Thanksgiving Sanity

Thanksgiving Sanity

By Nicole Hubbard, Hubbard’s Maid Service

Do you feel guilty that you are not yet prepared to celebrate, Thanksgiving?  Shouldn’t you be calling the blended family to see who is coming to the Thanksgiving Meal and who isn't?  Worse yet, the turkey hasn't been purchased and you haven’t even cleaned the powder room!

For many people, especially women, Thanksgiving is not fun.  It is the season for Prozac.  Just remember, the reason we love Martha Stewart is because it is a fantasy and not real.  Fantasy is fun.  It can be an ideal to strive towards, but it is not real and neither is the Norman Rockwell painting of an American family enjoying that turkey you haven't yet bought.

On the other hand, Thanksgiving should be a time of peace.  An inner peace for oneself, and a time of reflection and gratitude for all the good things that have come our way, however small.  It’s not about having the house picked up and sparkly clean.  It’s about having enough grace to be patient with that annoying relative who is sitting beside you at the dinner table.  That is much more beautiful than a perfectly manicured home.

But I am concerned with providing you some tips and tricks that might help you to create a successful Thanksgiving celebration. 

First, if you don’t have enough time for a heavy cleaning of your home before the holidays, just before the guests arrive, spray some diluted bleach around the house.  (Just make sure that you don’t spray it on any fabric or painted item). When people smell bleach in a room, they are assured that the room has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized

Another very basic tip which you have heard of before, and it really works –(I use it!) is to have the appropriate cleaners stashed in each room. This cuts down on the time you have to spend running from room to room, from the kitchen pantry, to under the sink, to the broom closet, to get the items you need to clean with.  Have all the cleaners you would need for the bathroom in the bathroom and duplicate the same process for each additional area.  It may cost a few extra bucks to have extra cleaners in each room, but if it is already there, with accompanying cleaning rags and paper towels, what you will save you in time and efficiency will be priceless.  An additional bonus will be that with the appropriate cleaners close to hand, you are much more likely to actually use them! It may seem kind of silly or OCD, but once you have the system in place you will love it.  Life is so busy you really have to pay attention to the seconds and the minutes to maximize your efforts.

Another tip is to utilize an ostrich feather duster.  Make sure you purchase an ostrich feather and not a turkey feather as the turkey feather is inferior.  Feather dusters are a great tool to do a quick dusting.  Just use big even strokes, moving the dust from up high to down low where you can sweep or vacuum the dust out of your house.  Good ostrich feather dusters are expensive, but more cost effective than Swiffer dusters, as they will last about 1-2 years if used regularly and if taken care of properly.

Also, if time is minimal, think strategically.  You don’t need to have your WHOLE house clean if guests are coming.  Close all the bedroom doors.  Guests will be in the kitchen, dining room, powder room, and living room. Focus on these areas only. To add a little sparkle, use wax or furniture polish on your sink handle and faucets to give them a little shine. The more clean smelling, shiny and glossy your home looks the less likely anyone is going to notice the dingy baseboards.

Most importantly remember, it isn’t about perfection, it’s about peace.

Happy Thanksgiving!