Summer is almost here. While you are enjoying the warm weather, barbecues and pool parties, raising children and going to work still keep you busy. So, when your mother-in-law calls to say she booked a last-minute flight to come visit tomorrow, your house is in no shape for visitors.

What do you do when unexpected guests are on their way, but you don’t have time for a full-fledged house cleaning? Don’t fret; there are plenty of tips, tricks and shortcuts to help you get ready fast.

Before you begin, put your cleaning supplies into one basket so you don’t waste time running around trying to find what you need. Professional organizer Jennifer Truesdale of STR8N UP, a service that specializes in residential and business organization, suggests identifying the rooms that will be used the most and take care of them first. Usually guests will enter through the foyer and spend the majority of their time in the kitchen and living room. They also will most likely need to use the restroom. Once these main areas are finished, you are ready to tackle the rest of the house – but you don’t have to fight the battle alone.

Enlist your children and significant other to get involved in the cleaning process. Divide the jobs up so that everyone has an age-appropriate task to complete and one child doesn’t feel like he or she is doing more than another. Putting the kids to work not only saves you time but also teaches them responsibility. Monica Chatman, a mother of two from Charleston, suggests letting “everyone have a room or area that they are responsible for keeping clean. Have a chore list and give rewards when chores are completed.”

Be ready for next time

Want to be better prepared for the next unexpected visit from your mother-in-law? A bit of routine maintenance such as avoiding clutter and promptly removing stains can help you face last-minute cleaning with ease.

Your first step should be to minimize, says Frank Berger, owner of You’ve Got MAIDS.

“Clear out the mess. Clutter slows you down when you need to wipe down a surface. Adopt the motto: a place for everything, and everything in its place.”

Every house has an area that tends to be the clutter collection spot, and sometimes it can be so overwhelming that it seems like there is just too much to even begin organizing. Stuffing clutter out of sight will just make your job harder in the future, so be sure to put everything where it belongs.

“If you have children or a significant other who leaves things where he or she drops them, it is a good idea to keep a basket or tote nearby for easy gathering, and carry items to the rooms where they belong,” Truesdale says.

Rather than continuing to let the piles of paper grow, make an immediate decision to file, throw away or act on each letter or document. If you don’t have time to sort right then, Truesdale suggests placing important papers in a folder and dedicating time later to organize. Make sure to get rid of all the magazines and newspapers that you really won’t read again – your house is not a doctor’s office!

Parents know all too well that children often think the house is their personal canvas. Luckily, there are easy ways to remove their artistic expressions. To remove crayon from the wall, rub carefully with a damp sponge and a small amount of toothpaste, recommends Lifetips.com. Pen and pencil marks can be removed using a dry cloth and rubbing alcohol.

If you spot a marker stain on your furniture, act quickly and apply nail polish remover followed by a damp sponge with a few drops of liquid.

Now that you are prepared for your guest, learn from the experience to prevent the stress from happening again. Set a solid organizational and cleaning system in place for you and your family, and enjoy summer’s surprises without the headache.

“Your home represents you,” Chatman says. “You want people to feel comfortable when they visit your home and not have to step over or move things when they come over. Sometimes something as simple as walking into your clean, fresh-smelling house after a long hard day can make you feel better. No one wants to get home after a long day at work and have to walk into a messy house and have to spend the remainder of the day cleaning.”

A Plan of Attack: Room by Room

Kitchen

Goodhousekeeping.com suggests you begin by throwing away or stashing unnecessary items from the countertops. Squirt and wipe off cleaner from the remaining surfaces. Dump out lingering leftovers, expired food and unused condiments from the refrigerator. If you have time, wipe the shelves and bins to get rid of spills. Put dishes in the dishwasher. Lastly, use a sweeper with disposable cloths to pick up crumbs, dust and hair from the floor. MaidPro of Charleston owner Donna Gironda says, “Make sure that your windows and your floors are clean, because then the house at least feels clean.”

Living Room

Since families tend to spend so much time in the living room, it doesn’t take long for this area to turn into a mess. Lifestyle.msn.com recommends tidying up the coffee table by clearing away papers and stashing remotes, then swiping the surfaces with a damp cloth. Dust ceiling fans, bookshelves, light fixtures, blinds and windowsills. Vacuum or sweep the floor to get rid of any debris brought in from the outside. “Buy some flowers as a diversionary tactic,” recommends Maid Brigade of Charleston owner Kershaw LeClercq. “Open your windows to let in some fresh air.”

Bedrooms

You’ve Got MAIDS owner Frank Berger suggests that those on a time crunch, “only straighten out the bedrooms your guest will have access to.” Before pulling out the cleaning supplies in the bedroom, make sure all clutter (clothes, shoes, toys, etc.) is off the floor and out of the way. Put all dirty clothing in a hamper and re-fold or re-hang the clean clothes. Throw away trash, stash kids’ toys and put all misplaced items back where they belong. Sweep or vacuum the floors and make the bed. “Make sure everything is dusted,” Gironda says. “Dusting and vacuuming are probably the most important things.”

Bathrooms

Goodhousekeeping.com suggests starting with hanging a bag on the doorknob for tossing your used paper towels and emptying the trash can. Next, grab some bleach and pour it into the toilet. Brush around the sides and under the rim, then move on to the next task for five minutes while the bleach is working. Spray an all-purpose cleaner on faucets, mirrors, countertops and in the sink and wipe off soap drips and toothpaste spatters. Check the mirrors; if they are dirty, “then the room looks dirty,” Gironda says. “Also, a lot of people don’t think of this, but change your shower liner.” Once you flush the bleach down the toilet and make sure you have clean towels, you’re ready to move on.

Visit these sites for more tips and tricks on quick cleaning:

• Goodhousekeeping.com

• Lifestyle.msn.com

• Housekeeping.about.com

• Thefunplace.com

• Lifetips.com