6 Things that instantly make your house look cleaner

You want a place for your guests to hang their coats, right? Gather the coats, shoes and bags that tend to accumulate in that area, and move it all to a bedroom or closet.

There’s just no time to sweep or vacuum your whole house, but do a quick once-over to high traffic areas, like the entryway, main hallways and living room — places you know your guests will see. Use a cordless vacuum like Hoover’s Air Cordless to quickly move from room to room.

Piled-up junk makes your house look worse than it is. If you don’t have time to put everything in its place, just fill a laundry basket with everything that’s not where it belongs. Store it in a closet or the basement until your guests go home.

Making the bed is the easiest way to make your bedroom look neat and tidy. Throw the covers up over yours, and send the kids to take care of their own. While you’re there, pick up any dirty clothes and toss them into a closet or hamper. Mission accomplished.

Nothing says “I’m a housekeeping slacker” like a mile-high pile of dirty dishes. Patrick Flynn, CEO of Wicked Clean, says you should clear out the kitchen sink to instantly give your kitchen a cleaner feel. Do you have a dishwasher? Throw all those dirty dishes in there and shut the door. No one will be the wiser.

Drop some toilet cleaner in the water, and while you wait for that to work its magic, get to work on the rest of the room. Wipe down the sink and toilet surfaces, sweep the rugs (just shake them outside if you’re really pressed for time), and close the shower curtain. Are there wet towels or dirty laundry littering the room? Toss them behind the shower curtain — we promise not to tell. Swish the toilet with a cleaning brush and you’re done.