The 10 Minute Tidy

Did anyone else watch The Big Comfy Couch as a child and there was always that scene where the creepy clown girl has to clean her couch area in 10 seconds? But it never actually WAS 10 seconds? Well that's what today's post is about- cleaning up for guests. Except I am realistic and will call this the 10 minute tidy.

So yesterday I was sitting at work, minding my own business, doing work-y things, and I realized that my friend was going to come over that evening and she would see my condo. AND she was bringing someone I had never met and THAT person would be seeing my place too. My place was a huge sty!! I had yoga the night before and therefore didn't clean. There were dishes all over, the front hall looked like a tornado had ripped through, clothes were strewn all over the ottoman, and the bathroom was a little worse for wear because the pipes had been worked out resulting in brownish water the day before that stained a bit. It was bad. I certainly didn't want this to be someone's first impression of my place so I scooted home a bit early and did a 10 minute tidy.

Here are my tips for cleaning in a flash
1. Clean the front hall- 3 minutes
This will be someone's first impression of your place so make sure it is neat and tidy. In a small space the front hall can easily become a disaster. I created a landing pad using a small dresser for mail and my purse, but now is the time to scoop up all that mail and hide it in a drawer somewhere. You can sort it out later. Put coats, shoes and boots away and leave out only the pair you will be needing that evening. That way it looks to your guest that there is tons of room for her shoes and coat, so maybe your place is big enough for guests after all!

2. Hide all clothing- 30 seconds
Just stick it all in the damn hamper and deal with it after they are gone! Yes, technically it is all still clean but there is no time for hanging and folding, you fool!

3. Put all dishes in the dishwasher- 1 minute
Even giant ol pots, just shove them in there! For me this involved emptying the dishwasher first, but that's my own lazy fault for leaving it so long.

4. Clean the stove top and sinks with a quick wipe- 1 minute
I have a flat top stove and it looks gross pretty quickly, despite being dark because I can't wipe it down when it is still hot, so the stuff can sit there for a bit. Usually I will bust out the arm strength and rub er down with special stovetop cleaner, but for now a quick wipe will do!

5. Declutter- 2 minute
Take all items off of tables and counters and things like that shove them in a drawer. Leave out only decorative items. This makes your place look like a damn sexy show room. Of course you dont LIVE like that, but fake it for guests.

6. CLEAN THE BATHROOM- 2 minutes
This one always gets left out, but it is sooooo critical. Wipe down the counters and sink, and actually clean your toilet. It only takes 2 minutes, I swear. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to someone's house and, while their place is neat and tidy, the toilet is soooo dirty and gross. It just makes your whole house look gross. For a quick bathroom clean, I also just close the shower curtain door to block off the view of my 15 body washes and how my tub needs a clean. Last point- close your toilet lid. It just looks cleaner. You never see bathroom shots in magazines with open toilets!!

7. Pick up the big bits on the floors- 30 seconds
Yes, of course you need to vacuum, but we have run out of time! Take a quick look at your floors and quickly scoop up any large pieces of paper, fluff, whatever. Your floors WILL look cleaner.

There you have it folks! A clean looking condo in 10 minutes flat! Ah the joys of only having 400 sq ft to clean :)

Any other tips for a quick clean? What is your crucial cleaning step (like if you could only clean ONE thing)?