We've all been there: You plan to have friends or family over for dinner or tea, but you forget that the house is an absolute mess. It can seem like a ton of work to clean the entire house in time, especially with short notice. Fortunately, we're here to help.

Here are three simple but necessary things you should do to make your house look beautiful for visitors without doing a time-intensive deep-clean.

1. Organize the Front Porch and Foyer

The entrance to your home may not be your first thought when cleaning the house, but it's the first thing that guests will see when coming over for a visit. This includes the entryway or foyer if you have one. If you have unsightly objects such as shoes, papers, or dirty furniture in these areas, make sure that this is cleaned and organized before the guests arrive. After all, it's very unlikely that your guests will end up in the bedroom or closets, but they will see the outside and foyer of your home.

Pick up any mess and do a good sweep of your porch so that the floor looks spick and span. Then, do a once-over of your entryway/foyer and put away any shoes that may be there in a closet or shelving unit. If the entryway is made of tile or wood flooring, a quick mop to make the floors shine can go a long way in making the house look (and smell) good.

2. Put Unwanted Items In Places Where Guests Won't Be

If you don't have time to clean and organize every item or article of clothing that you don't want guests to see, such as dirty laundry or dishes, shoes, or anything else, put it in a place that guests won't be. For example, if you don't have a shelving unit or closet to put shoes that are usually in the entryway, you can put them in the garage or in a spare bathroom where the guests will not be.

Put dirty clothes in a bedroom or a washer; you don't need to run the laundry, but guests will not be looking in your washer or dryer, so it's an excellent place to hide clothes. The same goes for dirty dishes: Any dishes sitting in the sink can quickly be put in the dishwasher (without needing to run it right away, since the hum of a running dishwasher or laundry machine can be distracting to guests). Place any unwanted furniture in a spare bedroom or your bedroom so that it's not in the way of guests. It may just seem like you're hiding your mess rather than cleaning it up, but with such short notice, protecting things is probably the best option!

3. Make The House Smell Great

Your house can be organized and look neat, but it's evident if the carpet is dirty or smells bad. The last thing you need to remember to prepare your house for guests is to make it smell clean. Use a plug-in air freshener in the entryway of your home, as well as in the bathroom. Take out the trash if there's anything in it.
Lastly, make every attempt to get carpet odor out; dirty carpets are one of the biggest culprits of unsavory house odor. Make your house smell amazing, and your guests will be thankful!

Conclusion

Having guests over on short notice can make even the best of us stressed about how inviting our home is. With these tips and tricks, we can guarantee that your home will be looking and smelling great for your visitors!