Start preparing your home now for holiday guests . A little elbow grease and frugality every day can lead to a more relaxed YOU.

We all know how rewarding the holidays are, but amid  the cleaning, cooking, shopping, noise (oh, the blessed noise of those grandchildren!) and  general mayhem -  is the basic desire for the host/hostess to enjoy themselves.   Start now with some of the planning and preparation  so that you will be rested and relaxed when those wonderfully noisy, hungry,  tired, and needy family members arrive from far-off places.

Up until a few years ago I would wear myself out cleaning and organizing the week before my guests arrived, then find myself hurting, exhausted, popping acetominophen, and too tired to enjoy the visit.

Older, retired, and smarter than before,  I start this process early -- like NOW - the first week in November - by getting my house spit-spot for Thanksgiving!.  There are a ton of things you can do now that will last  through the holidays.  I generally start with the guest bedrooms - stripping the beds and washing sheets, mattress covers, pillowcases and blankets, towels, shower curtains and rugs, etc....

You can save a lot and avoid those strong, chemical-laden commercial laundry detergents by making your own  - DIRT CHEAP and EASY. 

Here is the recipe:

1 cup BORAX .  Borax is a white powder used as a whitener and odor remover.  The only brand I have ever seen is Twenty Mule Team Borax, which is marketed as an additive.
1 bar SOAP,  Fels Naptha or Ivory,  generally found in the laundry aisle.
1 cup WASHING SODA (not to be confused with baking soda.)  It is a white powder, usually found in the laundry aisle.  If you have a hard time finding it locally,  you can buy it online, (check Amazon.com,) or ask your store to order some for you.

You will need a bucket or pot, about 2 gallon size for storing.  I suggest a bucket from the hardware store, with a snap-on-lid for storing your detergent.

Grate the soap like cheese, and put into a large pot.  I use the great big canning pot with handles that my Grandma Norden used for 50 years (if that pot could talk, think of the recipes it would have!)   Add 6 cups water and   heat  until the soap melts.   Add the washing soda and borax and stir constantly until dissolved.  Remove the pan from the burner,  pour 4 cups hot water into the pot.  Add soap mixture and stir until mixed.  Add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir again.  Let the soap sit for a day or so before using. and it will gel. Use ½ cup per load, more or less.

* It will be a different consistency than what you buy in the store - more of a combination of gel and liquid, which you need to shake up or stir.  It's supposed to be that way.

* I have found this to be good  for items like sheets, towels, throw rugs, and everyday clothing, but not so much for say, Grandpa's yard work shirts and jeans, or my splattered aprons.  To boost the cleaning power,  use additional washing soda and borax as an additive.. 

You  can certainly play with the mix to get it just right for your needs. 


Tomorrow we will discuss things you can do to prepare your kitchen for the onslaught of those helpful cooks!