Getting Ready for the Unexpected Guest
If only entertaining was easier! I certainly love having everyone to our home and I enjoy the time that I am with them, but preparing for company can be quite time-consuming. There is all the cleaning and organizing and cooking. Usually, by the time my guest have arrived, I am running on auto pilot because I am so tired from getting ready for everyone.
But what happens when you have unexpected guests to entertain? Maybe this doesn't happen often to you because you live too far away? Well, for our family, this happens more often than not. Our home happens to be on the main drag for shopping so our house is usually the second stop on people's visit out in this direction. They usually call me as they are heading over or, in some cases, they are waiting in my driveway for me to open the door.
There is no planning for unexpected guests, but if you have fifteen minutes to get ready for your company, I would like to offer my advice on how to get your house ready for them in record time. In my house, we call it "faux cleaning". This is the art of making things look clean, but not really cleaning.
Supplies Needed:
1. A caddy, tote, or pail for your cleaning supplies
2. Glass cleaner
3. All-purpose cleaner
4. Microfiber cloths, cloth diapers, rags, (for dusting) and/or newspaper (for swiping mirrors)
5. Toilet bowl cleaner
6. Grocery bags (for trash liners)
7. Trash Bags
8. An empty basket
9. Candles
Fast Cleaning Routine
1. Wipe down your bathrooms with a rag and your all-purpose cleaner. Clean your toilet bowl and (if your bathroom is small) take a rag and more all-purpose cleaner and quickly swipe the floor. Take a large trash bag and pull the bathroom trash and put it in the large bag. Line the trash can with a new grocery bag. Throw anything that does not belong in the bathroom in the empty basket. Repeat this process with other guest bathrooms. Note: if this is ALL you can do, that is fine! All other steps are bonus steps until your guest arrives.
2. Take your basket into any common areas of the house and dump any items that don't belong in those rooms (or make your home look cluttered) into your basket. You can hide this basket in your bedroom, basement or garage later.
3. Take your large trash bag and fill it with any junk that needs to be tossed- junk mail, papers and food packages on the counters, or anything else that needs to make its way to your trash can.
4. Take a rag and your all-purpose cleaner and swipe the counters. Depending on your time frame, if you have dirty dishes you can pile them into a dish tub and put them under your sink or you can put them in your dishwasher. Do whatever you have time for and you can worry about the specifics later.
6. Take your glass cleaner and newspaper and wipe down the front door (if it is glass). I always have tons of smudged fingerprints all over my door so this makes things look more polished.
7. Quickly dust any areas of the house that you are worried about or you can just dim the lights and light a few candles. Soft lighting takes away any obvious glares and creates an inviting area for your guests.
What about the guest who is sticking around during your dinner hour? Maybe you had planned to eat a bowl of cereal for dinner, but now you feel as though you are on the spot and needing to make something. I love to use ingredients that I have premixed for these occasions. Pancakes or waffle mix with some scrambled eggs make a lovely dinner and are easy to prepare. That is as prepared as one can get for an unexpected dinner guest, in my opinion, with two crazy kids.
Sound Off: What are your sneaky tips for getting ready for the unexpected guest? Do you have any methods to fake cleaning?
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11 Responses to “Getting Ready for the Unexpected Guest”
October 2nd, 2007 at 7:22 am
My belief is that if the clutter is picked up, people will think it’s clean. Clutter you notice right away. A little dust on top of the piano is something you have to specifically look for. We try to keep up with the clutter on an ongoing basis so I can shine the bathroom in a moment’s notice, which is exactly where this post says to start.
October 2nd, 2007 at 8:32 am
Excellent list! I start the same place as you did–bathrooms and then clutter. If you can take care of those two things, it makes your house look wonderful! I also light a candle or a scent warmer so that the house smells good. I think that offensive smells are far worse than a little bit of dust on a table.
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:05 am
I think prevention is the best cure, straighten the house every day, and wipe down the bathrooms every morning.
When I get the “dreaded” phone call of impending company, I usually stand in my front doorway, and look for the 10 first things I see out of place, those are the first things a guest will see, so I deal with those first.
Straightening things makes the house look cleaner too, for instance, rug tassels, etc if they are all straight & even it looks like you just vacuumed and people perceive clean.
My biggest problem with company is cooking-getting the shopping done, meals planned & cooked without going broke. I have a family of 4, but most of my guests have large families and bring 6-8 people with them. A few days of cooking for that many extra people can be a bit hit to the bankbook. And since some of my house guests are people with a reputation for being downright cheap, I’ve actually heard them say they love staying with family b/c of how much money they save on eating out…well, someone is footing that bill, and if its my house, its me paying for them to eat on vacation! Sorry…this post triggered a little ranting, but I would love if someone wants to write on how to manage feeding dozens of very hungry house guests cheaply and or find a polite way to hint that they should help out with the food costs.
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:25 am
That is a great topic idea and I will definitely work on that for next week! Feeding people inexpensively is definitely an important element of entertaining and I will start gathering recipes and ideas today. Thank you for the ideas!
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:09 am
I try to do the Flylady cleaning system so that the clutter is contained, the bathroom wiped down every morning, and the dishes done before bed. If I do a little each day, I’m well on my way if company is coming, either unexpectedly or is expected.
October 2nd, 2007 at 11:15 am
Sometimes, I’m a lazy housekeeper. Ok, most of the time! I try to do these rapid-fire cleanings several times a week to keep the mess under control.
For bedrooms, it really makes a difference if the bed is made. And of course, bathrooms are sure to be seen by guests.
Jennifer:
The next time these freeloaders come over, why don’t you say you’re having a potluck? Or ask them to bring a dish? Sometimes, people are too rude to get the hint that they’re imposing. Especially if they’re family, you can mention it to them, I think.
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Enjoyed this post, Amy! We also have a lot of unexpected guests stopping in.
My priority is usually clutter control, first, and then a quick bathroom clean-up.
October 2nd, 2007 at 3:10 pm
I sort my mail in the garage on my way back into the house…..all junk mail and envelopes get thrown in the trash before coming back inside ….. I do the same thing with all of the newspaper inserts….unless I know I need to buy something that may be advertised.
October 2nd, 2007 at 5:28 pm
My way to deal with unexpected company??? I leave my vacuum cleaner out all the time and when someone shows up unexpectedly I just say, “Excuse the mess. I am starting to do some late Spring Cleaning.” That way they can look the other way and just visit. LOL Of course I am kidding but wouldn’t that be a good excuse???
October 2nd, 2007 at 8:42 pm
My house usually looks okay, but I’ve been surprised (more than once) still in my nightgown or workout clothes. Maybe I should look for one of those fancy hostess gowns from the 70s at Goodwill!
October 4th, 2007 at 8:03 am
Great tips! I agree that hitting the bathrooms first is the most important step when you’re short on time…people are much more forgiving of a little clutter around the house than of a nasty bathroom
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