I need to make a really good impression - please help!

[Helium]

Hello

For various reasons (I wont bore you!) I have a visitor upon whom I need to make a really good impression. Please can anyone give me or direct me to a step by step or list of things to do to make my house look really good? The advantgae is that they will only be going into the sitting room through the hall (but may be able to see into the kitchen) so I need to concentrate on the outside and these areas only (stuff the utility and back garden!)

If anyone can describe to me what their good impresion means/how its affected I would be grateful!

Any help or guidance appreciated!

If a place is basically tidy, dusted, hoovered and homely it will make a good impression.
You can add to that with a nice vase of flowers in a strategic place or two.
Smell can be really important too, so freshly brewed coffee, home baking, or a meal cooking can really add to the atmosphere depending on the time of day and reason for the visit.

Clean and tidy. No clutter.

Lots of flowers.

Nice bowl of fruit on the kitchen table.

I am quite happy to be bored with the details of your visitor

As Humphrey said, with a couple of intellectual books in the living room if you don't have any all ready.

Bung as much clutter as you can out of the way - clear surfaces will make the space look bigger and airier. What don't you like about your current living space? Can you add some new cushions/throws to brighten it up?

Are you happy with the front of the house?

Make sure drive is swept, plants deadheaded and front door clean with any metal shiny.

Obviously only do the ones appropriate to your front of house.

I, too, am curious HC.

Also polish any wood with beeswax polish. Smells great.

Hoochie is right. It was an estate agent tip for selling your house. Also make sure your loo is uber clean.

Also make sure that you lou/bathroom is done you never know and make sure all the doors upstairs are closed except the lou.

I depends on who the visitor is. If it were your new mother-in-law I would suggest cook books on show and things to show you are going to make a good little wifey , but it if was a social worker prior to an adoption, I would make sure it looked child safe and that you weren't too much of a princess about tidyness. For a new boss I would make it look spotless and organised.

i agree with the polishing taps in the bathroom bit! really makes a difference.

oh and also in the bathroom; if you have the space, put away things like toothbrushes, toothpaste etc so there is no clutter round the sink.

also i always use shake and vac when i hoover. it makes the house smell really fresh.

i move all the air fresheners around and make sure theres one by the front door. i hate glade etc too but its better than nappies/the bin/food/whatever!

i clear all my surfaces - i end up with bulging cupboards/drawers but the illusion of clutter free living!

if you have shiny worktops etc use glass cleaner on them - they come up nice

if you have house plants whisk a duster over the leaves

if you need to do the bathroom clean it all with a sponge and fairy liq then dry it all with a teatowel - makes it all shiny and streak free

good luck!

Brilliant thanks everyone!

Beeswax cleaner - will get on to that one.

The visitor is my daughters reception year teacher - we've just moved to a new area and apparantly they visit new children?! It's good for my daughter but not good for my housekeeping slackness! My husband keeps trying to talk me out of getting worked up (which I'm not but I do want to make a good impression) as she'll only be at our house for 10 minutes or so (which I think means I have less time to make a good impression!!). I am a (not so secret) helicopter parent I think...

ah thanks ISTP - what do you mean by books? We have lots of books (the cases are double packed and overflowing -blush). Should I casually have some childrens books lying around..?!?! Can you describe some child friendly stuff??!?

Thanks for your responses!

In that case I'd leave out evidence of proud parenthood - like pictures drawn by your child, photos of your kid having a good time in various places, some of their favourite books or toys. How about some cookies baked by you and the child together, to offer to the teacher when she comes (along with fresh coffee or tea or herbal on offer from sparkly mugs not grimy ones that remind her of the staff room ones!)

Oh, I had one of those visits. They do it because they think children settle quicker if they've met the new adults on "home" territory.

Honestly don't worry, provided your home isn't shockingly bad (and I can't imagine for a moment that it is) I really don't think they'll notice. They'll be seeing a dozen houses a day, will spend a few minutes talking to/playing with your DD and maybe ask you about her favourite nursery rhyme or similar. Your DD could show them how clever she is with her favourtie jigsaw etc. When DS's teachers came they didn't have time for tea and biscuits.

To be honest I wouldn't be worrying at all about the state of my home, but would be planning what I wanted to ask them and thinking about what I hoped their interaction would be with my child, what I hoped to see and find out from them!

Basically their opinion of your home means nothing (unless it were so bad as to make them consider a call to social services, ha ha)

Focus on what matters here!!!!

Thanks - yes I know I should be focusing on the substance rather than the style - but my head is spinning with worry!! My daughter has completely independetly said she wants to make biscuits for her teacher (zero prompting from me) so if we get time we may do that!
Thanks so much for your ideas reality chick!
I love Mumsnet - everyone is so kind to offer their thoughts and perspectives.

DS starts full time school next week, his school havent asked for a home visit, am I sad for wishing that they did them, I am very houseproud and if they came round here it would do me (and him) proud

haha :o

I wouldn't go overboard with the cleaning and beeswaxing; your child will feel things are abnormal and might think the teachers is someone you can't interact with normally. I'm sure the teacher would rather see a normal home and a happy child; if it's too clean she might think you have OCD and your child will be ill all the time
Use of cleaning fluids is also linked to depression.... (because the women are not doing something more interesting I would imagine).