Siman 262 – To sanctify the Shabbos with a set table and clean clothes
Prepare before Shabbos so when you come home from shul Friday night, you will find the lamps lit, table set and spreads upon the couches and beds. All of the tables where you dine should be covered and it is fitting to cover tables even in other rooms. They should be covered the entire Shabbos. (ShA1 – MB1,2,3 – BeH “y’sadair”)
Clear the cobwebs and clean the house before Shabbos. Keep the house clean on Shabbos especially after the seudos. (MB3)
Try to have beautiful clothes to honor the Shabbos and wear them even if you are the only Jew around. It is good not to wear on Shabbos anything that you wear for a weekday. If you can, have a special tallis for Shabbos as well. (ShA2 – MB5,6)
Keep your clothes clean on Shabbos. Put a cloth down before holding a baby. (MB6)
Go early to the bathhouse, not too close to Shabbos. If you are just bathing a bit at home, it is better to do it close to dark and change right into your Shabbos clothes. Stay dressed nice until after Havdalla. (Rama3 – MB8,12)
If a woman is running late, it is better for her to light nairos while still dressed in her weekday clothes than to take a chance on chillul Shabbos. If her husband sees that she is late, he should light the nairos himself and pay no attention to his wife’s protests. If both of you are late , it is a great mitzva to sit Friday night in the dark rather than to be mechallel Shabbos. (MB11)
Have joy anticipating the arrival of Shabbos as you would to meet a chassan and kallah. Our minhag is to turn west upon reciting “Boi v’shalom…” and stand respectfully as if to greet an important person. (ShA3 – MB10)
Some places say Kabbolas Shabbos even when Yom Tov falls out on Friday night. But when Yom Kippur falls on Friday night, only Mizmor Shir L’Yom Hashabbos is recited. (MB10)
The more you put into kavod Shabbos – through physical work, or with your clothes, or with food and drink – the more you are to be praised. (MB9)
The Zohar warns to avoid any arguments on Shabbos, especially with your wife. (MB9)