Quick Cleaning Tips for when you have Surprise Visitors with a free printable checklist

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If you have ever had guests over, you know you spend the ten minutes before they arrive analyzing your house. Is it clean enough? If your guests are family members or close friends, you probably say “clean enough” and shrug it off. At least that’s what I do! People that are organizationally or homemaking challenged like me rarely invite people over unless they are close enough to know what to expect.

But the holiday season is different! Distant relatives, neighbors, friends, your family member’s new girlfriend or boyfriend, all sorts of people stop by to say hello or drop off gifts.

I like to pretend I am Supermom on this blog. Suzy Homemaker extraordinaire. Okay, not really. You all know by now that I struggle with homemaking. I am a terrible SAHM.

I do a bunch of cleaning in November, though. My turkey is delicious so my immediate family has lunch at my house on Thanksgiving.  Then we head out to our massive family Thanksgiving dinner. But Hurricane Herchel (that’s me by the way) and her mini hurricanes can drop a clutter bomb in any room in ten seconds flat.  So even after I’ve spent a week cleaning, “drop ins” and unexpected visits throw me into a tizzy.

But each year I am making it a point to stress less during the holiday season. Last year was less stressful than the year before. I hope to say the same after this holiday season.

After the big November declutter-a-thon is completed, surprise visits will only require a few quick tasks to make the house look presentable.

Thanks to Costco, I was able to stock up on my favorite Proctor & Gamble cleaning supplies and save money!

Last minute cleaning tips

Wash Dishes

Having a sink full of dishes is not ideal whenever you’re having guests over. A quick wash of the dishes in your sink will make your house look super clean. Although washing dishes isn’t always my favorite, Dawn Platinum Advanced Power, really helps!

Wipe Down Countertops

There is something to be said about clean and clutter free countertops. My countertops are rarely clutter free so I enjoy it while it lasts. Make cleaning and disinfecting wipes easily accessible so clean up is a snap! Keep reading to see my video on how I made the wipes I am using for fall!

Sweep and Mop the Floor

Having clean floors is one of my favorite things of all time. It’s the one cleaning task that I do the most often. I love walking on a crumb free and non-sticky floor. Unfortunately, my children alwasy spill something about 5 minutes after I’ve mopped.  For quick clean ups between moppings, the Swiffer wet mops are efficient and fast! The disposable wet pads can get pricey so buying them in bulk from Costco is the smarter option. You get so many in the package that you don’t have to buy more for months or a year.

Empty All Garbage Cans

When tidying up before guests arrive, don’t forget to empty all of the garbage cans in the house. There’s something about an empty garbage can that makes the whole house look clean. It also removes a lot of smell from the house. I totally dislike a stinky house.

Have the kids pick up their clutter

Yeah I know. This is probably the hardest part of this list because kids are slowwwwwww when it comes to clean.

Spot clean anything dusty or dirty that you see

Another reason to have some handy cleaning wipes. Scroll down to see how I make them! 

But don’t forget your free printable checklist of quick cleaning tips.

Homemade Stress Free Cleaning and Sanitizing Wipes

I made a video so you can see exactly how I make them!

Materials:

4 Cup Widemouth Mason Jar

approx 1/2 c water

approx 1/2 to 3/4 c vodka  (or rubbing alcohol)

3 drops of Tea Tree essential oil

3-5 drops of cedarwood essential oil

3-5 drops vetiver essential oil

*Vetiver and cedarwood are fairly strong smelling so adjust to your taste. Both oils promote tranquility and are soothing. 

1/2 a roll of Bounty paper towel, cut in half

Directions:

Cut paper towel roll in half. Put into jar.

Mix water and vodka

Drop in essential oils.

Pour mixture over paper towel roll.

Cover jar and shake.

Remove cardboard roll!

The awesome thing about buying a ton of paper towels is that you have plenty to use for homemade wipes. What #HostingHacks will you be trying with Proctor & Gamble?

If you want to learn more about essential oils, register now for my free 14 Day email course: Essential Oils 101