Good Clean Fun

The neighbors are coming for dinner in half an hour, and the dishes from breakfast are still on the counter. And why, just when you need order the most, does it seem that every last piece of Lego is strewn across the living room? In these modern times, unless you are expecting the queen, there is no need to polish the silver for a casual dinner with friends. The key is to prioritize your cleanup and make sure you have a platter of snacks on the table and a bottle of something open so you can distract your guests while you chase down that one visible dust bunny.

1. The Powder Room. This is the only room in the house that needs serious cleaning attention. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the sink and the faucets. The beauty of the microfiber cloth, dampened or dry, is that you don’t even need any product, as it will pick up all the visible dirt and grime and will take care of 90 percent of the bacteria (if you want to get that A+, use a little all-purpose cleanser). Take this opportunity to give the bowl a swirl—nothing says sanitized like the remaining suds of toilet-bowl cleaner. Wipe down the seat, the rim of the toilet, and the immediate area around the base of the toilet with your specially designated microfiber cloth or disposable wet wipe. If there are fingerprints on the mirror, wipe it with window cleaner and a microfiber cloth.
2. The Kitchen. Since the kitchen tends to be the hub of activity, it’s important that it be somewhat clean. The key is to keep counters clear so you can set out appetizers or snacks, even if that means loading dishes into the dishwasher and leaving a couple of pans in the sink to soak. It’s all about what the eye can see on the countertops. You will probably want to wipe the counters down with a sudsy sponge and dry them with a dishrag.
3. The Entry. If your house is anything like mine this time of year, there are about a dozen coats piled on our hall tree at any given time, as well as a dozen pairs of shoes. Take three minutes to hang coats in the coat closet and return shoes to individual closets. Clearing the entry makes room for guests’ coats and provides the illusion of overall order in the house, both for yourself and your guests.
4. Living/Family Room. Unless you have obvious dust buildup or visible cobwebs in the corners, all you need to do is fluff couch pillows, fold throws, return books to bookshelves, and throw old newspapers and magazines into the recycling bin. If you have a coffee table that shows dirt easily, use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe it down. (We keep one stashed in a drawer for easy access so we can clean as we go.)
5. Toys. If your kids are big enough, enlist their help to throw toys back into bins. (See Storage Solutions.) I wouldn’t sweat this detail too much, though, as the bins will most likely end up upended shortly thereafter anyway. But it is worth noting the sanity factor for Mom: Somehow, having toys put away even for the first five minutes after guests’ arrival goes a long way into making her feel she has things under control. A sense of control—however false—means she can relax into that glass of wine a lot sooner. And as soon as that happens, everyone is happy.