We would all like to make our homes safer, especially for our family and friends around the holidays. Make safety a part of your celebration season with these tips. Tackle one a day, and you will be well on your way to a safer New Year!

DAY 1

Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Make sure everyone knows what to do if they start beeping.

DAY 2

Inspect all electrical items, decorations, and extension cords for damage before you use them.

DAY 3

Don’t overload outlets with too many cords from your decorations and devices.

DAY 4

Test your ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) to make sure they’re protecting you.

DAY 5

Prevent trips and falls by keeping cords safely along walls and out of doorways and high-traffic areas.

DAY 6

Make sure you don’t put lights, metal hooks, ornaments, and other small decorations within reach of young children.

DAY 7

Keep your Christmas tree stand full of water. A fresh green tree poses less risk of fire than a dry tree.

DAY 8

Keep all those necessary batteries for new toys away from children.

DAY 9

Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn — decorations, trees, gifts, and curtains.

DAY 10

Consider installing tamper-resistant outlets/receptacles so kids won’t be able to insert objects into the slots.

DAY 11

Share your family fire escape plan with overnight guests. If you don’t have an escape plan, be sure to create one as soon as possible.

DAY 12

Keep children away from cooking areas. Use back burners and turn pot handles in and away from little hands.