I need a plan

[Miriam2]

Ok I know you're all experts on this! Visitors coming at weekend, old friends we haven't seen for a couple of years. Working every day this week except today and Friday (when they arrive) House quite normal at moment ie not pristine but not filthy! What shall I concentrate on re: housework to make house look presentable, reasonably clean & tidy? I need a checklist!

bathrooms and kitchen!

definatly bathroom and kitchen....they give the best impression when they are clean. The rest of the house will look lived in even when not pristine. you CANNOT have a spotless house and kids!!!! INCOMPATIBLE!!!

Agree bathrooms and kitchen plus hoover - makes v dusty rooms look presentable

Bathroom most important, as that's the one thats the most obvious when it hasn't been touched for ages! Its also the room where visitors are on their own i.e. time to think and contemplate the grime!Then kitchen, but you can get away with a bit of 'just been preparing food'looking mess (even if you haven't been). Put away all clutter you can... I do this in a vain effort to make our flat look a bit more streamlined and spacious!

BAthrooms and kitche a must, the same goes for clean towels and bed sheets .

I love when people visit in winter, you only need to dim the lights and everything seems so repectable clean!!!

1. Kitchen

2. Bathroom 3. Hoover and dust throughout 4. Declutter/hide/chuck "stuff" lying around 5. Make living area look tidy and smell nice

Shiny taps will do wonders.

Put everything vaguely clutter-ish in a big plastic box (if your house is anything like ours you will have loads of these; if not they are VERY cheap). With luck, you can just leave the clutter there till you face the fact it's time to bin it.

And, obviously, an immaculate loo. And tidy away stuff like potties and nappies which get child-free people all put off.

Make sure the bit behind the loo seat is clean and there are no cobwebs and the loo is spotless - my big things for checking out other peoples houses!!

And spray polish and cleaning stuff around - even if your house is not pristine it will give the impressionthat you have been cleaning!!

and put out fresh towels & bedding on the day they arrive. make sure the towels in the kitchen are clean & dry too. clean mirrors and skirting boards (not an obvious one but it does actually add to the sparkling clean house feel)

Goodness - who's coming to stay - the queen?

LOL cuppy

Just shove some bleach down the loo, light some candles, and ply them with large amounts of alcohol......

BR
PS. Sorry I work full time so don't hold much store in house work anymore.

PPS. MI, have lots of plastic boxes too....in fact I'm pretty sure they're breeding.

Definitely loos and bathroom.
Kitchen - declutter surfaces and wipe down with tops and tiles with strong cleaner (cif, flash or sterilising solution!).
Shiny mirrors and any obvious fingerprints wiped off glass doors, windows, mirrors etc.
Final hoover around and some nice smells - something in hoover, scented candles or fresh flowers.

Try Crisis Cleaning to keep you focussed.

Flylday can come on a bit too strong - but I like her idea of breaking it down in to 15 minutes chunks (and if that's tto much, 10 or even 5 minute chunks!).

Interesting she focusses on kitchen, living room and bathroom, as people have suggested here. I would add in 5 minutes to do the hallway/entrance area as that is the first impression of your visitors, plus you will need to add in a 15 minute session on the guest bedroom(s) if they are staying over.

Oh - and get some flowers!