Ada Gonzalez is the creative director of Ada's Interior Design, Inc. in New York. She designs solutions that provide comfort & function with a BIG SPLASH of style WITHOUT having to spend hi-end prices on furniture & furnishings. Her designs have appeared in the Life & Style section of The Journal News and the Lohub Blog of Westchester County. In April 2007 she won a design competition called "Interior Motives". She was an Interior Decorating subject specialist for DETC (Distant Education Training Council) spring 2007. Her weekly newsletter called “Smart Decorating! E-News” is her way of reaching out and sharing decorating tips to people across the United States. To get more information go to www.adasdecoratingsolutions.com
So you received a call from a friend and you are now kicking yourself for not screening the call because it turns out that he/she/they are in your neighborhood soon to pay you an unexpected visit.
You cannot faint in despair (since you do not have time for fainting!). And, there is no need to run around in circles like the children's storybook character, Chicken Little - but instead of yelling "the sky is falling, the sky is falling", you yell "The guests are coming, the guests are coming!".
Do not panic and follow the below simple steps that will help you spruce up your home within minutes and WITHOUT spending ANY money. Whether it is a family member or an old friend we always should maintain a comfortable home for their visit.
• Kitchen. Clear the countertop of loose items to give a fresh clean look; place items in the cupboards, upper cabinets, lower cabinet and even in (my secret storage compartment) - the refrigerator; have NO dirty dishes displayed (dishwashing machine to the rescue!).
• Living Room. Reorganize picture frames on a mantle or console to all line up in order of height; have only one magazine station (stack all the magazines together neatly); clear the coffee table of small items (great space to place the presents that your guest has brought you - like flowers); put all books away (do not forget to make sure the page that was last read is marked); fluff all toss pillows in your sofa; AND do not sit down yet since you have a few minutes left to spruce up your other rooms.
• Dining room. Place fresh fruits or vegetables as the centerpiece of the table. Limes have a great earthy green color, lemons have great vibrant colors, and tomatoes have great fresh warm colors. If your guests are stopping by for dinner then have them help set up the table for eating (saves you time!) - you can simply stack the plates, placemats, utensils in a corner of the table or console so that your unexpected guests can help out when it is time to set the table.
• Bathroom. Make absolutely sure that you have an extra roll of toilet paper and hand towels easily accessible. When possible, place from 1 to 3 fresh flowers in your bathroom. Since bathrooms are usually small you do not want to overload the space with flowers, so transform the space with a touch of elegance by displaying a just one to three flowers in a vase or a small plant (scout a small plant from another room).
• Garden. Quickly clip some fresh flowers or herbs from your garden to bring indoors and illuminate your home with great aroma. NOW you can sit and rest and when your guests arrive simply ask - "what took you so long?"
Remember just taking a few minutes to spruce up your home NOW will help you enjoy time LATER when your guests arrive.
Live beautiful and comfortable!
© 2007 Ada’s Interior Design, Inc. All Rights Reserved | Website: www.adasdecoratingsolutions.com
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