Set a beautiful holiday dining table one day before Christmas If the demands of the holidays always seem to bunch up in the frantic last few days, why not try these timely tips on cleaning, organizing, decorating and cooking, courtesy of Home Made Simple online at homemadesimple.ca. Here's a sampler of their 30-day countdown to the holidays:

4 Weeks Before:

Get Out Your Calendar: Mark parties, concerts and tasks. This allows you to schedule when to clean, bake, wrap, decorate, shop, and reserve time for yourself and family.

Gifts: Buy as much as possible in advance and wrap them immediately.

Holiday Food: Gather recipes, take inventory of ingredients needed, check for available food containers and make a master-shopping list.

Clean and Purge: If you do one good clean now you can keep it up quickly through the month by spot cleaning here and there throughout the holidays. Tip: Make jobs simple with supplies like Swiffer Dusters and Swiffer Sweep+Vac, as well as Mr. Clean MagicReach and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. This is the time to clean any hard to reach places like bathrooms, ceilings, corners and under sofas and tables. The extendable handles on MagicReach and Swiffer Dusters are ideal for these jobs.

2-3 Weeks Before:

Time To Bake: Lay out all the ingredients and baking supplies right at the start to make the task more organized and enjoyable. Bake, then freeze for future needs. Tip:Clean up after baking can be easy. Wash baking pans and utensils with the grease-cutting power of Dawn in the sink or Cascade 2in1 ActionPacs in the dishwasher.

Trim The Tree: This is a great event for the whole family, especially if you have hot chocolate, sweet treats and holiday music on hand. Examine all decorations and lights (see tree trimming tips at homemadesimple.ca) and to make sure everything will sparkle, give them a thorough dusting with Swiffer Dusters.

1 Week Before

Fill The Freezer: Prepare make-ahead dishes and freeze. These will be a lifesaver after a long day of shopping or for unexpected guests.

Raid The Fridge: Clean out and free up space on the inside. Use Mr. Clean Antibacterial Multi-Surface Cleaner on the outside to give it a streak-free shine.

Make Your Entrance Grand: Clean and free up space in your hall closet. Tip: Use Febreze Air Effects in your closet to eliminate odours. Use Febreze Fabric Refresher to eliminate odours and freshen the rugs and carpets. Use Magic Eraser by Mr. Clean to remove scuffmarks from door trim, doors and handles.

1 Day Before:

Set The Stage: After a quick spot clean, set a beautiful holiday dining table and place fresh candles and flowers throughout the house.

- News Canada