Emergency House Work Made Easy

So, just what do you do when you get that call from a neat nick friend, saying she will be over in 15 minutes?? Tell her you are just leaving and then pull your car into the garage, close the shades and turn off the lights??  No! With a minimal amount of preparation, you can be ready to emergency clean your home!  Granted, nothing would be better than if it were already clean, but, hey, we're all human!

A little preparedness!

Make the most of your furniture: If you have furniture that has storage inside of it, keep it empty.  A great example of this is the neat old trunks that many use for coffee tables.  Many coffee tables have cupboards underneath,  and even some couches have storage under the seat.  If you don't have any furniture of this sort, dont panic, laundry baskets work too!  Round up everything that is out that shouldn't be and dump it in.  Now is NOT the time to figure out what is whose and so on.  Load up the trunk and close it tight. (Or the basket and put it in a room that will not be seen by your company!)


The Kitchen Sink:

Breakfast and or lunch dishes still on the table?? make or buy a wooden cutting board that fits perfectly over your sink. Dump them in the sink and put the board over it.  Your guest will be none the wiser! 


Surfaces:

Since you really don't have the time to be sweeping and vacuuming and wiping the counters right now, don't do it unless it is absolutely necessary!


Do you have one drawer??

Take one drawer and designate solely to this purpose! Inside it, keep the following:
~A tablecloth
~A hand towel for the bathroom
~Pretty paper plates
~Matching napkins
~Plastic cups if you wish
~Plastic silverware
~A nicely scented candle
~Matches or a lighter
Put the tablecloth on the table and run to the bathroom to replace hand towel with the one from the drawer.  Set out the appropriate number of plates and napkins etc., and then light the candle.


In The Freezer:

Try to keep a few goodies on hand in the freezer.  Some cookies or brownies ought to do just fine. The first thing to do when you hang up the phone is pull these out so they can warm up!  Then put on the coffee

Now that you are ready for your company, who should be here in 2 minutes, you can relax! Have a great time, and as your friend leaves, maybe let her know how much you love her company. Lucky for her you were ready today, maybe next time she could give you a little more notice!


The End Is Near:

Your company is gone, but you aren't quite done! Remember the sink? Remember all the things you threw under the bathroom cabinet, and into the laundry basket sitting in the garage?? The emergency drawer?? The freezer things you used?? Put everything away where it really belongs this time, restock the drawer, and make sure you still have goodies in the freezer for your next drop by guest!!