Ten-Minute Cleanup Tips for When You Have Unexpected Company Coming

Did you just get a call that company is dropping by in ten minutes? Did your spouse just text you to say they are bringing home the boss? Yikes! The house is a mess!

This is not the time to panic…this is the time to get busy with these ten-minute “fake cleaning” tips that will at least make your home presentable to last-minute guests.

• Sweep the entranceway

  Make a good first impression by giving the inside and outside entryway a quick once-over. Hang coats and hats and close closet doors. Straighten mats and rugs.

• Load the dishwasher

  Throw all the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. You can always go back later and sort them out. At least get them off the counters and out of the sink. You can also hide larger items like pots and pans in the oven. Just don’t forget to take them out before you use the oven again.

• Grab the laundry basket

  Your laundry basket makes a great catch-all for anything that’s lying around. Fill it with books, magazines, toys, clothes, and tuck it away out of sight.

• Clear off surfaces

  Make a clean sweep of surfaces on the tables, chairs, coffee table, side tables, and counters. Use the laundry basket tip or tuck items into cabinets for the time being. Do a quick wipe-down of surfaces to remove dust and grime. A little lemon Pledge will also add a fresh scent to the home.

• Wipe down the bathrooms

  Grab the sponge and wipe down sink areas in the bathrooms. Stash countertop items in drawers or cabinets. Hang a fresh hand towel, and re-hang bath towels that may have fallen onto the floor. Ensure that the toilet is spotless as well. Pull the shower curtain closed.

• Use throws

  Use decorative throws to cover stains and spots on chairs and couches.

• Vacuum
  

  If you have time, run the vacuum cleaner in the public rooms, but only worry about the visible parts. You can clean under the chairs later. Run a Swiffer mop across the kitchen and bathroom floors.

• Get the family involved
  

  Declare a “state of emergency” in the household and give each member a task of their own to complete. Set a timer to make the game more fun.

• Make the beds
  

  Straighten the linens if bedrooms are in sight, or kids will be playing in the bedrooms. The master bedroom is a great place to toss anything—visitors rarely go in there.

• Spray Febreze
  

  Get rid of stale cooking odors and pet or athletic smells with a quick spray of Febreze air freshener. But don’t overdo it. You don’t want your home smelling like a garden after all. You can also light a candle or two to help freshen the air.

• Don’t forget about you!
  

  Remember to leave a minute or two to freshen yourself up as well. Comb your hair, wipe your face or retouch your makeup, and put on a clean outfit.

Any home can be flash-cleaned in with these ten-minute cleanup tips.

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But seriously, we make it our business to help families have better lives by reducing their clutter load with our junk removal service. With less clutter you will be able to function better in your home and clean-up will be a breeze. Make it a challenge to see how much each member of the family can do away with. And think about items you can donate that can help someone else who doesn’t have much.

You don’t need to sort your items, just make one pile and point us to it. 123JUNK will take it all. We will sort your load and remove anything that can be repurposed or recycled, and only then take the remained to the local landfill. If you live in Northern Virginia, Maryland or Washington, D.C., contact 123JUNK today to schedule your junk removal pickup.