Have you even been in a situation where you are comfortably snuggled up with a good book after a hard day’s work and you just want this quiet afternoon to last forever?

You have all you need – your new favourite book, your couch and a glass of wine. Then the phone rings and it’s your mother-in-law on her way to visit you. So much for staying in your pyjamas for the rest of the day.

“I don’t care what my guests will think”, said no housewife ever and similarly to numerous other women, you start to feel a little sweaty when panic sets in.

You know that if there is one person who is capable of assuming that you are ruining your husband’s life, because there are dirty dishes in the sink and smudges on the bathroom mirror, this is definitely your “other” mum.

Don’t let anyone think any less of you as a wife, mother and a host and get ready for a quickie. Cleaning, that is.

Do a quick calculation and see how much time do you have before anyone arrives. Most times 40 minutes is all you need to put everything in order.

Take a good look around yourself. What is the single most embarrassing thing you wouldn’t want anyone to see? Deal with that first and you will feel how the pressure is literally lifted. Is it the state of the couch, or the mess in the corridor? Roll up your sleeves, it’s not going to clean itself.

Now that you have sorted that out, think about the rest of the home.  Divide tasks by their importance to you and the time it takes to complete them.

For instance, it takes a lot longer to vacuum clean the floors, while you can do three other things in the mean time. Think whether what you want to do is actually relevant. No need to make up your bed, right?

However, skipping the bathroom is a no-no! There is no denying entrance there.

Here is a list of different relevant tasks and how much time approximately takes to complete them:

Kitchen:

1. Put the dishes in the dishwasher: 5 mins
2. Wash them by hand: 20 mins (depends)
3. Wipe kitchen surfaces: 5 mins
4. Throw rubbish bin: 5 mins
5. Prepare kettle, coffee machine: 5 mins

Living Room:

1. De-clutter coffee table, sort out magazines, wipe it clean: 5 mins
2. Vacuum the living room and hall: 10 mins
3. Put away toys and dust: 7 mins
4. Open windows and fluff pillows and cushions: 2-3 mins

Bathroom:

1. Wipe toilet, sink and bathtub: 5-7 mins
2. Check if there is enough soap, toilet paper and need of new hand towel: 2-3 mins
3. Wipe mirror and de-clutter: 5 mins

Here is how to avoid getting caught in future. Make sure you do a little and often.

Hopefully, you won’t have to do all these things at once and you will have some time to slip in a nice dress, fix your hair and make-up a bit and add some snacks on the table.

If you want to be better prepared it is useful to do a little and often everyday. Have a schedule similar to this one and tailor it to your needs and lifestyle.

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