Keeping things tidy isn’t one of your strengths? Never mind. If you get into the habit of paying attention to these five things, you can welcome guests at any time without feeling stressed.
Working, caring for children if necessary, maintaining relationships, pursuing hobbies – many people have little time in their everyday lives to maintain their household. Because they have more important things to do. Which is totally fine. In other words, most people probably manage to have their household under control to some extent.
But if the doorbell rings unannounced or at very short notice and suddenly there are guests there who would like to be invited in, this can be unpleasant for many surprised hosts. In principle, there is no reason to be ashamed if your own apartment looks like someone lives in it instead of like a photo setting for a furniture catalog. But some people just feel uncomfortable showing their slightly chaotic living self to other people – after all, the state of our home reflects our soul to a certain extent and we may not want to reveal it in all its glory to every guest.
Fortunately, our apartment doesn’t necessarily have to be immaculately clean and tidy to appear tidy to guests. To achieve this effect, all we need to do is pay attention to a few things that we can either always prioritize in our budget or, if necessary, fix within a few minutes if we receive a spontaneous visit. Living and organization expert Meredith Goforth revealed what these are to the online magazine “the spruce”.
5 secrets of people whose apartment always looks tidy
1. They collect discards in secret
Many people have collection points in their homes for things like keys, mail, shoes, bags or clothing. Most people living in the household no longer notice such places after a while – but according to Meredith Goforth, guests usually notice them immediately as micro-chaos.
If you want your home to look tidy, simply set up an invisible shelf for everything that is currently lying around somewhere: a drawer for mail and keys, a cupboard or a closed box for shoes, a place for your private clothing collection in the wardrobe or in the bedroom, if that is taboo for guests.
2. They always prioritize their bathroom
Denying guests access to the bathroom is a clever strategy if you want to hide the chaos that reigns there – but it can sometimes border on bodily harm. Therefore, Meredith Goforth advises that the bathroom should always be kept in a basic order and cleanliness, because, according to her, this is the place where poor housekeeping is most noticeable and sticks most impressively. Understandable.
Therefore: Always throw away waste products straight away, brush the toilet and wipe out the sink every day, remove water residue after showering – you usually don’t need much more to keep the bathroom in a generally acceptable condition. And we probably feel more comfortable when showering, even if no people come by.
3. You pay attention to the exterior and entrance area
The area in front of the front door and outdoor areas such as balconies and terraces are tempting to place things such as shoes, umbrellas, garbage bags or folded outdoor furniture there. But these areas typically particularly catch the eye of guests. If, on the other hand, the entrance area is neat and tidy, and the balcony or terrace perhaps even invites you to sit outside, the expert says that this immediately gives visitors a pleasant, well-organized impression that can distract from a few dusty shelves.
4. They free up space in the wardrobe
For most people, the space in the cloakroom is limited and is only enough for their own jackets, coats, bags, etc. However, visitors will find a cloakroom overcrowded if they cannot find a way to put something there. Those who make sure to always keep a hook or hanger free and only hang things in their wardrobe that are used every day will appear much tidier and more organized than hosts with full wardrobes.
5. You ventilate frequently
Food smells, body odors, a cozy, slightly dusty feeling – we ourselves usually get used to everything that can be smelled in our home. Those who come to visit, however, are not used to it. And smells can be particularly powerful sensory impressions. Mornings, evenings, after cooking, after a workout and during short breaks from work are moments when it’s a good idea to ventilate the rooms you’re using. Room sprays and oils are a nice addition for people who like them, but are not a must for a pleasant home aroma. A good air routine is enough for this.
Source used: thespruce.com