Last week I went on a business trip with my DH. While there it dawned on me that a childhood/high school friend lived in the city we were in. I called and he offered to drop by and pick me up while DH was in meetings. If he were my DH I would have...well let's just say paniced.

Their home was in perfect order and believe me there were no skeletons in the closet because I got the full tour...closets and all. I was so impressed!! Did I mention they have a toddler!! How can I organize and maintain a house that's "drop in" ready like that? How do you organized ladies do it?

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Nadene

Drop by ready by my standards??....or drop by ready by others?? That is the question. I am pretty comfortable with the condition of our house most anytime. However - I have 4 kids and whomever is stopping by most often knows that. My house will never look pristine as if I (or DH and I) are the only ones living here but it will look clean and organized for a family of 6.

You may get a tour of the whole house....just expect there to be toys in most every room, the closets are full, and I may have to pull up a bed or two.

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No no no! I don't like drop in guests at all. No one ever drops in when the house is perfectly cleaned, it's always when it looks like it exploded. It freaks me out.

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The mighty oak started out as a nut that held its ground.

I DETEST drop in guests. I am a mom of six..and my house is always clean but also always CLUTTERED. If I know someone is coming, I can do clutter control. If I don't know they are coming, I don't enjoy their visit, worrying about the clutter around us! BUT, if I did work outside the home, I do think I would be able to leave my house clean each day. I know that when we go on trips, etc, I always clean to come home to it nice, and my kids' rooms stay clean with them in school. It is much easier to clean everything up at night that they got out, and then know it is done for the next day. Staying at home, though, with three little ones with me..just NO way to drop in guests.

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Shaking in my boots (well, if I was wearing them in the middle of summer!), but glad to be back!

I keep the main rooms in our house drop in ready and the rest are ok, but not pristine. I would never open a closet for a guest. My mom told me when I was struggling with housekeeping that the key is to put your house to bed each night. She raised 7 kids and it was always a circus, but never a mess. It also helps for everything to have a place. I know that's hard, especially when you are growing out of your house, but I purge regularly and try to keep on top of the constant flow of paper.

Each night when I do the dishes, my husband bathes the kids, and I put the house to bed. The kids pick up their toys, I wipe down tables that are sticky/dirty, and put everything back where it belongs. Then in the morning, I unload dishwasher, make beds and wipe down the bathroom. We have a playroom which helps a bunch. Toys stay in the playroom and I never apologize for toys being out in the playroom.

I think this is kind of scattered, but I hope this helps.

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Dottie

Mom to Michael 6, Matthew 4, Katherine 2, Ellen 1, and new baby EDD 10/29/08

mine is drop by ready- I may have that one stack of papers on the buffet in the kitchen- though that is it. I can not stand clutter and I have the kids pick up probably twice a day when there toys are out of control- I find them just throwing them around when they have to many out. Also most of there toys are in there rooms and I just have a small toy box in the family room.

Oh my god NO!!!! Actually lots of times if the door bell rings and I don't know someones coming I don't answer the door...okay actually MOST of the time. I always jokingly tell people to give me two weeks notice before they come by...although it's not really that much of a joke. What can I say...I SUCK at housecleaning.

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I think my house is basically drop in ready. The only thing that would bug me the most would be the dog hair. I feel if my house is vacuumed then it feels clean. Can't stand to see the dog hair on the kitchen floor. God forbid if someone sat on the carpeting in the living room. (I'm quite dog hair obsessed)

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Mary

I have kids and some them kids that I watch so I try to have it company ready the most that is out is toys in the living room!! But for the bedrooms that is one thing I am woking on. I want them to be presentable at all times too. The kids are in school so it shouldn't be that hard.

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Lisa

Even when freshly washed and relieved of all obvious confections, children tend to be sticky. ~Fran Lebowitz

More often than not it's ready for drop-by company.

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