KATIE HOLDEFEHR
RealSimple.com
No matter if you've been preparing for a holiday party for weeks or just found out friends are stopping by in a few hours, here are some tips to make your home look instantly pulled-together. Start by cleaning the spots most likely to be noticed -- hello, kitchen counter and bathroom -- then add some metallic accents and fresh fl owers or greenery to make your home feel festive. Your place will be party-ready in no time.
Declutter the kitchen
Step one: Clear the kitchen counters. Even if you don't have time to scrub the stovetop or wash the dishes in the sink, decluttering the countertop will give the impression that your kitchen is neat and organized. Remove everything from the counters, then wipe them down with multi-purpose cleaning spray.
Next, try the tray trick: Corral anything you want to leave out on the counter on a decorative tray. The tray makes everything look neat and tidy, without having to clear off the counter completely.
People are also reading... Man shot, killed at Lentz Road home in Marion. One man arrested. Marion man faces multiple drug charges after traffic stop turns up fentanyl, cocaine 110 pounds of meth seized in McDowell County. It's the largest bust in county history More than 2,000 homes in McDowell County may get expanded high-speed internet Centro Unido's leader to take 6-month sabbatical to recharge and return with clarity McDowell Schools alum Will Kehler grew up in Marion, now leading county EMS McDowell County getting new parks and recreation director McDowell County starting $4.2 million waterline expansion in Nebo area Old Fort's new nativity scene offers sign of hope to Old Fort McDowell Tech students can now enter program that guarantees admission to App State Where are debris pickup crews working in McDowell County? There are 60 soil removal trucks in Old Fort NC conference realignment draft pairs McDowell High with Freedom, St. Stephens, South Caldwell Man shot, injured while breaking up fight in Crooked Creek area of Old Fort This is the last week of school for McDowell County. See other government closures for Christmas, New Year's McDowell County Schools gets new director of operations, auxiliary services and athletics
2 Spruce up the sofa
Next up, it's time to tackle the living room. Sprucing up your sofa is an easy way to make the whole room look cleaner. Grab a lint roller to defuzz the upholstery or lint, crumbs or pet hair. Then, fl uff up the throw pillows. If your throw pillows are looking a little fl at, try adding a second insert, and also size up the insert so it's 1 to 2 inches larger than the cover. Finally, refold any throw blankets so they look neat and the sofa looks cozy.
3 Quick-clean the bathroom
On to the bathroom: Hopefully you've already done some preliminary cleaning before guests arrive -- like scrubbing the toilet and cleaning the sink. But for the final touches right before guests show up, swap in some fresh towels and a clean bathmat. Wipe down the mirror: Spritz the cleaning spray onto a lint-free cloth first (rather than directly on the mirror), and then wipe in an S-shaped pattern to make sure the mirror is streak-free.
4 Add fresh flowers (or greenery)
Place fresh fl owers and houseplants in prime locations. They don't have to be expensive -- just look for the freshest, best-quality fl owers at your local grocery store. To make the bouquet stretch further, pull out a couple of stems to set in a bud vase near the bathroom sink. That way, you'll have fl owers in two rooms for the price of a grocery-store bouquet.
5 Dim the lights
To make your home feel festive and party-ready, take a cue from your favorite restaurant and dim the lights. You can make almost any table lamp dimmable using a plug-in lamp dimmer.
Nothing makes a room sparkle more than candlelight. Light a couple of candles, and set them in spots where you can keep an eye on them and where guests are unlikely to knock them over. Or set a few fl ameless candles in frosted votives. For extra glow, grab a strand of fairy lights and arrange them in a bowl or a glass canister.
Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.