COMPANY COMING AND NO TIME TO CLEAN!

Fastest Fixes

First Overhall Your Front Hall. Grab a laundry bas-
ket, storage bin, or large shopping bag to
serve as a junk receptacle, plus a plastic gro-
cery bag and microfiber cloth. Load up your
bin with any shoes, gloves, or hats that litter
the foyer. Stash hall-table clutter that could
get lost (mail,keys) in the plastic bag; put the
bag into the bin. While you're near the door,
shake doormats outside. Flip on the light for
an indoor cobweb check; flick webs off with
the cloth (don't worry about the ones too high
up-chances are, visitors won't notice them
once they see your smiling face). Take your
bin, and keep moving. (3 minutes).

Next stop! Putting your living room in order
where guests will hang out most. Keep
filling the bin with kids' toys, newspapers,
and anything else that doesn't need to be
here. Run your microfiber cloth over the cof-
fee table and other dusty surfaces, like the TV
screen. Pile magazines or books into neat
stacks on the end tables; gather all of the stray
remotes in one place. Plump up throw pillows
and chair cushions (even easier: flip the latter,
if possible). Use a clean corner of the micro-
fiber cloth to nab any obvious clumps of pet
hair or dust stuck to upholstery or carpeting.
Drape throws to hide dingy chair arms or
furniture stains. Drop off the bin in the laun-
dry room or a nearby bedroom, or hide it in a
closet; swap the microfiber cloth for a few paper
towels and move on to the bathroom. (4 minutes)

Fake a Super-Clean Bathroom; Tuck
stuff from the vanity into the cabinet
or drawers, and close the shower door or
pull your shower curtain closed. ( sure, nosy guests
may still snoop inside, but at least you've cut
down on visual clutter). Wet a microfiber cloth
to both clean and shine, and wipe down mirror, faucet, sink
and countertop. Use a paper towel that you might throw away to
go over your toilet's seat and rim. Clean up spots and hair
from the floor with more paper towels, and throw them away.
Finally, put out some fresh hand towels. Make a trip to the
kitchen with the wastebasket to dump it into the larger
trash can. (5 minutes). Now you are ready for your guests.