Housekeeping Tips for the Holidays

The holidays are upon you, and you're not ready. You are coming down with a cold, the kids are flying everywhere, and hubby wants some time off from the job the house and the kids. How to get the house ready without stressing out everyone in the process? The smart way to enjoying throwing a holiday party is to get the work done ahead of time and enjoy celebrating in your own space with loved ones and friends. The knack is to think ahead and make sure you are ready for any contingency. Here are some tips.

1. Sort laundry by what you'll need for the next few days. Buy real guest towels guest can use, not just admire. Discard old or frayed tablecloths, linen, and bath towels. Put everything else out of the way like the garage or the laundry room. Take down bills, personal notes, work related items, and other private communications and make sure they are not where strangers can find them or carry them away.

2. Put all projects, mail, correspondence and follow up work in a file box and out it away in a closet. It's hard to clean when papers and stuff is around. Dedicate one hour a night to intensively cleaning the rooms and floors, and make sure anybody who messes it up knows they have to redo the job personally themselves. About one hour before everyone arrives, send the whole family around the house with wet wipes, looking for scuff marks, stains, carpet problems and evidence of badly behaving pets.

3. Holiday get togethers mean photo ops. Get a sign with "Chrsitmas 2007" on it and hang it in a prominent place. Make an area for group pictures and snaps for the scrapbook. People often scan the entire house looking for a blank wall or big space. Have it organized in advance, and make sure hangings or items in the background are removed or have some holiday appeal. You'll see that awful wall calander or dogs playing poker print for decades to come otherwise.