Only have 10 minutes to tidy up? Here's how to do it!

At this time of the year, we have many guests coming and going, and almost every day we have someone coming over or we're visiting someone. Sometimes, we get a call from a friend passing by, asking if it's OK if they pop in with a box of biscuits or a bottle of champagne to wish us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

It can be awkward to have guests over when the house is a mess, so I thought you could use my seven tips: how to prepare for an unexpected visitor.

Here's how to tidy up in a flash in your home (or at least make your guests think that everything is in impeccable order):

1. Sweep everything off the horizontal surfaces into a big basket or box and hide it somewhere. Once the guests leave, you'll have plenty of time to unpack and select the contents.

2. Close all the cupboards and doors. It's surprising how tidier it makes your home look.

3. Clean the mirror in the foyer and bathroom - this one-minute activity will make the whole room look cleaner and tidier.

4. Empty the sink! Guests should be welcomed by the sight of an empty and clean plate rack instead of a basin full of dirty dishes. If you have no time to wash up, you can simply hide the dishes in the oven - just make sure you don't forget about them!

5. Is the armchair filled with a huge pile of clothes to sort through? If you can't hide them somewhere, cover them with a blanket and decorate with pillows. Just make sure no one sits on them!

6. Set some mood lighting! Light a candle or a lamp. The best is to use beeswax candles, since they purify the air and the gases created through combustion won't cause any irritation.

7. Ventilate your home and spray some flower water in the air or make a chemical-free, natural air freshener! Here's how to do it: use a teaspoon to mix a tablespoon of baking soda with 8-10 drops of your favourite Manna essential oil and move the mixture to an empty spray bottle and dilute with two cups of mineral or purified water. Shake up the bottle and it's ready to use. I particularly recommend eucalyptus, lemon, bergamot and geranium essential oils for air refreshing or perfuming purposes.