Get Your House Company-Ready in Under 2 Hours with Guest Crystal Paine
Imagine you get a call from old friends. They are on a trip and will be driving past your town in 2 hours. “Can we swing by?” they want to know.
Come on….be honest…what is more likely to be your response? “Yeah!” or “YIKES!!!”
Fear not! Today’s guest, my new cyber friend Crystal Paine, to the rescue!
Crystal Paine is a wife, homeschool mom to three, self-proclaimed minimalist, lover of dark chocolate and good coffee, and a wannabe runner.
For practical help and inspiration to get your life and finances in order, check out her blog, MoneySavingMom.com, or purchase a copy of her book, The Money Saving Mom®‘s Budget
Get Your Home Ready for Guests in Two Hours or Less
Does the thought opening your home to guest scare you because your home is messy?
Never fear! I have a simple, step-by-step plan to help you whip your house into shape — in two hours or less.
Now, mind you, this two-hour plan won’t have you dusting baseboards or scrubbing behind your toilets with a toothbrush, but it will get your home presentable enough to make it a welcoming haven for your guests.
Ready to get started? Here’s your plan of action:
Two-Hour House-Cleaning Plan
1. Start a load of laundry (3 minutes).
2. Set the timer for 15 minutes and take a laundry basket and a trash bag and go through each room in your home. Quickly straighten, pick up, and put away everything that’s out of place. Put all trash in the trash bag and put everything that doesn’t go in that room in the laundry basket (15 minutes).
3. Put away all contents in the laundry basket and throw out the trash (5 minutes).
4. Head to the kitchen and load the dishwasher or hand wash the dishes (15 minutes).
5. Switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer and start another load in the washer (2 minutes).
6. Sweep or vacuum your kitchen floor and wipe down your countertops (10 minutes).
7. Take some toilet cleaner and go squirt it in all your toilets (2 minutes).
8. Take some window cleaner and spot clean the main glass windows/doors/mirrors (3 minutes).
9. Take a dust rag and quickly dust in the main rooms of your home (10 minutes).
10. Vacuum all the major traffic areas in your home (20 minutes).
11. Head back to the bathrooms wipe down the toilet, sinks, floor, and bathtub/shower. Change the towels (20 minutes).
12. Switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer and fold the clean laundry (15 minutes).
13. Light a candle or simmer some potpourri on the stove and enjoy your freshly-cleaned home!
Free Downloadable Checklist
Like to cross off lists? Download the free 2-Hour House-Cleaning Checklist to keep you on track and remind you of what you’re supposed to be doing next. Now you have no excuse for getting distracted.
The first thing I would go is look in a mirror. Most homeschooling days I look like I just woke up until I get back from the gym. Yikes!!!
The first thing I would do is do that quick pick up through the first floor and stack on the steps to take upstairs. Then, tackle the kitchen, because we always end up there!
Love the the two hour list!
I also like to clean with a timer, tends to keep you more focused.
Make sure the bathrooms are clean!
Wow! I think I would probably start with washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen floor. Love this guide! Especially the free download.
All the ideas are great. But nothing is said about feeding your guests. I always keep at least one casserole in the freezer along with fancy rolls or french bread, Now you’ve got an instant meal. If guests only have time for a snack………..store bought cookies and/or ice cream is a quick, easy one. Of course, just relaxing and ENJOYING your guests is the most important.
Love your post! I would clear off my kitchen counters and windex my front door!
the first thing i would do is clean up the dirty dishes and wipe down and clean off the counters in my kitchen!! It’s amazing how much collects there is just a couple days while we are busy at work
First things first light those candles and get the house smelling fabulous!!
I would clean the toilets, vacuum and clean off the cluttered table. I then would light a tart so the house would smell good :)
Vaccum, swifter, and light a candle.
Vacuum we have a lab and a Shepard mix which means a lot of dog hair
We left town, too, and my husband can’t stand to leave the house messy (not a problem any other time, though), so right now it’s not too bad. I’d do a good dusting, sweep the hardwood floor, quick check the bathrooms, and hopefully have time to make a yummy treat. Can’t forget to pray, too, though!
Night Ladies! Whew1 checking in late tonight. Still working on Spring cleaning our garage with the family. Then a nice trip to Barnes and Noble so the kids could do some book shopping. I would clean the dining room table. It’s a table that everyone wants to put things on top of – it’s a challenge.
Thanks Crystal for the quick clean up list covering major areas. I’m going to copy it and place it in my home management binder.
I actually just faced this dilema tonight – and the first thing I did was fold & put away the four loads of laundry that was spread out all over my couch :) I really need to work on doing a complete load of laundry each day (to include putting it away) as we have a great room and having my laundry spread all over the couch instantly makes the room feel so messy. I would wipe off all of my counters/tables/etc, and then I would clean my floors. Hardwood floor + kids + animals = a constant need for a good sweeping/mopping.
first thing I would do: Go to the bathroom. :) lol I am 10 months pregnant and if I start moving and doing all those things without using the bathroom first…well, lets just say with a 7-8lb baby pressing on the bladder, I just might have one more mess to clean up! lol
After that though, first thing I would do is clear the shoes away from the front door in case company showed up early they would not have to trip through the entryway! :)
One of the first things I do is put away all the shoes at the front door. Then it’s quickly put everything in a laundry basket that doesn’t belong in family room and kitchen. Then do dishes, vacuum, oh can’t forget the bathroom, and start a pot of coffee to make the house smell good.
Put a pan of brownies in the oven, make some fresh tea/lemonade, put on some music, light some candles throughout my house, then do a ” walk through” assessment of the areas my guests may see … then go back and divide my remaining time accordingly to straighten up remembering to leave a few minutes to freshen up myself!! ;)
Given my homes current condition and the fact that I have been intensely cleaning the past two days expecting company tonight I would dust our large hall light fixture I didn’t get to, but typically I would vacuum if I was expecting company on short notice.
I would tidy up everything I can see. But only at eye level, I’d make some coffe or tea and get that ready, I’d light a candle play some worship music. And pray that the fellowship be sweet and leave in the Lords hands.
The first thing I would do is assign an easy task for each of my four kids to complete. Then I would put away the clean laundry that is sitting on my love seat (with 6 people in the house I’m always doing laundry and their is almost always a basket of clean clothes on the love seat that needs to be folded and put away).
First, I would panic and freak out over not knowing what to do first. Then I would clean the bathrooms and hide the laundry! Great post, Crystal — very helpful!
The first thing I would do is work on clearing the kitchen counter. It is a catch-all for everything! I can’t focus on anything else until that is cleared off.
I would start with the kitchen, because that is where everyone always loves to hang out. =)
I would have to pick up and put away lots of stuff that never seems to have a home – constant struggle in a small house with a family!
I’d have to hit the bathroom first! Then the entryway and living room.