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Making sure your home is not too hot or too cold is key to the comfort of your guests.
Lighting can create a welcoming ambiance in your home. You may wish to turn on some table lamps or increase the wattage in some bulbs. A dimly lit home could make moving around the space difficult.
The entryway to your home is the first space your guests will notice, so you want to make sure it's clean and clutter-free.
Bare walls can make a space feel unwelcoming. You may wish to add some photos or art to your communal areas.
Houseplants not only have mood-boosting properties, but they also tend to be a conversation starter, which will come in handy if you're having a group of people over.
Don't worry about tidying away books and magazines, as they can be a good talking point for guests.
Cleaning common areas is more than enough; don't worry about ensuring everything is spotless. Remember, guests are there for you, not your home.
If you have long-term guests staying over, you won't need to do a full closet cleanout; just ensure they have a few hangers for their clothes and a drawer or two.
Don't worry about finishing home-improvement projects before hosting short-term guests. Painting walls or fixing cracks can wait until you have some free time.
You don't need to have your carpets or rugs cleaned professionally before guests arrive. A quick vacuum to pick up dust or debris will be more than enough.
If you have a laundry room, don't make it a priority to clean or tidy it if you only have guests over for an afternoon or evening.
Most guests will be visiting for a short period of time, so don't spend your time cleaning inside appliances like dishwashers, microwaves, and ovens.
If you have children, you may want to tidy away the majority of the toys, but your guests won't judge you for having the odd toy lying around.
It's unlikely guests will look inside your refrigerator, so there's no need to organize it before people come over. You may, however, want to wipe away any old spills and throw out expired food.
Unclean towels and bed linens are off-putting to guests, so make sure towels and sheets are freshly laundered before they arrive.
Putting away dishes and wiping down appliances and countertops is enough to make the kitchen look presentable before guests arrive. You may also want to light a candle to eliminate any lingering food smells.
Unless you'll be giving a room tour or hosting guests overnight, you don't need to make sure your bedroom is spotless.
Sources: (Reader's Digest) (HuffPost)
See also: Things you never knew you could put in the washing machine
Guests will smell any rotting or smelly food in the trash when they enter your kitchen or home. Throw out the garbage before you have people over, and clean the inside of your trash can with soap and water.
Before guests enter your home, they will notice if your front door or windows are dirty. It's a good idea to wipe down any external surfaces before people arrive.
The scent of your home greets guests as soon as they enter. You may have become accustomed to the smell of your home and not realize if it needs freshening up. You can make your own air freshener or purchase a diffuser.
If you own cats, dogs, or an indoor rabbit, you will likely have pet hairs all over your home. You should vacuum your couches and sweep over soft furnishings with a pet hair roller.
Ensure your mirrors are spotless, particularly the ones in the entrance hall and bathroom.
Tidy away any clutter around your home, such as piles of mail on the coffee table or dishes left on the kitchen counters.
Glass shower doors can look cloudy after use, so remove hard water stains with equal parts water and vinegar before guests come over.
If you have hard surface flooring, choose damp mopping over wet mopping to eliminate streaks. Ensure your floors are dry before guests arrive so they don't slip!
Guests will definitely notice if the floors are dirty. You don't need to go to extremes; a once-over with the vacuum will be sufficient.
You don't need to worry about dusting every nook and cranny, but it's a good idea to dust any obvious areas like coffee tables and lampshades.
Guests will notice any grime or dirt in your bathroom, so clean the sink, toilet bowl, and shower before they arrive. You should also give the door handles a quick wipe.
Mold can grow anywhere, from bathrooms to bedrooms and your guests' eyes will divert to those telltale black spots. Not only will mold spores show you haven't cleaned, but some types can be toxic.
If you live in an area with high humidity or your home suffers from high moisture, you may wish to invest in a dehumidifier.
Having people over at your home can be stress-inducing, particularly if you're a perfectionist. Even if you spend hours cleaning beforehand, you may struggle to relax when they arrive, worrying about what your guests will think of your space and if they have noticed that nook you forgot to dust.
But do people really pay close attention to the details when they visit someone else's home? This gallery reveals everything you'll need to clean before visitors arrive and what you can totally skip. Click to discover more.
Things guests immediately notice about your home (and things they don't)
What really needs cleaning and what you can ignore
LIFESTYLE Hosting
Having people over at your home can be stress-inducing, particularly if you're a perfectionist. Even if you spend hours cleaning beforehand, you may struggle to relax when they arrive, worrying about what your guests will think of your space and if they have noticed that nook you forgot to dust.
But do people really pay close attention to the details when they visit someone else's home? This gallery reveals everything you'll need to clean before visitors arrive and what you can totally skip. Click to discover more.