of the floor and the dog chewed something up. Next time someone decides to stop by unexpected, keep these tips in mind!