I don't get the 5 minutes warning - most people just arrive here, and we're lucky if they knock before walking in! (my MIL and one of my many BIL's practically sneak in - seriously, the first we know they're visiting is when they walk into the lounge!

). So I don't get the chance to tidy up. I tidy throughout the day anyway though, and while I don't like dirty dishes staring visitors in the face (kitchen is in the lounge) and when I had a newborn hated opening the door to people in my bathrobe, everyone who comes here just takes our place as it is. My MIL is a fanatic cleaner but she's never commented about my house-keeping, and mum is just the opposite, and her only comments are along the lines of "I don't know where you got this from, sure wasn't your parents". And our friends are the non-judgemental type who wouldn't think any differently of me for not sprucing up for them

They just accept us in our half-finished DIY disaster of a house.