HOLIDAY TIPS FROM THE "QUEEN"

This time of year, without fail, people ask me about their Christmas
trees -- everything from choosing just the right tree to keeping it
looking good through the New Year’s party.

First, make sure you know the height of your living room before you
select the tree. Don’t forget to allow for the height of the stand --
about 1 foot.

Shake fresh trees at the tree lot. If a lot of needles fall off, move
on to a fresher tree.

When you get home, spray the needles with fabric sizing or spray
starch before you bring the tree into the house. The needles will stay
on longer.

This is a big one -- I get questions about it every year. Water spills
under the tree. Prevention is key. All you need to do is place a
plastic tablecloth under the tree and then set the stand on it. When
you water the tree (Use a turkey baster so you don’t spill.), you
won’t have to worry about the water running through. Just lay your
tree skirt over the tablecloth and you won’t even know it’s there. If
you have a flannel-lined plastic cloth, lay with the flannel side
facing up.

Try this recipe to nourish your tree and keep it from drying out and
the water from molding and smelling. Mix 1 quart of water, 2
tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of
liquid chlorine bleach. Water the tree daily, making sure that you
don’t spill the solution on carpet or furnishings. (That’s why a
plastic tablecloth under the tree is a good idea.) You can also take 1
gallon of water to which you have added 2 ounces of Listerine™
mouthwash and water daily.

While the tree is usually the focus of your indoor decorations, it's
certainly not the only thing.

If you like to decorate with artificial snow on windows, spray on a
light coat of cooking spray before you spray on the snow. It will
allow you to wash off the snow with ease after the holiday.

If you forget to do this and have trouble removing the snow, use a
little nongel toothpaste on a sponge to rub it off.

If you have dusty glass ornaments that have hung on the family tree
for years, wipe them down with a used dryer fabric-softener sheet. It
won't damage the ornament and will help to keep dust from sticking to
it. Used dryer sheets make great wraps for storing delicate ornaments,
too.

There are many decorations that you can't put water on, things such as
wreaths and garland. To clean them, take them outside and give them a
good dusting with the blow-dryer set on cool.

Fuzzy yarn-type decorations collect dirt easily but can be tough to
clean. You can use the vacuum cleaner to clean them, but first wrap
them in a piece of net or pantyhose to keep the vacuum from sucking
out the yarn. The dust will flow through the wrap and the vacuum won't
harm the decoration.

Out of wrapping paper and have last-minute gifts to wrap? Set the iron
on low and press the wrong side of used wrapping paper to make it look
like new again. Toss pre-made bows in the dryer to fluff them and
remove the crushed look. Take used ribbon the pull it through a heated
curling iron to make it like new again.

As any parent knows, time is precious, so anything you can do to save a
few minutes is a good thing. This is especially true during the
holidays. With that in mind, I've come up with 10 time-saving tips,
from one parent to another.

1. Tell your children that Santa only comes to a clean house. It might
sound silly, but it worked on me for years!

2. Clean the house before you haul in the tree and all the
decorations. You'll probably have to run the vacuum quickly once you
have the tree in place, but believe me, it's much easier to clean the
house when you don't have to maneuver all those holiday adornments around.

3. Make lists and stick to them. You'll save lots of time and effort.

4. If somebody offers to help or to bring something to a party or
gathering, the answer is AWAYS, "Yes, Thank you!"

5. If you can shop early in the morning or late at night. That's when
the store's seem to be the lest crowded. Also, remember that the
Internet is a wonderful thing. I love online shopping.

6. Keep in mind these ideas for quick, but meaningful gifts: a Castle
Club membership, a phone card, a wine-club membership, a framed photo
of a memorable time, a give certificate to a favorite coffeehouse or
restaurant, pretty stationary with stamps.

7. Use gift bags instead of wrapping paper. They're pretty, make gifts
easy to transport, are easy to clean up and can be reused next year.

8. Make your own frozen dinners by cooking extra portions when you're
making a big meal. This will come in handy when you're rushed. They'll
also be great for kids and baby-sitters if you happen to be out at a
holiday party.

9. Get your holiday clothes cleaned in advance. Same goes for the
kids' clothes. Hang the clothes and accessories together so everything
is in one place when it's time to get ready.

10. Remove the word "perfection" from your vocabulary. The holidays
are a time to enjoy and you won't if you keep trying to make
everything "perfect."

To meet the Queen of Clean, click here and to discover more about her best selling books click here. To return home click here.