Every weekend, either Friday night or Saturday night, we have six people around our dining room table, basically geeking out and eating food that's generally too rich but never too thin. The first couple of times we hosted (and, as the only couple with a child, we always host, rather than pay a babysitter), I freaked out and spent hours cleaning the house. I've got it down to a mellow routine now, one that I thought I'd share with you:

Step One: get the Ryobi dustbuster and suck away all the cat fur from the hardwood floors in the kitchen, hallway, bathroom, dining room, and living room. I would use our regular vacuum for this, but our regular vacuum doesn't work at all on hardwood or lineoleum. Any tips for a vacuum that does work for these surfaces? I'm all ears.

Step Two: Wipe down all bathroom/toilet/sink surfaces with Lysol disinfecting wipes.

Step Three: Clear off the dining room table and wipe it down with disinfecting wipes.

Step Four: Empty all garbage cans. Ask Monstro to take out the garbage.

Step Five: Empty the dishwasher (having run it earlier in the day) and put the remaining dirty dishes in it.

Step Six: Wipe down kitchen countertops and stove with disinfecting wipe.

Step Seven: Use a lint roller on the upholstered chairs to remove cat fur.

Step Eight: Change out of yoga pants, put on a bra, and welcome guests as they arrive.

Viola! Nothing to it!