De-Clutter the Kitchen
Step one: clear the kitchen counters. Even if you don’t have time to scrub the stovetop or tackle the dishes in the sink, decluttering the countertop will give the impression that your kitchen is neat and organized. Remove everything from the counter to start, then wipe it down with multi-purpose cleaning spray to remove dirt and crumbs. Next, try the tray trick, recommended by our Editor-in-Chief Liz Vaccariello: Grab a decorative tray (consider a metallic one for extra sparkle) and use it to corral anything you want to leave out on the counter, like salt and pepper and your go-to cooking tools. The tray makes everything look neat and tidy, without having to clear off the counter completely. And when the tray overflows with stuff, you know it’s time to declutter.
Spruce Up Your Sofa
Next up, it’s time to tackle the living room. Sprucing up your sofa is an easy way to make the whole room look cleaner. If you have a pet who sheds all over the couch, grab a lint roller to defuzz the upholstery. Of course, this also works to remove lint and crumbs. Then, fluff up the throw pillows. If your throw pillows are looking a little flat, try adding a second insert, and also size up the insert so it’s 1 to 2 inches larger than the cover. Finally, refold any throw blankets so they look neat and the sofa looks cozy.
Quick-Clean the Bathroom
Onto the bathroom: Hopefully you’ve already done some preliminary cleaning before guests arrive—like scrubbing the toilet and cleaning the sink. But for the final touches right before guests show up, swap in some fresh bath towels and hand towels, and set out a new bathmat so you know it’s both clean and dry. Wipe down the mirror: spritz the cleaning spray onto a lint-free cloth first (rather than directly on the mirror), and then wipe in an s-shaped pattern to make sure the mirror is streak-free.
Add Fresh Flowers (Or Greenery)
Place fresh flowers and houseplants in prime locations. They don’t have to be expensive—just look for the freshest, best-quality flowers at your local grocery store. To make the bouquet stretch further, pull out a couple stems to set in a bud vase near the bathroom sink. That way, you’ll have flowers in two rooms for the price of a grocery store bouquet.
Dim the Lights
To make your home feel festive and party-ready, take a cue from your favorite restaurant and dim the lights. You can make almost any table lamp dimmable using a plug-in lamp dimmer. Just plug the lamp into the dimmer and then plug the dimmer into an outlet. Now you can adjust the brightness to find the perfect glow. Today, many LED bulbs are dimmable, but double check the box to see if yours is. Nothing makes a room sparkle more than candlelight. Light a couple candles and set them in spots where you can keep an eye on them and guests are unlikely to knock them over. Or, set a few flameless candles in frosted votives so no one will know they aren’t real. For extra holiday glow, grab a strand of fairy lights and arrange them in a bowl, under a glass cloche, or in a glass canister.
