WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER: Here’s How to Keep Your Holidays HAPPY.

Some really simple precautions could keep your holidays happy, by keeping them safe.  It’s actually pretty easy to WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER on your merry list of tasks, if you keep these few things in mind, according to the Chicago Tribune.

1.  Careful Cooking & Cleaning…  It’s easy to get distracted, and put metal in the microwave, or plastic on the stove.  Keep potholders handy, so you don’t reach into the oven without them.  Keep a fire extinguisher and baking soda within reach, in your kitchen – so you can keep enjoying “the heart of your home,” for years to come.
2.  Safe Decorating…  Keep candles flameless, when possible, or set an alarm to blow out flames.  Candles should be far from drapes or other cloth.  Indoor lights should only be used indoors.  If you don’t feel completely safe, getting on a ladder, don’t.  Call in a pro, or decorate differently.
3.  Appliance Awareness…  Unplug the things that you can, when you’re not using them.  Remember that dryer vents can become serious fire hazards.  For example:  If you’re doing extra laundry, like towels and linens, and drying takes too long, you might have a clogged dryer vent.  If your home has well and septic, you might want to make sure that tank is pumped, so no one has to deal with a toilet back-up.
4.  Alarm Updating…  Before you entertain, or travel from home, test your fire and carbon monoxide alarms.  If it has been more than a year, since you last changed the batteries, go ahead and put in new ones.  The cost could save you thousands, as well as heartbreak.