Holiday Cleaning: Tips for a Guest-Ready Home

Cleaning and guests are on our mind this week. We’ve been getting ready for week-end holiday guests. My family, the Murphey Sisters, plus some of the kids, are coming to visit starting tomorrow, and will stay through Sunday. We have lots of fund things planned and I’m really looking forward to the visit, but getting ready has been hard work. Here’s some tips for you if you, too, expect holiday guests. —Susan

How deep do you go when cleaning for holiday guests? There are some who take it to the extreme — but you can have a clean home without going overboard. If you think wiping down countertops and fluffing a few pillows in advance of the guest onslaught will land you on Santa’s “nice” list this holiday season, check that list twice. You can bring your home to sparkling guest-readiness without going overboard. A few of these tips will keep your home merry, bright, and clean:

• Scrub your entryway. Wipe down your front door, give the doormat a good shake, and make sure dust and dirt haven’t collected on floors and furniture legs. These are the first things guests will see when they arrive, so keeping them clean will guarantee a good first impression.
• Focus on the kitchen. People tend to gather around the food during the holidays, so make sure your kitchen looks and smells nice. Don’t forget to dust the light fixtures and flush sink drains with boiling water.
• Whatever you do, don’t neglect the loo. Don’t just wipe surfaces; break out the stiff-bristled brush and scouring powder to really scrub things clean.
• Sniff out bad smells. If you clean your home and something still doesn’t smell quite right, brew some coffee. The aroma will cover it up.
• Give your garbage disposal some love, considering how much it will “consume” this season. To cut down on odors, chop up a whole lemon — rind and all — and let the disposal gobble it up. Throw in ice cubes to sharpen the blades.
• Make sure you can see the guests coming. Keep windows clean and streak-free on the cheap with an easy mixture of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Wipe down windows with a reusable microfiber cloth.
• With all your holiday cooking, stovetops and ovens are bound to get dirty. Baking soda and water make a simple scouring solution that can scrub off that baked-on gunk.

By: Courtney Craig at HouseLogic

DoorBot: The Wi-Fi Enabled “Smart” Doorbell

We really like this product – for our house, and for yours. It’s the first “crowdsourcing” product we’ve ever considered for an investment. Watch the video, read about it, then let us know what you think.

Wouldn’t it be cool if your doorbell could also show you who’s at the door? And wouldn’t it be even cooler if it sent the video of who’s at the door to your iPad or other mobile device?

Well, the future is almost here. DoorBot is a new wi-fi enabled doorbell camera which does exactly that. From the website:

“DoorBot is a simple, yet powerful wireless doorbell that streams live video and audio of your front door directly to your smartphone or tablet. Simply install DoorBot, download the free app and you’re ready to go. Now, anytime you have a visitor you’ll not only be able to see them, but you’ll be able to talk with them as well. DoorBot is the perfect device because of the peace of mind you get while away from home, and the convenience you get while in it. DoorBot brings your front door to you — wherever you may be.”

Now, DoorBot isn’t actually on the market yet, but if the manufacturers get funding through pre-orders, the device will be manufactured and shipped to buyers. The inventor is using “Christie Street,” a website which helps inventors bring their products to market through crowdsourced funding.

Check out DoorBot for yourself:
https://secure.christiestreet.com/products/doorbot

Local News Monday

Here’s what’s happening in and around Gilroy for Team Patereau this week as we all gear up for the coming holidays.

Old City Hall is open again. In case you haven’t heard, the Station 55 crew including Fran and Bobby Beaudet have opened a restaurant there. The offerings are “California Coastal Cuisine” and they are open for lunch and dinner. Team Patereau is going to try to get over there this week. We may squeeze in a lunch, but for sure we’ll stop in on Thursday (date night!).

Holiday shopping discounts and bargains are everywhere. Team Patereau is going to get started on our shopping this week. We try to keep our holiday festivities to about two weeks. That way we are able to keep up our energy and enthusiasm for a wonderful time of year. House is decorated inside and out, with the exception of the tree. That doesn’t go up until next week.


Speaking of festivities, Susan’s family is scheduled to arrive on Friday, for a fun-filled pre-holiday week-end. The Murphey Sisters are gathering and have plans for taking in the lights at Gilroy Gardens on Saturday night, and shopping at the outlets every chance we get.