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How deep do you go when cleaning for holiday guests?  You can have a clean home without going overboard. If you think wiping down countertops and fluffing a few pillows in advance of the guest onslaught will land you on Santa’s “nice” list this holiday season, check that list twice. The extreme cleaners (telephone buttons! vacuum brushes! remote controls!) featured in this New York Times article may make you feel like a slacker. But you can bring your home to sparkling guest-readiness without going overboard. A few tips from the "Times" will keep your home merry, bright, and clean: 1. Scrub your entryway.  Wipe down your front door, give the doormat a good shake, and make sure dust and dirt haven’t collected on floors and furniture legs. These are the first things guests will see when they arrive, so keeping them clean will guarantee a good first impression. 2. Focus on the kitchen.  People tend to gather around the food during the holidays

Hosting has its shares of anxieties, especially if you're striving to make your home welcoming. How do you know everyone will feel comfortable? And will you ever get a chance to relax yourself? You will if you focus on what's really necessary. Here's a list of steps to get your home ready — and take the stress out of hosting. #1 Declutter The day before guests arrive is no time to pull apart junk drawers and clean out linen closets. Declutter your home, especially the guest rooms and public areas -- foyer, kitchen, living room, den, and dining room. Remove anything unnecessary from countertops, coffee tables, and ottomans; if it’s out of sight, keep it out of mind, for now. If you run short of time, bag up the clutter and store it in car trunks, basements, and out-of-the-way closets. Sort and arrange after your guests depart. #2 Add Night Lights Even though you can navigate your home blindfolded, your guests can’t. Make sure outside lig

For one thing, they're less breakable than other lights. Yes, LED holiday lights save energy. Up to 75% less energy than the old-fashioned kind, according to the U.S. government’s Energy Star program. But there are more advantages to LEDs than energy savings. Here are 5 other reasons to switch to LED Christmas lights. #1 They're More Durable They don't have filaments or glass, so they're less likely to break or be damaged as you string them up and down. #2 LED Holiday Lights Last and Last LED bulbs can keep your season bright for as long as 100,000 hours, says Cathy Choi, president of Moonachie, N.J.-based Bulbrite, which manufactures LED and regular bulbs. That’s substantially longer than the life of your old holiday light strings. #3 You Can String a BIG Strand of Lights Safety wise, you shouldn’t connect more than three traditional light strings, but you can connect at least 10 with LEDs and up to 87 in some cases, totaling a

When the last of summer's heat is a faint memory, and you're pulling out your hoodies more than your shorts, it's time to tackle a few simple chores that'll make winter more pleasant and prevent some nasty surprises next spring. This fall checklist will help: #1 Clean and Stow Your Mower If you’re not familiar with fuel stabilizer, get to know it. If your mower sits for months with gas in its tank, the gas will slowly deteriorate, which can damage internal engine parts. Fuel stabilizer ($10 for a 10-ounce bottle) prevents gas from degrading.Add stabilizer to your gasoline can to keep spare gas in good condition over the winter, and top off your mower tank with stabilized gas before you put it away for the winter. Run the mower for five minutes to make sure the stabilizer reaches the carburetor. Another lawn mower care method is to run your mower dry before stowing it. 1. When the mower is cool, remove the spark plug and pour a capful of engi

The Pilgrims were on to something when they planned a Thanksgiving potluck; here are other good ideas that’ll simplify your T-Day kitchen cleanup. Want something to be thankful for?  Check out these tips that’ll make your Thanksgiving kitchen cleanup faster and easier -- and will give you more time to enjoy family and friends. Plan a Potluck The first Thanksgiving was a potluck; so let your guests share the fun and bring dishes to share. Then make sure they take home their serving bowls and platters, which will cut down on dishes to wash and put away. Set Up a Soaking Station Soak pots and pans as soon as you transfer food to platters. But instead of filling the sink with soaking pots, designate a small trashcan as the soaking spot. Fill it will soapy water and dirty pots, and hide it under a sink or in a mudroom. That way, your sink is free throughout the evening to clean as you go and rinse dishes on the way to the dishwasher. Triple-Duty Cookware

Why does the oven go kaput on a holiday? No worries. Here's how to go on the offense now. Imagine you’re preparing to host your annual holiday party, and you’re past the point of no return. The veggies and meats have been bought. Guests are already braving busy airports and crowded highways to get to your home -- and then your oven won’t turn on. Your home-cooked meal has quickly turned into a microwave dinner. That’s just one of many hosting nightmares that can end your holiday party before it even begins. Thankfully, some of the most damaging mishaps easily can be avoided. We collected five of the most prevalent issues and give you preventative tips to keep your holiday party on track. Problem: The Oven Doesn’t Heat For any holiday occasion, the oven is the most important appliance in your house. If it fails to work, the centerpiece of your meal could go from roasted beef, ham, duck, or Tofurky to Peking Duck from the local Chinese takeout joint. How to avoid:

8 Easy Mistakes Homeowners Make on Their Taxes Don’t rouse the IRS or pay more taxes than necessary — know the score on each home tax deduction and credit. Read Copyright 2018 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®