Maybe Martha Stewart didn’t say it directly, but we know what she’s thinking: a messy house or apartment could be a major turn-off for your potential BF or GF. It’s hard to blame someone for not wanting to spend time in a messy house, either… We bet you don’t even want to hang out in there sometimes.
It’s time to change all that.
Here are seven of the worst messes to make prior to inviting your love interest over. Clean them up and you might just find yourself in a relationship that’s just as shiny as your place. And to that, all we can say is, Daaaaaamn.
- Grungy Bathroom
This has to be the number one offender as far aCs reasons for never wanting to see a guy or girl again. Can you imagine someone stepping into your bathroom and recoiling? If so, you probably need to grab the nearest sponge and get to work.
Your bathroom cleanup should focus on the spots your date will see and potentially examine. We’re talking the sink, the countertop surrounding the sink and, of course, the toilet. The sink is an especially egregious offender, so make sure to scour it for dried-up toothpaste and shaved beard hairs. Yuck.
- Dirty Sheets
Your date is going to be less inclined to climb into a bed that smells more like you and less like, you know, laundry detergent. Everyone loves sleeping on clean sheets, and you should know how to handle that without our instruction. Take it to another level by actually making your bed, too.
- Dirty Towels, Too
Marrying tip one and two, we also suggest that you wash your bathroom towels before you have someone over. Don’t wait for a significant other to inspire you to do it — get in the habit in order to lock down your relationship. That way, your guest can wash his or her hands and dry them without getting them dirty or smelly with a musty towel. Ugh.
- Hairy and/or Dusty Couch
Netflix and chill is waaaaay less cute when your guest gets covered in pet hair in the process. Take a handheld vacuum to the cushions before he or she arrives. In fact, you should do this even if you don’t have pets. Couches have a tendency to gather hair, dust, dirt, pizza crumbs… nothing kills the mood quite like realizing you’re kissing on a couch that’s kinda dirty.
- Crumby Rugs and Floors
Similarly, to tip four, you need to take care of any crumby and otherwise crusty floors before you invite someone over to your place. It’s pretty likely that you’ll both take off your shoes, so you want those floors sparkling. A vacuum or broom will take care of the dust bunnies and food crumbs, while a mop will take care of stains, as well as any lingering dust or dirt. To that end, whip out the vacuum and take care of any area rugs, too.
- Dingy Fridge
“Hey, can you grab that wine out of the fridge?” It’s a question that’s innocent enough… until your date opens the door and sees what’s inside. We don’t know what you’ve got going on in your fridge, but, chances are, it’s not good if you’re reading this article. Take some time to really clean it out before your date arrives. Throw away old and smelly stuff, clean up any spills and organize everything so that it’s easy to grab that wine and get on with your evening.
- Cloudy Cups
Once you’re ready to pour the wine, you need to make sure that the receptacle is just as shiny as your fridge — nobody wants to drink out of a foggy or fingerprinted cup. Most of the time, a run through the dishwasher or a regular, old hand wash should do the trick. If not, try a bit of hot water mixed with vinegar. It’s a combination that some people even use to wash their windows, so you know it’s going to make your glasses nice and see-through, just as they should be. (And, if you don’t have wine glasses before your date comes over, get out and buy some of those, too.)
See? It doesn’t take much to get your place ready for your next date, but it does take something. Set aside some time the morning before your big night and make the place look its best — you’ll end up looking pretty daaaaaamn good in the process, too. Martha Stewart would be proud.
