HELP! MIL coming to stay, what jobs are an absolute MUST

[RiotBecky]

My MIL has never been to visit us, so has never seen our house. We have a 10 week old DS so I'm sure she's not expecting the place to be spotless, but I still want it to pass the test. What jobs are an absolute must for me to do before she gets here?!? She will be staying in our spare room, which is also my DH's office during the week.

Work on first impressions - door step, front door, hallway.

The room where she will be sleeping.

The toilet/bathroom.

Kitchen as much as possible (or keep her out of it).

Areas where she will be spending time alone and may notice dust/dirt should be a priority. Or areas where hygiene is essential.

She probably won't notice the living room so much if she spends most of her time in it talking to you/DH.

Check up high for any cobwebs that giveaway when you've done a quick-flick clean rather than a deep clean!

I'd dust and hoover the room she's sleeping in, clean the bathroom (a clean loo is a must!) and clean the kitchen, no washing up I the sink.

I'd hoover anything that you can see needs it, but especially any communal rooms (hallway, kitchen, living and bath in that order).

Then, clean surfaces in the bathroom of that clingy dust and the toilet.

Third, the kitchen. No crumbs or spills on the side, no dirty pots or rubbish on view.

How did you get / are you getting on OP?

Draft in your DH to sort out the office/spare room... Dusting, tidying, hoovering, clean bedclothes.

Definitely clean bathroom, then in order of priority: kitchen, tidy-up, general Hoover round.

Light switches and surrounding areas are often a grimy bit.

:o

Strategically, I would leave it all to your DH as you have a ten week old baby.

Then every subsequent visit, she will accredit you with mad skillz as it will inevitably be tidier.

Clean out the veg rack and fridge!!
I could clean the house until it shone, and my (beloved) MIL would always manage to find the one wilting carrot, or dodgy looking piece of cheese!

I have a friend who Hoovers the stairs when her MIL is coming to visit. That's once a year.
If you don't have time to clean, just tidy and it will look good enough.

we get on really well, I just want her to feel comfortable and happy here and not look like I'm a complete dosser haha

Find out what food/drinks/booze she likes, stock up!

Alternatively, do the bathroom, kitchen, her room, Hoover main areas & stairs.

Put lower wattage light bulbs anywhere you don't manage to sort out.

If it was my MIL coming, I'd be tempted to just change the locks and pretend we weren't in.........

hoover, dust, check ceilings for cobwebs.
clean bathroom and kitchen including cooker and fridge.
flowers in her bedroom!

and leave out a big pile of ironing, she's bound to offer to do it!

thanks guys I've been a proper suck-up and got a box of tissues and some bottles of water for the room she'll be staying in, and bought a new duvet.