Day 9 Make your entry say "Welcome"

People say that within 5 minutes of meeting you, they have "sized" you up. I think that happens in your home too. The first impressions of your home should be welcoming to your guests. Today we are going to work on the entry way. This includes the outside sidewalk and steps into your home. Grab a broom and sweep everything outside out of the way. You are going to have to do this again before your guests arrive, but today look at the outside of your home as if you are a guest. Do you need to get a new mat at the front door? Can you put some cut greens into that empty flower pot? Take a new look at the way your home says "welcome to my home".

Inside you want to spend some time vacuuming the stairway. A quick tip is to put on a rubber glove on your left hand and use it to wipe around the crevices of the step. The rubber against the carpet will create static and easily pull dirt out of those tight places. Also carry along a wet rag and wipe down the wood trim along the sides of the stairs.

Dust and vacuum the entire entry and take a minute to look a the lighting. Make sure all the light bulbs are working and if you have a glass cover over the lights - either wipe them or take them off and pop them in the dishwasher. They will come out sparkling clean and light up your entry way. Shake out the entry mat and think about getting some fresh cut flowers a day before Thanksgiving. Now your entry will say "we are so glad you are here! Welcome and come join us!"