Alicia Russoff, the creator of the Thrifty and chic blog dedicated to interior design and creating various decor elements with her own hands, share the secrets of how to create in 20 minutes an impression of an ideally clean apartment for her guests.
Of course, I would not refuse to have an apartment, as with an advertising picture. But usually it is in this state no more than one day a year. I work full-time, and two small children instantly bring chaos even in perfect order. Therefore, I think that the tips below will help you create the right impression for the guests.
1. Hide the obvious.
Remove only those rooms in which you plan to receive guests. If small children live in the house, then most likely toys are scattered everywhere. Just hide them in the bedroom and close the door.
In 20 minutes
2. Containers for storage - your best friend.
Do not neglect the lovely baskets, convenient containers and other organizers for things. After all, they can easily throw a blanket or blanket, and no one will see the mess inside the basket. This is a great way to store disks, books, magazines, remote controls, mail and other chaos.
3. Remove the shoes in the basket or bucket next to the door.
Ideally, if the basket has a lid.
4. Hide the toys behind the sofa.
5. Only get rid of the obvious mess.
Do not spray, removing everything. Just hide toys, clothes and dirty dishes. This will require a minimum of effort from you and will provide 90% of the result.
6. Clean the carpet from large pieces of down, thread and debris that are visible to the naked eye.
Then you do not have to vacuum.
7. Wipe the countertops.
Dust is very easy to detect on a dark surface, so just walk around all the tables with a microfibre cloth.
8. Get rid of dead and wilted flowers.
Broken and wilted plants make a depressing impression, so do not forget to throw out all the old bouquets.
9. Clean the sofa with a brush.
If your sofa is covered with a microfiber, it can be easily cleaned of stains with a conventional brush. Then just swipe the fabric with your hand to level the pile.
10. Spread the curtains.
If the street is a clear day - open the curtains. Bright sunlight in the apartment creates a sense of spaciousness and cleanliness.
11. Open the blinds.
The lower side of the blinds is cleaner, so turn them down.
12. Arrange the furniture and arrange the interior items.
Gently unfold the pillows and bedspreads, place the chairs, spread the carpet.
13. Give the house a pleasant aroma with a candle or flavor.
Do not forget to take care of the fresh smell in the bathroom and toilet.
14. Get out of the bathroom.
Hide the basket with dirty laundry and remove all the mess in the closet, throw out the garbage and pour the cleaning solution into the toilet. Do not forget to clean it under the toilet seat.
15. Wipe the sink, faucet and mirror.
16. Spread and hang (if necessary) fresh towels.
And voila! Your house is ready to receive guests. However, it is possible that after their departure, the apartment will return to its former state in minutes. The child will take the toys away, the mail will lie down on the coffee table, the pillows will move to the floor, and the basket for dirty laundry will return to its place. But the guests will go home with the realization that you are an ideal hostess!