During the holiday rush, who has time to clean? You can fake a clean house with these simple tips.

• Clear away clutter from areas your guests will see. Gather up items in a laundry basket. Stow the basket out of sight until after guests leave. Stack stray books or magazines in a neat pile on the floor or in a basket beside the sofa.
• To remove odors, turn on ceiling fans or open the windows to get stale air moving. To remove lingering food odors, boil nutmeg, cloves, or cinnamon and orange peels in a saucepan on the stove, or throw something sweet in the oven. Keep frozen cookie dough in the freezer for this reason (plus, you'll have a treat to serve your guests).
• Wipe down bathroom surfaces with disinfecting wipes (don’t forget the mirror). Empty the trash. Hide cosmetics and other clutter in a container under the sink. Put out a fresh hand towel, and make sure there’s enough hand soap and toilet paper. Use a sticky lint roller to pick up hair from the bathroom floor or bathmat.
• Straighten up the entryway (your guests will see this area first). Put away shoes and coats. Tidy up with a broom or handheld vacuum. Vacuum main walkways.
• Hide dirty dishes in the dishwasher, or rinse and stack them neatly in the sink. Or, hide dishes in a large stockpot and stow it away until after guests leave.
• Wipe kitchen surfaces with disinfecting wipes. Put out clean dish towels, or fold or roll dirty towels to hide stains.
• Remove refrigerator clutter. Store items in a container and hide it away until later.
• Flip sofa cushions. Try keeping one side strictly for guests. When you are expecting company, flip cushions to the good side. After guests leave, flip them back.
• Remove pet hair from the sofa by wetting the fingertips of a rubber glove and running your hand over the sofa. The hair sticks to the rubber.
• Hide upholstery stains by placing throw pillows or draping a clean throw neatly over the soiled area(s).
• In kids’ rooms, hide pajamas under the pillow. Put stray toys in a shopping bag and hang it on a doorknob inside the closet. Pile books neatly on the floor out of the way.
• Close drapes to hide dirty windows.
• Hide dirty laundry in the washer.
• Light candles. Everything looks cleaner by candlelight.

After your guests arrive, don't apologize for the state of your home. After all, guests come to see you, not your house.