Ramadan is around the corner, it’s the time dedicated to spiritual reflection, self-purification, charity, and food fest with families or friends. To reduce energy consumption and effort levels while fasting, people tend to spend more time in their houses during Ramadan than during other months. Thus, it is important to keep your space comfortable, nice and clean. During the Holy month of Ramadan, people are unlikely to spend their time with tidying up or ironing, for a simple reason that these activities might leave someone dehydrated. Being hungry and tired can be very tough. This is why we have prepared for you a quick Ramadan preparation checklist and tips that will make your life easier.
Helpling offers you a checklist for Ramadan preparation
In the bedroom – recycle, donate and reorganize your clothes. Welcome the Holy month with a good deed. Go to your closet and start reorganizing it. Take all the clothes that you haven’t been wearing for a while and set them aside for recycling. Remember Ramadan is a month of goodness, generosity and mercy, so try your best to give clothes that you no longer wear to those in need. Give with generosity, do not give with the mentality.
Dining area – If you intend to host a big gathering of family and friends for iftar, make sure the dining area is spacious enough to fit all your guests. Make yourself and your guests feel comfortable by reorganizing the dining area. Having your family or friends over for Iftar can be quite overwhelming. Therefore, delegating the cleaning or cooking to someone else can be a good idea. Don’t forget, Iftar is not a food festival but an opportunity to share food with others while taking part in a spiritual experience. Therefore, make sure to cook a reasonable amount of food to avoid throwing the rest in the bin. If you end up with extra food, donate it to your surroundings, your security guards or the workers in the corner of your neighborhood.
Kitchen – It is important to keep your kitchen clean and tidy while cooking. This is where Helpling offers a helping hand, by providing you with cleaning sessions for the reorganization and cleaning of your kitchen. Worried for not having enough time for the preparation of your home-cooked meals? Reduce the time spent in the kitchen by rearranging it. Labeling all spice jars from cinnamon to pepper will minimize confusion and help you locate everything quickly and conveniently. As a rule of thumb, place items that you regularly use in accessible areas. Make sure you place the food that will expire soon under your sight so that you don’t end up throwing it away.
Preparing your Iftar & Suhur menu – Plan your dishes at least a week before Ramadan to avoid time consumption, stress and confusion. Think first about the dishes that you prefer having during Ramadan, then write the ingredients down for your next grocery shopping trip.
Prepare some food in advance – if you’re having a busy day at work or with your children and you do not have time to prepare your food during your fast day. Prepare your delicious home-cooked dishes in advance and make sure to keep it in the freezer to avoid decay or deterioration. That way you can save your precious time and energy during Ramadan.
Decorate – You might also want to buy some special decoration for Ramadan. Make yourself and your guests feel the Ramadan spirit. Create a special atmosphere, with a Ramadan lantern, oriental coffee pots, etc. Invest in buying these little cute things that can set the Ramadan’s ambiance and mood.
Eat healthy! We obviously have less time to eat in Ramadan, this is why we need to pay more attention to what we are eating. Ramadan encourages us to research extensively on the nutritious value of the meal we eat. With our long busy working days, we need to make sure that the food we eat before fasting and after our fast should be healthy enough so that it provides us the optimal energy required to accomplish our daily job and tasks.
Finally, if you are not fasting but surrounded by Muslim fellows, try experiencing the magic and spirit of Ramadan by fasting for one entire day. It is an opportunity for you to learn and understand another culture and tradition.
Once again, Ramadan Kareem to you from the Helpling family!
