The Sabbath is almost here again and Lord knows I'm anticipating it like a kid going to Disney. After a busy week, it's such a joy preparing our house for a great day of REST! Despite all the work I put in on Friday, I know that by Saturday morning my house, namely the boys' room, will look like Katrina hit. It's OK though. I'm sure I'm not the only one who experiences that. It comes with the territory of having boys. Either way, I try to make the actual preparation as stress free as possible. We do a good bit of cleaning on Thursday so that we can enter into our rest more relaxed and calm. That may be a great option for those of y'all who have to work outside the house as well. Splitting the workload up by days makes it easier to have everything completed by Friday evening. Here's a list, organized by room, of all the things I do before Shabbat. I usually pick something quick and easy to cook for Friday and also make sure we have bread, fruit and PB&J for Saturdays meals. This week we're having good ol' spaghetti for dinner. :)
Weekly Shabbat Prep List
Laundry
-Wash any leftover loads
Kitchen
-clean and put away dishes
-sanitize counters, stove and table
-sanitize fridge
- sweep and mop floor
Bathroom
-sanitize face bowl, tub and toilet
-sweep and mop floor
Bedrooms
-make beds
-dust dressers, side table/nightstand
-vacuum or sweep floor
-pick up any random items and put them away
Living Room
-put away any items out of place
-dust shelves, table, computer desk
-sweep and mop floor
I also try to remember to wipe all the window sills, we burn a lot of incense and y'all know that can get messy. Our house is fairly small so finishing this list only takes a few hours if I can stay on task :) After it's all done, I burn incense or candles to relax the mood further and scent the house. If the weather permits, it feels great to clean up with the windows open. Also, playing upbeat music makes the time fly by and keep the energy positive. Try some reggae! I usually wait until I'm done to put dinner on but wherever you can fit it in works. Remember, preparing our homes for the most High's holy day is a privilege. Try to keep your mood happy and positive. I do this by imagining that the Lord himself will be coming through to enjoy our company and welcoming His presence while I'm cleaning. It's an honor and a privilege to obey His laws and commandments and it feels GREAT to prepare to honor the "day off" that He's given us. Before I go do my own prep, just remember...get all your shopping, cooking and cleaning done before it's dark! I hope y'all FULLY enjoy peace and a blessed rest this Sabbath day.
Shabbat SHALOM!!
Laundry
-Wash any leftover loads
Kitchen
-clean and put away dishes
-sanitize counters, stove and table
-sanitize fridge
- sweep and mop floor
Bathroom
-sanitize face bowl, tub and toilet
-sweep and mop floor
Bedrooms
-make beds
-dust dressers, side table/nightstand
-vacuum or sweep floor
-pick up any random items and put them away
Living Room
-put away any items out of place
-dust shelves, table, computer desk
-sweep and mop floor
I also try to remember to wipe all the window sills, we burn a lot of incense and y'all know that can get messy. Our house is fairly small so finishing this list only takes a few hours if I can stay on task :) After it's all done, I burn incense or candles to relax the mood further and scent the house. If the weather permits, it feels great to clean up with the windows open. Also, playing upbeat music makes the time fly by and keep the energy positive. Try some reggae! I usually wait until I'm done to put dinner on but wherever you can fit it in works. Remember, preparing our homes for the most High's holy day is a privilege. Try to keep your mood happy and positive. I do this by imagining that the Lord himself will be coming through to enjoy our company and welcoming His presence while I'm cleaning. It's an honor and a privilege to obey His laws and commandments and it feels GREAT to prepare to honor the "day off" that He's given us. Before I go do my own prep, just remember...get all your shopping, cooking and cleaning done before it's dark! I hope y'all FULLY enjoy peace and a blessed rest this Sabbath day.
Shabbat SHALOM!!
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