The housekeeper should see that an accurate account is taken every month of all the linen, and correctly entered on the linen-room stock-book. This account should show the new linen purchased during the month. The following form is suggested for the stock-book for the linen-room:
Inventory of Linen-Room for month ending January 1, 1908.
================+============+=====+=====+====+======++========= |Total No. | Plus| | | || Jan. 1, 1908. |last count | new |Grand|Worn| || |Dec. 1, 1907|stock|Total|out |Stolen||Net Total ----------------+------------+-----+-----+----+------++--------- Sheets | 800 | 50 | 850 | 25 | || 825 Slips | | | | | || Spreads | | | | | || Face-Towels | | | | | || Bath-Towels | | | | | || Table-Cloths | | | | | || Napkins | | | | | || Side-Towels | | | | | || Tray-Towels | | | | | || Tops | | | | | || Kitchen-Towels | | | | | || Glass-Towels | | | | | || Roller-Towels | | | | | || Bar-Towels | | | | | || Wash-room Towels| | | | | || ----------------+------------+-----+-----+----+------++---------
Paradise, indeed, to the housekeeper, is the hotel that has its reserve-linen closet, where, in case of accident in the laundry, she may find linen to put the rooms in order. On the other hand, how very discouraging it is where there is only one set of linen for the beds and the maids must wait until the linen is back from the laundry before they can put the rooms in order. In such hotels, the housekeeper spends much of her time running to and from the laundry.
When a new linen-woman is installed in the linen-room, the housekeeper should write out all the details of the duties required of her, regardless of any previous experience she may claim to have had.
A table-cloth should be long enough to hang over the table, at least eighteen inches on all sides. Pattern cloths are prettier than the piece-linen. They are more expensive, but it pays to buy the best for hotel use. Linen, to have sufficient body to wear well, should have a certain weight to the square inch. Table-linen should weigh at least four and one-half ounces to the square yard. All pattern-cloths have the napkins to match. The napkins and table-cloths should have a tiny, narrow hem. They are best hemmed by hand, but this can not be thought of for hotels.