What is your morning routine? Your evening routine? Your personal care routine? Write it down. EXACTLY what you do in the morning…..that is your routine. Now, is that really what you want to be doing? In order to change a routine you have to WRITE IT DOWN and then POST IT in a place where you see it daily.

Tune up air conditioners. For room units, vacuum the coils and fins, and wash and replace the filter. For a whole-house unit, wash off dirt and debris, lubricate and replace the filter. Check your owner’s manual or consult a pro.

Clean off the blades of portable fans and add a few drops of oil to the motor for squeak-free cooling.

Lubricate the automatic garage-door mechanism.

Hold a fire drill. Make sure that door and window exits open as they should, and that everyone knows how to use them. Set up a variety of situations (nighttime when everyone is sleeping upstairs, first floor exits blocked; daytime when baby is upstairs and a fire starts in kitchen, etc.). Family members should be instructed on how safely to escape their bedroom doors and how to protect themselves from heavy smoke. Instruct family members on the location and use of fire extinguishers too.

Check your windows for easy operation. Lubricate channels (by rubbing with a bar of soap), oil cranks and replace weatherstripping if necessary.