20 Last Minute Ways to Make Your Home Look Guest-Ready (When It’s Actually Kind of a Mess)

Are you a robot who is always ready for spur-of-the-moment guests? Good for you! The rest of us humans need to fake it once in a while. Here are twenty easy ways to do just that. Make your home look loads better in a hurry with one or two (or more if you’re feeling motivated!) of these low effort, high-impact (and dirt-hiding) tips.

20. Sweep clutter from all visible surfaces.

19. Make the bed.

18. Clean the bathroom mirror.

17. Light a candle.

16. Putting out a store-bought snack? Decant it into your own bowl.

15. And set it on a tray.

14. Use cloth napkins.

13. Take out the trash.

12. Brew some coffee (that delicious smell covers up anything else).

11. Make sure there’s toilet paper.

10. Plump your sofa pillows.

9. Get the dishes out of the sink.

8. Cut some flowers for the table (or move a few plants in from another room).

7. Skip the house altogether and usher them straight outside.

6. Tidy your entryway (it’s the first thing they’ll see).

5. Close everything you can — kitchen cupboards, laundry hampers, desk drawers.

4. Turn down the lights (sexy lighting hides all sins).

3. Put on some music.

2. Hand your guests a drink (or two!).

1. NEVER apologize for the state of your home. You’ll only point out what they probably would never have noticed anyway.

Your turn, tell us your favorite tips for quickly getting guest-ready.