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Clean for Passover, and still enjoy the Seder

The more Passover tips, the better. All too often we get so involved in the cleaning, the work, the physical preparation, we forget to leave energy for enjoying the seder and the rest of the holiday. Stop! Think! Do you really want to run with the bulls? That's what I call making yourself miserable for the sake of custom and forgetting that life is too important to find more reasons to be stressed out.

Cleaning for Passover can become an obsession. I keep an article published in 1993 by Kashrus Magazine by Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg on my refrigerator all year. It's called "Clean for Pesach and Enjoy the Seder". The essence is summarized well online at the Ohr Somayach site in this article called a Pesach Cleaning Primer. Essentially, stay sane, you have an obligation to enjoy the holiday, not go meshigana cleaning for it.

A few things I do to ease cleaning:

• Pay for help. It may seem like yet another Passover financial burden, but it's worth it. Get ahead of your cleaning schedule and you'll feel a LOT more relaxed.
• Don't sweat what's not chametz after Purim. If it's not done by Purim, it will only get my attention if it's chametz. No more painting, no more repairs, mildew can wait until after Pesach to be removed.
• Finish the kitchen at least two days early. You can start your cooking while the family finishes up the living room without you.

One tip that has been a lifesaver has been to make a list at Pesach of what is still missing (need a fleishig server spoon?), and keep it right at the front of the Pesach supplies. Then as soon as shopping commences, the list is taken out and all the things from last year that were missing are purchased.

Over the years, accumulate what you need to function for the week. Life before Pesach is easier and thus Pesach is more pleasant if you don't have to spend time kashering. Some things that have made a big difference:

• Pesach burners / buffet burners -- Buy an inexpensive set of burners. Then for preparation, clean your regular set with any household cleaner (nullifies chametz), close it up, open your kosher-for-passover burner range.
• Small convection oven -- For one week, live with a small oven. The time and energy saved in cleaning and kashering your oven will be well worth it. You can still enjoy freshly baked kugels and homemade macaroons with your kosher-for-passover convection oven
• Pesach storage closet -- This one really frees up my pre-Pesach preparations. No more clearing out half of my kitchen cupboards, covering them, and pulling out the Pesach dishes to fill them. I open my Pesach storage closet, remove the linens to another place, and whalla, my Pesach dishes, pots, pans, and utensils are ready to go. Packing up afterwards is simplified, too!

Start any cooking that can be done early long before the day of the seder. This will ease the pressure and allow you to insist everyone rest for a couple of hours before the big evening, including yourself.

• Seder Plate items -- Prepare these the day ahead and store in the fridge.
• Setting the table -- Set the table as early in the day as possible. It will get everyone excited, look great for anyone dropping in, and give you a chance to rest.
• Dinner menu -- Be realistic. After eating the required amounts of matzah, maror, matzah and maror sandwich, who will really miss a huge menu? Serve a nice simple menu: one main dish, a potato dish, a fresh salad, and dessert. The afikommen is also a requirement, so leave room to eat it without being in pain.