Working towards Shabbos, outside of the kitchen

It looks like this is going to be a simple Shabbos week.  Thanks to Shabbat Across America (that was more singing), we will be having dinner at the shul (it sounds like we may be hosting a table, as well... so if you sign up, ask to join our table).  We are having guests for lunch, but my modest experiments in all things freezer have left me with a big jump start on that meal.  I am left thinking: is there Shabbos prep outside of the kitchen?

Now, in my perfect world (the one where my son still naps and residency is a 9-5 job), I would have my floors scrubbed, bed linens changed, carpets vacuumed, laundry done, bathrooms spotless, and furniture dusted l'cvod shabbos.  Chatzos or not, that is just not happening in my house.  On a good week, one or two of those things will happen on Friday morning.  On a REALLY good week (like last week, thank you, DH!), we have the cleaning lady come and the house is AMAZING.  I am making so much progress toward having the essentials (um...hello!  food!) done early-- what can I do to make some progress on the state of my house?

In the past, I have made a cleaning schedule.  I can't take credit for the schedule, it is really a relic from my amazing-oh-how-do-I-miss-her-at-least-for-keeping-my-house-in-order nanny (she was amazing with DS, too, of course.  I don't miss her for that part of her job, though).  On Monday, she would do the laundry.  The floors on Tuesday.  Wednesday was the bathrooms and the linens on Thursday.  When I "retired" after DD was born (only 6 months ago, so I am still adjusting), I tried to keep up her schedule.  It worked.  Kind of.  Things slip.  Some weeks (when DH is on call a lot), nothing gets done.  Other weeks, I do just the laundry and the bathrooms.  The floors NEVER happen.  All of that was before my chatzos challenge.  Now, I can call the cleaning "a step toward shabbos"-- maybe that will help me get it done.

Today, I did the laundry (including shabbos clothes)-- l'cvod Shabbos, and confirmed my guests.  That was a big step!  Maybe tomorrow the bathrooms?