During the holiday season, visits from friends and family are common for many of us. Are you ready for this? Before company arrives, it pays to look around your home and see it as your guests might.
If you've been living with a drippy faucet, a poorly flushing toilet, or a sticking door for months, you may have forgotten that these things need attention. A little TLC can make your home friendlier, safer, and more comfortable for your guests. Before you roll out the welcome mat, here are eight things to consider: * Be sure your appliances are in good working order. (When you entertain, you'll probably need all of them.) For repairs you can do yourself, see Easy Appliance Repairs. For repairs beyond the scope of your abilities, call an appliance repairperson. If it's time to replace an appliance or fixture, be sure to check out the FREE HomeTips Kitchen & Bath buying guides.
* Explore some of the amenities that make a great guest room... have an empty dresser and a luggage rack on hand. Make sure there is plenty of empty space on tables and nightstands for books, jewelry and other small items.
* Save your guests from having to put up with a poorly flushing toilet or the drip-drip of a leaky faucet. Make sure the plumbing works properly, particularly in the bathroom they will be using. For information on making basic repairs, see Easy Plumbing Repairs.
* Don't leave your guests in the dark. Be sure lamps, lights, outlets, and switches work. See Easy Electrical Repairs for more about easy fixes.
* Solve door and window problems. Doors and windows should close and latch properly to insure both security and privacy. For more about dealing with these problems, see Easy Repairs for Doors.
If you need to repair a windowpane, weather-strip a window, or make similar repairs, see Easy Repairs for Windows.
* If small children may be among your visitors, make your home a safe place for them. Many accidents happen during the excitement of visits, particularly when kids are on unfamiliar turf. For more about steps you can take, see Childproof Your Home.
* Organize your guest closet. Because most guest closets double up for general storage, they tend to be stuffed with clutter. A great way to maximize a closet's storage capacity, and to provide plenty of hanging space for guests' clothing, is to outfit the closet with storage organizers. See Organize a Closet.
* Be sure your fireplace is in good working condition. When you gather around the fire with friends and family, the last thing you want is to be driven away by smoke or, far worse, a chimney fire. Chimneys require cleaning periodically. You can have this done by a professional chimney sweep or, in some cases, you can do it yourself. For more about this, see Chimney Repairs.
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