There's nothing wrong with taking a shortcut when you're pressed for time.

If unexpected guests arrive, shoving the mess in the living room into the hall closet works for the moment. And when they give you advance warning? You can do a more thorough job of tidying up.

Ericka McConnell for Real Simple (ENLARGE)

Scrub off dry, dead skin in five minutes with a good exfoilant.

Ericka McConnell for Real Simple (ENLARGE)

Nail polish is a must when you're wearing sandals.

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The same is true for pedicures: You don't need a full hour at a salon to groom your feet for summer sandals. The key is to do just enough in the time you have to make your feet presentable. Read on for two-, five- and 35-minute routines. You'll get sweet feet, and you may just wind up with a few minutes to spare.

TWO MINUTES

0:00 to 1:30: Buff

Use a buffing block to smooth each nail surface and remove yellow stains. Start with the gritty side, then switch to the smooth side, which gives a high shine. You can also use the gritty side to soften skin at the tips of your toes, says John Gerardo, a nail technician at Spoiled a Day Spa in Studio City, Calif.

Real Simple pick: Sephora 4-Step Buffer, $5, www.sephora.com.

1:30 to 2:00: Moisturize

When feet are hydrated and free from dry patches, they automatically look well-groomed. Massage a rich foot cream into your skin, paying close attention to the driest areas, including the backs of the heels and around the cuticles.

Real Simple pick: L'Occitane Lavender Relaxing Foot Cream, $20, www.loccitane.com.

FIVE MINUTES

0:00 to 2:00: Scrub

Dip feet into a tub of warm water and pat dry. Massage a handful of a scrub onto the skin. Choose an oil-based product, which will moisturize as it exfoliates dead, dry cells.

Real Simple pick: Product Body Sugarfoot Sugar Shea Foot Scrub, $22, www.productbody.com.

2:00 to 3:00: File

"Quickly file nails straight across to even out their shape," says Ann Moore, a nail technician at the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, Ariz.

3:00 to 5:00: Polish

Wipe off any oil left on the nails from the foot scrub with polish remover. Then apply a quick-drying topcoat to make nails look shiny.

Real Simple pick: Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat, $10, www.drugstore.com.

35 MINUTES

Soften skin by soaking feet in warm water. Add a handful of salts to help soothe tired feet.

Real Simple pick: Pañpuri a Path Less Ordinary Foot Herbal Salt Bath, $26.50, www.amazon.com.

3:00 to 6:00: Exfoliate

Pat your feet dry, then slough off dead skin cells with a dry foot file, says Sarah Chambers, a nail technician at Brownes Beauty Lounge in Miami. Choose a file with a medium grit.

Real Simple pick: Tweezerman Spa Callus Smoother, $20, www.tweezerman.com.

6:00 to 10:00: Trim and file

Trim nails straight across using a straight-edge clipper. Use three cuts on each nail, as clipping the whole nail at once can cut it too close to the skin. Smooth the edges with a fine-grit emery board.

10:00 to 11:00: Moisturize

Rub a rich cream on your feet, top and bottom. Don't forget your heels and cuticles.

Real Simple pick: Curél Deep-Penetrating Foot Cream, $5 at drugstores.

11:00 to 20:00: Polish

Clean leftover cream from nails with a cotton pad soaked in polish remover. Apply a base coat, two coats of nail color and a topcoat.

20:00 to 35:00: Dry

Give nails at least 15 minutes to dry before slipping on open-toed shoes. (It can take up to two hours for them to dry fully.) To speed things up, apply quick-dry drops after the topcoat.

Real Simple pick: O.P.I. Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops, $7, www.opi.comfor locations.

CURING COMMON PROBLEMS

Steer clear of common foot problems that make you scared to slip on sandals.

Calluses and cracked heels

Made up of layers of dead skin, calluses form to protect your feet against un-cushioned shoes. When calluses form on the heels and become very dry, they can crack from the force of walking.

Prevention: Exfoliate daily to keep dead skin cells from building up. The Kik-N-It Callus Remover & Smoother ($10 for two, www.kik-n-it.net) sticks to the shower floor. Just rub the bottoms of your feet on it as you wash. (The product can easily be removed.)

Chafed skin between toes

The area between the big toe and the second toe is susceptible to rubbing when you wear flip-flops, resulting in red, raw skin.

Prevention: Wrap padded tape around flip-flop thongs to cushion your skin. Try Dr. Scholl's For Her Rub Relief Strips ($7.50 at drugstores).

Blisters

When skin rubs against a shoe, a sac filled with fluid forms to protect the irritated area.

Prevention: Protect areas that rub, like the backs of heels, with Band-Aid Activ-Flex Blister Block Stick ($6 at drugstores). It creates a slick barrier on skin to reduce friction.