To wish my house was permanently guest ready?

[apples83]

DH and I have some friends coming over for drinks tonight. As ever in this situation, I’m frantically cleaning the house to try and get it looking half presentable for when they arrive (DH did upstairs and the front room earlier and has now gone to visit his mum). Cue mad dusting, vacuuming, mopping and a big tidying away session. I’m now slumped on the sofa shattered and am only halfway through!

Every time this happens I vow that I won’t be in this situation ever again and that if someone is coming round, my house will be such that I simply need to tidy away a few bits and bobs give the kitchen surfaces a cursory wipe. As it is I have to give up half of my weekend doing some sort of deep clean like a crazy woman.

Does anyone have a guest ready house at all times and if so, how do you do it? (Cleaner not an option here as budget doesn’t allow sadly).

ok then

you need a dishwasher. I wouldn't want to live without one.

I put mine in the evening - and even if you are scared of fires, unless you have diner straight before bed, there's enough time for it to finish before you fall asleep!
It's being emptied very first thing in the morning, so breakfast stuff goes in it, if needed it runs after lunch at the weekend, or evening only after diner during the week. No fuss, no mess, and much more economical than handwashing. No dirty mugs, glass or anything laying around.

Some MNtters even have 2! Genius advice ( I haven't followed it. yet)

I've always felt like this. I downloaded The Organised Mum (TOMM) app at the beginning of January in an effort to keep on top of things and it's helped massively. I actually cleaned the bedroom windows today 😂. Having a plan of which rooms I clean each day, and having a list to tick off is working for me. For example this morning I got my primary aged dc to strip their beds before school as I know it's bedroom cleaning day (and they don't object to that job).

If people are coming over now I only need to do a quick tidy.

I live alone which helps, but routine is a godsend, as is storage. Also some people just notice more and care more. I do. I try & keep a Saturday morning free every few weeks to do a deeper clean though- skirtings & ceilings, mirrors, behind the furniture, the oven. That's the cleaning I hate.

I'm after a paid job atm though, so I can get a cleaner in to do deeper cleaning things I hate, like cleaning glass!

*better paid job

Neither DH or I like mess. I read better in a tidy house so things don't really get messy. When things come out they go back again afterwards. I have baskets inside cupboards so everything is easily organised. I have a cordless dyson that gets an outing before people come in as the dogs drop fur and grass but the house stsys oretty tidy all of the time.

*relax not read

I'd feel comfortable letting guests in at any point to be honest. I have an extra scoot round and wipe round if we are having people around for a nice dinner and light some candles etc- but if I didn't have time I wouldn't be ashamed or anything. My home is not immaculate by any means but it is fairly clean and tidy. I was not naturally like this- I decided to make myself a few years ago and honestly, it's so much better. I do have the advantage of living in a small house, I don't like clutter so don't have lots of "stuff". I do however work full time and have a child.
Key things are-

• totally clear kitchen after dinner. Takes 15 mins max.

-wipe bathrooms round when you are cleaning your teeth in the morning. -pick up and quick tidy before bed. -don't let washing get out of control. -make beds in the morning.

totally clear kitchen after dinner. Takes 15 mins max.

I need to be more disciplined and make sure I do this. I have a bad habit of leaving dirty pots and pans out to wash up the next day, but it’s never nice to come down to in the morning.

I find a clean and tidy home massively improves my mental health. If I let it slip, I'd soon become very overwhelmed and then nothing would get done.

Same here - having a tidy house makes a massive difference to my mental wellbeing. I feel so much lighter and clearer headed if everything is clean, tidy and organized.

I agree that the secret is constant routine

Completely agree - constant routine and the discipline to stick to it!

I think that’s why TOMM works so well Apples.

One day I’ll manage to stick to it!