This post is in partnership with Febreze. As always, opinions are our very own!

Did you know that 45% of Americans would prefer to skip Christmas completely? I have to admit I’ve had the same thoughts when I think of everything I have to do to get ready for holidays. Clean the house, keep it clean for guests, gifts, the perfect menu, family outings, checking off all the traditions and so on. But then it makes me sad because the holidays aren’t meant to be about perfection, they’re meant to celebrate the “reason for the season” and to enjoy family time. I took my husband to my favorite daily stop, the soda shop, and we sat in the parking lot in a quiet car for an hour and discussed ways to get more organized so our daily lives would be less chaotic. One big thing we decided was to make sure our kids were involved in the daily tasks.

We then had a quick family council and our oldest son loved that our neighbor takes off shoes at the door. I know this is a common thing in the midwest but I don’t know anyone in Arizona who does that? Regardless of weather, we’ve loved the basket by the door, no more stray shoes!

Besides the shoe basket trick, here are 4 additional tips for keeping your home guest ready. Here’s to enjoying the holidays, friends!

More baskets to store all the things! We’ve talked about baskets before to corral clutter throughout the whole house and it’s a great trick to add pretty decor but also organize clutter room by room or space by space.

Fresh smells! Guests notice the way your home smells right away so make sure it’s a good scent! Take out the trash immediately, clean out your refrigerator each time you grocery shop, and not abusing the garbage disposal are all ways to minimize kitchen odors. Cracking a window in the morning will help circulate the outdoor air to change things up. Our personal scent attack: Febreze Fabric Rain + Meadows. We love it for shoes, (hello stinky teen feet!), throws, pillows and curtains. Spray and walk away… so easy. Febreze FABRIC cleans away tough, lingering odors better than ever before because it seeks out bad odors and cleans them away by deactivating and replacing them with a light, fresh scent. Febreze Fabric Rain + Meadows keeps your hard-to-wash blankets, furniture, and clothing smelling just like new before the busy holiday season. It’s basically cleaning magic! 😉

“Power hour.” Turn off your phone, set a timer and do a quick clean! Decide on an amount of time that works for you. One of my sisters dedicates a full hour but I find that you can really get a lot done in even 5 quick minutes of undistracted picking up and putting away. Our mom was famous for wearing an apron with large pockets; in one pocket she would tuck in “go back” piles of toy and trinkets then store small pieces of trash in the other pocket.

Sweep floors daily. This isn’t my strong suit but having a Swiffer has made it easier, hence it gets done more often!

Grab your free cleaning checklist for a good fall cleaning too. What’s your best tip?