How to Have Your Home Company Ready Well Before Company Arrives

Why do we frantically clean and declutter when we are expecting visitors?

We fear having them see our mess, right?

But, what if your home was company ready, peaceful and comfortable most of the time….for you, its full time resident?  You deserve it and YOU are worth it!

Now I’m not proposing you maintain a perfect or minimalist home.  Let’s aim for a realistic and comfortable home.

So what’s the solution?

Routines, my friends, routines. Following consistent routines, as a family, will maintain order and eliminate the need for marathon cleaning sessions before guests arrive.

Here are some excellent routines I suggest adopting.

1. Edit the contents of your home as you go about your day. Don’t wait until you are facing piles of clutter to do this. Use a clearly labeled container to hold your edits (donations or things to sell) and explain the container’s purpose to all household members. As they go about life and spot items they no longer want, they should place them into the container. A full container of donations is then moved to the car and dropped off the next time you or a family member is near a charity shop.
2. Keep up with basic cleaning and decluttering instead of playing catch up. It’s less overwhelming and will only take a few minutes to an hour of your time. The following schedule might be all your family needs to keep up (it’s been working for me for decades).

Daily:

Tidy-up the entryway and main living areas.  Toss trash and recyclables.  Place dirty dishes in dishwasher.  Put things where they belong. Clear kitchen and bathroom countertops.  Wash and put away.

Weekly:

Vacuum high traffic areas, clean bathrooms including the sink, toilet, mirror, and counters.

Monthly:

Wash kitchen and bathroom floors.

Tasks could be assigned and rotated among individuals.

3. Hire a house cleaner. This forces you to pick up clutter so the cleaners can do their job. Or invite someone into your home on a weekly basis whether it be your mother-in-law, friends, or a neighbor.

A clean clutter-free home requires effort on everyone’s part but aren’t the benefits i.e. a more comfortable home, less anxiety and freedom worth it?