What Guests Notice First When They Come To Your House
Entertaining at your house can be fun. it can also be stressful to have people over for the first time. You want to make a good impression, so you’ll want…

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – APRIL 18: Kim Jeong-ok, 64, a singer and a part-time cleaner, and an actress in the upcoming documentary film about Dilkusha House, uses a vaccum cleaner in a living room of a private home where she works as a part-time cleaner on April 18, 2016 in Seoul, South Korea. She is one of the 23 residents – or squatters – who are living inside the house and also faced eviction before 2019 when the Seoul Metropolitan Government changes it into a museum. ‘I should cooperate with what the country does,’ she said. ‘But I’d like to live here even though it is inconvenient to live.’ The Seoul Metropolitan Government is trying to evict the squatters (with compensation) of the Dilkusha House ( House of Heart’s Delight in Hindu), a house once belonged to Albert Wilder Taylor, an American gold-mining engineer/part-time journalist who broke the news of the revolt and the crackdown by Japanese troops to the world, to renovate, to designate it as a cultural asset, and reopen by 2019. (Photo by Jean Chung/Getty Images)
Entertaining at your house can be fun. it can also be stressful to have people over for the first time. You want to make a good impression, so you’ll want to tidy up the space, but where should you start? Home and interior design experts share the first things people notice when they come into your home. Here's what Best Life shares.
- The smell - Topping the list is the scent of your space. Whether it’s pleasant or not is up to you. Joshua Blackburn, director of design and construction at Evolving Home, says. “While you may be used to the way your house smells, it might put off your visitors.” He suggests opening the windows to let fresh air in or boiling water with citrus peels for a nice aroma.
- The clutter - You probably don’t have time to clean the whole house before guests arrive, so focus on clearing the clutter. DelMonico says, “If you have piles of stuff everywhere, your home will feel cluttered and dirty. That can feel uncomfortable for the people visiting.” Work on clearing off all flat surfaces by stashing and storing everything piled up there.
- Personal touches - Once the clutter is gone, your guests can focus on the art, photos and other decor in your space. Interior designer Christy Biberich suggests adding little details like framed pictures and accessories like throw pillows and curated bookshelves to draw your visitor’s eye to them.
- Dirt and grime - But all of that doesn’t mean you can avoid actually cleaning up before guests arrive. Interior designer Paige Anderson recommends starting with the basics, like straightening the furniture, tidying the kitchen. Dusting and vacuuming to make your home look and feel refreshed. And don’t forget to hit up your guest bathroom, too.