Whether it's unexpected guests arriving for the holidays, or just some friends coming over before you thought they would, there's nothing quite as stressful as having to quickly organize your home. Here are Sears Imported Autos's tips on how to clean up in a hurry.

Focus on the most important areas. If you're just trying to make your home look presentable for unexpected guests, stay focused on what your guests are going to see. This is most likely a sitting/living area, the kitchen, and the bathroom. Don't waste time on non-essentials, such as your bedroom, extra bathroom, or the attic. Make sure you have all the supplies you're going to need—cleaning supplies, vacuum, and a large container/garbage can, for example.

Clean the living room. Start by gathering all items that do'nt belong in the living room and placing them in a large container. What you do with that large container doesn't matter in the short term. Stuff it in the garage, back yard, baby's room--wherever nobody will see it. Straighten up the cushions on the couch. Arrange items on the coffee and end tables. They don't need to be arranged perfectly. They just need to be arranged. Wipe up spills and dust, if necessary. Vacuum the floor. Move on to the next room.

Clean the kitchen. Unless your kitchen is hidden from sight, you'll want to clean it. Start with a sink full of hot soapy water. If you have a dishwasher, rinse the dishes (or not) and pile in the dirty dishes. If you don't have a dishwasher, pile the dishes in the sink. While they're soaking, clean the countertops and pick up trash. If there are clean dishes that need to be put away, now's the time to do so. Place the items that don't belong in the kitchen in a large container. What you do with the container, just like the one from the living room, doesn't matter right now. Sweep and mop the floor. Use the sink water if it hasn't been used for dishes. Take out the trash, if it's full. Spray some air freshener. Move to the next room.

Clean the bathroom. At some point in their visit, your guests will use your bathroom, so don't forget to clean it. Focus on one bathroom only. If you have more than one bathroom, funnel your guests to the clean one. As with the other rooms, have all your supplies ready.

Start by picking up all dirty clothes—especially underwear—and place them in a hamper or laundry basket. Place items that don't belong in the bathroom or items that might embarrass you and place them in a large container. Get rid of the container. Gather any trash and put it in the trashcan. Take out the trash, if necessary. Wipe down the countertops and sink. Clean the mirrors with glass cleaner. Use a toilet brush and scrub the inside of the bowl. If the outside of the bowl or the toilet seat is visibly unclean, clean it. Put the supplies away.

Of course, you don't have to wait until unexpected company is on the way to clean your house, but it does provide a nice bit of incentive to do so, doesn't it?