Why so eager to impress?

Why do we clean for 24 hours (or more) when we know someone is coming to visit?
No matter what they are going to judge you the moment they walk in the door!
Why are we so eager to not let people see how we really live?
If they are judging, maybe they shouldn't be visiting! Real people live in their houses. Kids play, make messes and color on things. Dishes pile up, shelves get dusty, laundry piles up (clean or dirty).
Everyone goes through it at some point, especially if you have small children and/or busy lives.
Nobody is perfect.....why should we expect our houses to be?

I live by the motto, "I can't be the kind of housekeeper I want to be and the kind of parent I want to be at the same time".