Has this ever happened to you?

Unexpected guests. Or maybe it’s a planned event, but time has gotten away from you …

You were going to call the house cleaners for extra help in getting the house spruced up. But you didn’t.

Now it’s Friday, and your guests are arriving Sunday!

YIKES!

WHAT DO YOU DO?

First of all — Relax. One way or another, things will work out. They always do.

It may be too late to call in the professionals, but here are some quick and easy things you can do on your own:

1 – Put away the clutter. If it will take too much time to actually put things away where they belong (or to sort through piles of “stuff”), go for this “quick fix” — put everything in a box, and put the box in the trunk of your car right before guests arrive. You can sort through the box and put things away at your leisure after your visitors leave.

2 – Close the doors to any “extra” rooms. If your visitors won’t be going in your home office, the laundry room, or the kids’ bedrooms — shut the doors and don’t worry about those rooms! They may need to be cleaned, but not at crunch time before guests arrive.

3 – Freshen up the bathroom, but don’t deep clean. Clean any splatters off the bathroom mirror. Wipe down the counter and the sink. Pour some bleach or vinegar in the toilet before you go to bed, let it sit overnight and flush it in the morning (this is a quick way to freshen the toilet, but not a substitute for a thorough cleaning and disinfecting). Close the shower curtain if you have one. Put fresh, clean towels out.

4 – Do a quick dust of furniture at or below eye level. “Out of sight, out of mind” is perfectly acceptable in this situation!

5 – Run a dust mop over hard-surface floors. Spot clean only the obviously dirty or sticky spots. Especially if children are involved, clean floors will not stay that way long anyway.

6 – Leave the kitchen alone! Most gatherings involve food of some sort. The counters and table become littered with plates, bowls, pots and pans. If you’ve already de-cluttered (step 1), you’ve done enough. It’s going to get dirty soon anyway.

Please note: We do not in any way suggest you use these tips to replace a regular cleaning regimen! These are for true “visitor emergencies” only!

In a quick-fix cleaning “emergency,” if your guests can’t see it, it’s not important! And really, your guests are probably there to spend quality time with YOU, not your house.

After they leave, call the professionals and get the house thoroughly cleaned for your own enjoyment … and maybe as a reward for surviving the “crisis.”

If you have any other quick-fix cleaning tips, please share them in a comment below!

Until next time … Keep it clean!