Anyone who’s ever hosted guests knows that preparing for company can be a tedious process. We’ve all given up and shoved the mess out of sight under the bed before our guests’ arrival at least once. Fortunately, with a few quick and easy tips, preparing for company doesn’t have to be that hard. Here’s how to get a mobile home ready for guests in less than fifteen minutes.
Don’t stress
Even though it’s hard, try not to stress over having a time limit on your preparations. Stress will only hinder you even more in your attempts at getting everything spick-and-span. Instead, calm down and remember that your guests aren’t going to walk around your home looking for every speck of dust with a magnifying glass. In reality, they probably won’t notice the small imperfections that you’re worrying about.
Along those lines, remember that it’s not important to make your mobile home “perfect.” We all want to be the perfect host, but sometimes there are six chairs and seven guests – one of them will have to sit on the floor or the arm of the couch. But that’s okay! More often than not, it’s the thought that counts. If your guests know that you made an effort to make them comfortable, they’re going to appreciate that, not criticize any imperfections.
Multitasking
A useful method of getting things done quickly and efficiently is multitasking. While none of us can literally do two things at once, multitasking is the closest we can get – and for many people, it works. For example, if you know your sink needs to soak for ten minutes before you can clean it, allow the sink to soak for ten minutes while you’re cleaning your bathtub. By the time you’re done polishing the tub, the sink will be ready to clean. Prioritizing your time like this will easily speed up your preparation process.
You don’t have to clean everything
It’s important to keep in mind that you don’t have to clean every square inch of your mobile home for your guests. Prioritize the parts of the house that they’ll actually be seeing – the living room, bathroom, and kitchen, for example. Trying to dust every lamp shade and curtain in your spare room is only a waste of time if your guests won’t be seeing the spare room at all.
Organization is more important than perfection
Instead of trying to find a place in your crowded hall closet for the sloppy pile of movies next to your TV, just stack them neatly. Sure, you want to put everything away where it belongs, but in reality, all you have to do is make it all look neat and tidy. Your visitors won’t know that those movies should be in the closet – all they’ll see is a stack of well-organized movies. Tidying rather than trying to put everything in its exact place is a skill that’ll save you plenty of time and help to have your mobile home guest-ready in less than fifteen minutes.
Don’t have enough seating? No problem
Almost anything can work as a chair. If you don’t have enough traditional seating in your living room for your guests, don’t panic. Instead, try converting other items into seating options. This won’t take long. You’ll have more than enough seating by the time your guests arrive.
- An ottoman is a great substitute for a chair. The same thing goes for certain other pieces of furniture, like sturdy end tables.
- Bring your lawn chairs or deck chairs inside temporarily (just don’t forget to check for bugs first.)
- Beanbags – or even body pillows or giant dolls, if you have them – are a fun alternative seating option that your guests will enjoy. They’re cozy, comfortable, and a great way to create a casual feeling in your living room.
The same goes for end tables
Similarly, you may have to get creative with finding places for your guests to put things down (drinks, snacks, etc.) Like seating options, end tables are a subjective concept. You don’t have to go out and buy a fancy coffee table. Instead, just flip your laundry basket upside-down and cover it with a nice tablecloth. This takes less than a minute, and your guests won’t even know the difference.
What about the food?
So, what if you’re having surprise guests and you just don’t have any food prepared? Don’t worry – fifteen minutes is plenty of time to create some of these delicious snacks. Here’s a quick look at a few of these foods that guests will love:
- Mini sandwiches
- Sliced apples with some type of dipping sauce
- Trout canapes
Drinks
If you’re worried that what you have to offer isn’t nice enough, don’t be. Everyone loves an ice-cold glass of lemonade, and all you need for that is lemon juice and sugar. After you’ve mixed up a glass for each guest, chill them in the refrigerator until your guests arrive. Fifteen minutes is plenty of time to create a tasty drink for each of your visitors.
It’s all about efficiency
Efficiency is the key to a quick tidy-up that’ll get your home ready for visitors. Of course, a good spring cleaning won’t hurt either, but keep in mind that the best time for spring cleaning isn’t right before your guests come over. Instead, keeping it simple is one of the best things you can do to prepare when you have a limited amount of time. Ultimately, you’ll have to discover what method works best for you, but the best advice we can give is “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Trust us, your guests won’t worry about the small stuff, so you shouldn’t either!
