EILEEN ADLER

Before closing your eyes after crawling into bed, think about the celebrations that you may attend over the next few hours, days, or weeks. Breathe in the joy – it is there! This is the good king of tired, the best, the kind that comes with a job well done. But now there is a bit of housekeeping to tend to. 

 

1. If someone asks to help, let them! Assigning specific tasks may be helpful.
2. Lipstick on cloth napkins – make it easier and use paper napkins or dark-colored cloth.
3. Candles add so much ambiance but the drips, not so much. Warm the offensive drops with a hair dryer and wipe away the residue.
4. 'Salute' – Here’s to your health! Glasses break so wear protective gloves when cleaning shards of broken glass. My dad used damp paper towels to blot at the tiny fragments after the bigger chunks were cleared away. Better to vacuum than to sweep as glass particles can caught up in the broom.
5. No matter how many coasters one spreads around the room, the one spot unprotected will seem like a perfect landing spot for an unfinished drink; condensation begins and by the next morning, there may be a water ring. Make a mixture of salt and olive oil and rub it into the ring and within no time, the spot will be gone. Furniture polish will finish off the surface.
6. Did you know that red wine can be neutralized with white wine? Pour on the white wine (no, not your best one) and blot, do not rub, the wine away. Sometimes, a little soda water or even shaving cream can lit the stain if it is a bit testy.
7. Ooh – last night’s party does not smell so good in the morning. Place lemon halves in dishes around the room for a fresh scent. Ahh – so much better.