With a little more than a month until Thanksgiving, and two months until Christmas, it’s not too early to start prepping the house for dinner and over-night guests.

And as long as you’re taking the time, why not check off a few more household to-do items, one-at-a-time?

Start with a good cleaning of the carpet and tile. We can help with that. Schedule a cleaning now – before calendars get filled – and you know your house will be better shape before company arrives. Doing a deep cleaning early on – think early November – and the general cleaning becomes easier. All you will have to do then is weekly maintenance to keep the flooring in good shape. Or we could come in December before you put up those holiday decorations.

Next, think of all the things that may need fixed. Is your faucet leaking? Does the toilet run? Have you changed the air conditioning or water filters lately? Start making a list. You know they may get forgotten once Halloween is here, but if you have a list going and hung on the refrigerator, you can take one task each day and get it complete.

What about tasks you don’t think of regularly? Here are a few ideas:

· Does the coffeemaker need to be cleaned?

· Is the oven running properly?

· Is it time to oil the cabinets?

· When is the last time you sharpened the knives?

· Do all the outside lights work?

· Have you changed the batteries in the smoke detectors lately?

· Are you having children over? Is the home child-proof?

· How old is the fire extinguisher in the kitchen? (Do you have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen?)

Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. But a little planning now can save some time – and give you more rest – during the busy weeks of November and December.