We all have that one drawer. The messy catch-all was full of receipts, pens, hair ties, and that one errant Lego living in there like awkward roommates. Now, envision that same attitude but bigger. Hallway cupboards, lidded baskets, storage ottomans. The intention is not to hide the messy stuff forever—to provide a temporary sanctuary that does not advertise a state of chaos. It’s not the spotless you’re going for. It’s presentable. There is a difference, and your sanity is aware of it.
Lights Down, Candles Up
If you’re short of time to clean, distract. Turn off the bright lights, flip a few lamps on, and light a candle. It’s a trick that works: dimmed lights instantly make a space warmer and more relaxing, and most importantly—this is the trick bit—less judging. Visitors aren’t scanning your skirting boards if they’re too impressed with how lovely the house smells and how snug it is. It’s not as much about the scrub as the vibe.
The “Laundry Basket Sprint”
Here’s the trick. Take a laundry basket and march around your territory with intention. Toys, opened mail, last night’s socks, that water bottle someone left on the stairs—clear it all in. Don’t bother sorting. Just load it up. Then, tuck the basket away in a spot you know your guest won’t see: the car trunk, the garage, behind a closed bedroom door. It’s not glamorous, but it’s a trick that does work. And it gives you a time buffer for actually cleaning later.
Elevate the Everyday
You don’t require everything to be perfect—you just require a few things to appear intentional. Stand the coffee table books up. Plump the cushions. Smooth the rug. Wipe the kitchen surfaces with a damp cloth that has the slightest scent of citrus. That half-loaf of bread? In the bread bin. The kettle and mugs? Aligned neatly, as if you intended to invite them in and make them a cuppa as soon as they opened the door. You’re creating calm and not pursuing perfection.
First Floor
At the least, clean the floor. Crumbs, dust, stray tufts of fluff—they attract the eye and yell, “We live like this.” Vacuum with a cordless one or quickly sweep it. Even emptying a rug of its contents or whacking the doormat gives the area a less abandoned feel. Your visitors may not see what’s on the bookshelves, but they’ll see if they’re walking on last night’s popcorn.
Bathroom Blitz
We all go to the bathroom. There’s no getting around it. So, give the bathroom a little five-minute tune-up. Flush the toilet, clean the sink, and throw any errant toothpaste lids and hair clips into a drawer. Hang a clean towel and light a little candle if you have one. Failing that, just spray something vaguely nice and slam the lid shut. For added bonus points, arrange the soap and hand cream as if you’re in a hotel. It works every time.
Multi-tasking Furniture Is a Friend
It’s the type you only value when you require it: multi-functional furniture. Coffee tables with storage. Ottoman storage that discreetly stores blankets and remotes. And then there’s the trundle beds. Drape a throw over the trundle bed, stuff toys in the storage below, and voila—effortless elegance. It’s not just genius, it’s smug-inducing. Nobody suspects your modern space is a messy explosion thirty seconds prior.
The Smell of Illusion
Need people to think your house is spic and span even if it is not? Make it smell that way. Open a couple of windows for nice air circulation, stick on a diffuser, or fake it with a little linen spray. Smell is a powerful tool that tricks the mind into believing that a room is tidier than it really is. And if that doesn’t work? Bake something. Nobody says “I’ve got my act together” more convincingly than the scent of warm biscuits, even if they’re out of a packet.
The One Calm Zone
Don’t attempt the entire house. Target one or two of the most important spaces: the living area and the bathroom, perhaps the kitchen and the hallway. A pleasant appearance in these spaces can relax the rest. Literally, shut the doors. Blame the cat. Tell the visitors the baby sleeps there. Whatever works. It is not an Airbnb you’re running—you’re merely managing surprise visitors with dignity intact.
Organize by Diversion
As a last resort, offer your visitors something better to look at. It’s similar to doing visual misdirection except in your living room. A vase of nicely placed fresh flowers, a radio playing softly enough that people notice the vibe but not the music specifically, or a bowl of olives and a bottle of something cold is enough. People tend toward places of interest. So instead of worrying about hiding the laundry you left behind, nudge their eyes toward something you’d prefer they look at.
You might light that quirky candle you’ve stored away, place a stack of cool coffee table books out, or refer back casually to the postcard hanging on the shelf. Even turning the lights a little lower and adding your comfiest throw can change the vibe from I didn’t have time to clean to This is intentional and lived-in.
It’s not about sneaking around—it’s about embracing the human reality that houses should look lived-in. A bit of distraction is not a facade. It’s good hosting.
Accept the Power of “Good Enough”
Here’s the trick: don’t shoot for immaculate. Shoot for good enough. The cushions are aligned, the mugs have been washed up, the air smells of a little bit of lavender, and there’s nothing actively revolting. That’s a success. And when you get that nobody’s looking at the sides of your skirting boards or judging you for the kids’ toys scattered throughout your adult zone, the need to pretend everything is perfect relaxes. Your visitors did not visit to inspect your sideboard. They’re there for you.
So yes, you definitely can stage a clean house in 15 minutes. Practicing will make you a pro. You’ll become aware of your own pattern of chaos. And before long, you’ll naturally find the spot for the haphazard collection of receipts, school notes, and the errant slipper without even realizing it. In the meantime, light the candle, tuck the mess away, and pretend you’ve always lived like this.