I'm sure we've all had visits from those unexpected guests...the in-laws, next-door neighbor, etc. Or maybe you forgot you were going to get a visit from an old friend! Let's face it - with everyone's busy lives nowadays, we don't have a lot of time to spend cleaning all hours of the day. Working full-time (and, in my case, having a side job as a makeup artist), 3 kids, running errands, and getting meals ready on a daily takes a lot of our time!

Blessed with busy weekends [enter sarcasm here], and being the neat-freak I am, I want to at least appear that we've got our act together! I constantly have people coming in and out of my house for makeup application so I can honestly say I am now an expert.

So here it is...my tips on how to get your place spruced up when you have an hour or less...BONUS if you have children that can help!

ONLY PICK UP AREAS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE (OR POSSIBLY SEE).
This means areas like the entry way, living room, kitchen and dining room (if you have an open concept living situation) and guest bathroom. You don't have to do everything I say here especially if you don't think you'll have time so pick and choose what's most important. Do what works for you! And if you have tips for me, leave me a comment - I'd love to know your secrets as well!

1. Entry Way

• Store away your shoes. We put ours in our bedroom or downstairs in the basement
• Sweep any dust or debris (this also includes stairs)
• Put any coats or clutter in the bedrooms (if you're able)

2. Living Room:

• Fluff your pillows
• Stack magazines and recycle any dated ones
• Artfully lay (drape to the side) blankets to the side or arm of your couch
• Wipe down/Dust table tops
• Sweep hard flooring (especially if you have dark woods since dust is more prominent)
• Store toys or unnecessary items in the bedrooms or storage areas i.e. large totes, toy chest, ottoman, etc.
• Let in natural light to make the room appear more open and airy

3. Kitchen:

• Wipe up/Clear counter tops
• Put away any dishes or food articles left out in the open
• Clear stove tops of pots and pans (if possible)
• Pop dishes into the dishwasher or lay in the sink so it appears out of sight
• Recycle any unnecessary documents (because you know some of us put our stack of junk mail on the counters) or other recyclables (i.e. soda cans, plastic bottles)

4. Dining Room:

• Put away any place mats (no need to dress the table unless your house is being staged for something)
• Wipe down tables
• Push chairs in
• Put any unnecessary clutter away
• Sweep under table, if needed (this applies if you have hard flooring)

5. Guest Bathroom (wear gloves if you have them):

• Wipe down mirror, sink, and counter top
• Put away unnecessary toiletries in a storage cabinet or under the sink
• Ensure there is enough toilet paper
• If toilet is grimey, wipe down under the toilet seat (people forget this) and quickly clean the toilet bowl with preferred cleansing product
• Close the shower curtain (quickly wipe down glass shower doors if this is what you have)

If you have time, light some candles or pop in a wax warmer, scented plug-in, or whatever it is you have to quickly scent your room(s) - preferably something not too overpowering and pleasing to most.

Now don't get me wrong - I sometimes can't do all this myself especially if I have less than a half hour or I'm home alone, for example. But my 3 children are all trained in what to do and such a huge help when the time calls for it! ; -) When they're done, they'll go back to playing in their rooms or out with friends.

So there...these are my secret tips on how I appear organized and put-together. Everything I've mentioned above looks like a lot of work but, trust me, once you spring into action, it goes super fast. Just have a system down and do what works for you.

~ XOXO Mari
​

​Now some of you may have missed this in a previous post but I actually graduated with an Interior Design degree at the International Design Academy of Technology (IADT) - Seattle.  I graduated in 2010...also right about the time the job market was at an all-time low.  Awesome timing because I was told by one of my Architect buddies that the first of the jobs to disappear was anything art or design-related.  WHY, OF COURSE.. 

I was about 25 when we owned our first home - a new development in a corner lot and we were the house everyone went to - poker and karaoke almost every weekend with our 3 year old and 1 year old boys.  Guests frequently commented "Wow, you did a great job decorating!"  I was so proud then but when I think back, there was no real cohesion and most of the decor was traditional with some global and contemporary elements mixed in.  Each room was painted a different color because I couldn't bare looking at white walls...I grew up only knowing white walls with one gold, glittered wall (in our suh-weet 1970s entryway that was popcorn-textured which my brothers and I frequently picked at...I wouldn't be surprised now if it contained asbestos!).  

​It was when we moved into our 1st home that I decided to go back to college (and did I mention I had 2 little boys?!)  Photos below were taken by a selling agent...sadly, we've lost our original photos:

Shortly after our daughter turned 1, we ended up moving to our current home - a 1970s split-level in the upper Renton area.  We moved because we wanted to get the boys into a good school.  We found our home in the same neighborhood as the elementary school my boys would eventually attend.  By this time, I had already graduated from school but I was in design heaven!  The house needed work and, with the real estate market being down, we got it for a good deal.  The possibilities were endless in our new home and I could finally put my design chops to the test...BTW, the following photos are BEFORE shots and taken by the selling agent's team:   
  ​

​It is at this house my design sense started coming together.  I finally was honing in on what I liked,  style-wise.  So, my friends, this is a good way to end my blog here and hope you stay tuned for my entry coming soon on our home remodel!  

~ XOXO, Mari