How to Fake a Clean House

When you’re short on time, here's how to give your living spaces the illusion of cleanliness.

The Living Room:

Reserve one side of sofa cushions to be shown to guests. Before company arrives, flip over the cushions to reveal good-as-new fabric. When guests are gone, flip them back.
Rid the sofa of pet hair by wetting the fingertips of rubber gloves and gliding your hand over the sofa. The hair will stick to the rubber.
Stack books, catalogs, and magazines in neat piles on the floor or arrange them in a deep decorative basket.
To disguise windows in need of washing, pull curtain panels closed.
Fold a clean blanket neatly and drape it over a stained sofa. Strategically placed throw pillows can also camouflage soiled upholstery.

The Kitchen:

When the dishwasher is full and the sink is overflowing, stow dirty dishes and silverware in a stockpot and pull them out later to be cleaned.
Cover up the lingering aroma of last night’s supper by boiling nutmeg, cloves, or cinnamon and orange peels in a sauce-pan on the stove.
Declutter the refrigerator by taking down notes, drawings, and magnets and throwing them in a plastic bag. Sort through it later.
Fold hand towels to hide stains. Two tips: Hang the clean side over the oven handle (with the stains in the back), or roll towels in neat spirals and stack them pyramid-style next to the sink.

The Bathroom:

Glide a sticky lint roller over the bath mat to pick up hair.
Light a candle. Everything looks better (and cleaner) by candlelight.
Hang a fluffy bathrobe on top of damp towels dangling from the hooks on the back of the door.
Store a rattan or canvas basket on top of the toilet and throw in stray cosmetic brushes.
Hang fresh guest towels. The humidity in this room makes textiles look droopy, even after a recent machine washing.
Mound cosmetics and hairstyling products in a container underneath the sink. In a pinch, pile them in the tub and close the shower curtain. Cross your fingers that guests don’t snoop.