How do you KEEP it clean when you have houseguests?

[Early Bird]

When they're here, I don't vacuum; I don't dust; etc.

How do you keep a tidy house tidy for the duration of your guests' visit?

[canadian gardener]

I pick up any big bits of dog hair or bark that my dog tracks in onto the floors and carpet as I see it.

I do a fast quick pick up of my horizontal surfaces, several times a day, after breakfast and lunch, kind of clearing up the kitchen and dining area along with the endtable and desk in my living room.

Those are what flylady would probably call my hot spots.

I try and keep kitchen counters clear and my bedroom dresser and nightstands clear too, and the bed made too.

I have a small house and a little clutter messes it up badly. So working at keeping my horizontal surfaces clean and clear helps the look of the place tremendously.

Besides it's easier to put away a handful of objects in a quick pick up than wait for once a day and have a huge job or worse wait till guests leave and the house is trashed.

and I use my feather duster a bit as needed before it looks really dusty if I've got a lot of dust suddenly.

Run the dishwasher twice a day if needed. Rather than overload it once a day, when I've got guests, I usually run 2 smaller loads and unload as soon as it's finished, drying anything that needs it as I put it away. skip the dry cycle.

Plan meals in advance so I'm not fussing. the fixings I need are all in my pantry or in the fridge.

Run a sink of hot soapy water BEFORE I begin meal prep to soak or quick wash stuff like knives or big stuff that won't go in the dishwasher.

Wipe down the counters and get the dw running right away after dinner so I can unload and put away before bed.

So much easier to wake up to a clean kitchen if you are cooking breakasts.

Take out the kitchen trash so it doesn't stink overnight. Run thru the house with it, emptying bedroom and bathroom trash cans into the kitchen catcher bag so they never get full either.

I always do that anyway, plus I toss the daily newspaper then too.

I like that swiffer sweeper thing. Stick a damp cloth on it and quickly damp mop after dinner, so the kitchen floor is nice and clean in the evenings, or once a day. Easy.

[canadian gardener]

Oh and I try to do my usual load a day with the washing machine because it keeps towels etc up to date. Ditto clothes.

It's easier for me to put away one or two mini loads than deal with a mountain of laundry when people leave.

And it keeps me in fresh towels.