Lifestyle: The Fast-fix Way to Get Your Home Ready for Entertaining
Friends coming to dinner? Knock your home into shape the speedy way and ensure it looks ready to party with these quick tips
Jo Simmons
10 June 2015
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
Inviting friends over for dinner, a party or drinks is a fun, relaxed way to entertain, but once you’ve shopped, cooked, and got yourself and your family dressed, there’s often no time to deep clean your house before the guests arrive. But don’t despair. Follow this speedy guide to sprucing up the key rooms, with tasks laid out in a logical order. If you follow most of them, you and your home will be looking good and ready to receive guests in no time.
Start outside
If you’re hosting an evening do, switch on outside lights so friends can read your house number and easily find you. Tidy up out front, too: sweep the approach to your door, clean up any litter and hide any random wellies, dog leads and other bits that have accumulated here.
If you’re hosting an evening do, switch on outside lights so friends can read your house number and easily find you. Tidy up out front, too: sweep the approach to your door, clean up any litter and hide any random wellies, dog leads and other bits that have accumulated here.
Tidy the entrance hall
Put away coats, shoes and scarves and, if possible, create space on a peg rail or in the coat cupboard for your guests to hang their stuff up. If you have a mirror in the hall, give it a quick clean. Move some fresh flowers or a plant to the hallway console table, too, to make a great first impression.
Put away coats, shoes and scarves and, if possible, create space on a peg rail or in the coat cupboard for your guests to hang their stuff up. If you have a mirror in the hall, give it a quick clean. Move some fresh flowers or a plant to the hallway console table, too, to make a great first impression.
Freshen up
Give the bathroom and cloakroom a quick freshen up. Clear surfaces of bottles, leaving out just some soap and clean towels for guests to use. Wipe down the basin and mirror, quickly clean the loo and make sure there are plenty of spare toilet rolls stored where guests can see them.
Check out how to banish your bathing clutter
Give the bathroom and cloakroom a quick freshen up. Clear surfaces of bottles, leaving out just some soap and clean towels for guests to use. Wipe down the basin and mirror, quickly clean the loo and make sure there are plenty of spare toilet rolls stored where guests can see them.
Check out how to banish your bathing clutter
Empty the bins
Take out the rubbish and empty the recycling. You will need additional space for the rubbish and empties that will amass during the party, plus a full bin can leave a nasty smell in your home.
Take out the rubbish and empty the recycling. You will need additional space for the rubbish and empties that will amass during the party, plus a full bin can leave a nasty smell in your home.
Create cool space
Make some space in the fridge for bottles and any dishes your friends may bring with them. Empty the dishwasher, too – it’s far easier to stealthily clean up as you go along if the dishwasher is empty to start with.
Make some space in the fridge for bottles and any dishes your friends may bring with them. Empty the dishwasher, too – it’s far easier to stealthily clean up as you go along if the dishwasher is empty to start with.
Speed clean the main rooms
Quickly vacuum the main route through your home. Start at the front door and whizz through the rooms your guests are likely to use – the living space, kitchen and cloakroom. Ignore any rooms they won’t be going into.
Quickly vacuum the main route through your home. Start at the front door and whizz through the rooms your guests are likely to use – the living space, kitchen and cloakroom. Ignore any rooms they won’t be going into.
Bust clutter
Gather up all those bits and bobs that are cluttering your space and make sure there plenty of surfaces clear on which people can put glasses and plates. If you have time, you can put everything back where it belongs, but if time is tight, stuff it all into a cupboard or lidded bin to be dealt with another day.
Gather up all those bits and bobs that are cluttering your space and make sure there plenty of surfaces clear on which people can put glasses and plates. If you have time, you can put everything back where it belongs, but if time is tight, stuff it all into a cupboard or lidded bin to be dealt with another day.
Make your bed
There’s no need to clean your bedroom, but if guests will view the room or pass through it on their way to the bathroom, it’s a good idea to have the bed looking neat. They may also end up leaving coats here, too, so a smooth duvet is necessary.
While you are up here, get dressed! Focus on the house too much and you may forget to spruce up what your friends have come to see – you! And if you are still blow-drying your hair as the first guests arrive, it’s embarrassing for you and them.
There’s no need to clean your bedroom, but if guests will view the room or pass through it on their way to the bathroom, it’s a good idea to have the bed looking neat. They may also end up leaving coats here, too, so a smooth duvet is necessary.
While you are up here, get dressed! Focus on the house too much and you may forget to spruce up what your friends have come to see – you! And if you are still blow-drying your hair as the first guests arrive, it’s embarrassing for you and them.
Adjust the light and sound
For a daytime event, make sure the curtains are open and blinds are up, so your rooms are flooded with light. If guests are coming in the evening, switch on lamps but avoid unflattering overhead lighting.
Turn on fairy lights and light candles, too, then get some music playing. It will get you grooving through the final jobs and if anyone shows up early, it will help smooth over any awkward silences.
For a daytime event, make sure the curtains are open and blinds are up, so your rooms are flooded with light. If guests are coming in the evening, switch on lamps but avoid unflattering overhead lighting.
Turn on fairy lights and light candles, too, then get some music playing. It will get you grooving through the final jobs and if anyone shows up early, it will help smooth over any awkward silences.
Get the drinks ready
You can fall behind with the cooking, but so long as you can hand friends a drink when they first arrive, no one will mind. Chill white wine, fizz and beer, arrange glasses and locate your bottle opener.
Discover how to host a stylish summer barbecue
TELL US…
What jobs do you always do before guests arrive for dinner or a party? Share your tips in the Comments below.
You can fall behind with the cooking, but so long as you can hand friends a drink when they first arrive, no one will mind. Chill white wine, fizz and beer, arrange glasses and locate your bottle opener.
Discover how to host a stylish summer barbecue
TELL US…
What jobs do you always do before guests arrive for dinner or a party? Share your tips in the Comments below.
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I get paranoid about smells so I do empty bins and use lots of those bottles of room fragrance with the bamboo sticks.