Is Your Home Ready for Company?

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

02 Jan 2009 01:05 PM

Yesterday, we were having a quiet day at home. The kids were playing, my husband was puttering around, and I was trying to catch up with writing work that fell behind because of the holidays.

We were just about to get the younger kids down for a late nap when my husband got a phone call. His best friend that he hadn't seen in a long while was in the area. Could he stop by with his girlfriend?

This was a rare chance, and there was no way that we could say no. We also would really enjoy seeing him. So, of course we said yes, and then evaluated if the home was company ready.

There were some papers on the desk, piling up since the filing cabinet in our family room/office was now blocked by the tree. We could sweep that all into a box. The bathrooms had already been cleaned in the morning, so that was all set. All that was really needed was a quick vacuum and a lit candle.

Having your home ready for company can be wonderful thing. Then there is no need to panic if unexpected company comes by. It can be very freeing. Here are some tips that will help keep your home ready for company.

Establish a regular routine

If you attack things as part of a regular routine, your home will always be clean, and you may not even notice some of the work as it turns into a habit. Making your bed for example, can take less than a minute in the morning.

Don't procrastinate messes

If there are crumbs on the floor or an incoming pile of mail, take care of it immediately. messes are always easier to deal with when they are small, and stains can set in with procrastination.

Don't stress over perfect

You home doesn't need to look like a showroom to be ready for company. If there are a few toys out, couple of notes on the refrigerator or a towel that isn't perfectly straight, don't worry about it. It is the dust bunnies and the sticky floor that most people would notice anyway.

Start with public areas first

If you find your house in a less than company-ready state and company is indeed on the way, go ahead and do you mad dash cleaning, but start with the public areas first. The bedroom doors can always be closed if necessary.

Keep freezer meals or recipes on hand

Having a tried and true company recipe or a meal in the freezer will save you a lot of stress over what to serve. This could vary from a few appetizers to a full meal depending on how you entertain and what is expected from your family and friends. At the very least, keep a file folder with take out menus to order pizza, sandwiched, etc.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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