- 1). Ask your housemates to leave for the evening if you don't live alone. If you have children, hire a babysitter or ask a friend to watch them for the night. Make sure you overestimate how much time you'll need alone to prevent embarrassing walk-ins during your date.
- 2). Thoroughly clean your house. Mop the floor; take out the garbage; clean the refrigerator inside and out; and wipe down upholstered furniture with a micro-fiber cloth to remove pet hair. If you need to de-clutter in a hurry, grab a few storage bins and toss in shoes, newspapers and any other objects that make your home look messy.
- 3). Stock your refrigerator with food and beverages, including nonalcoholic drinks. Keep plenty of fresh fruit, cheese and crackers on hand for a light snack.
- 4). Clean and decorate your bedroom. Sweep or vacuum the floor, clear clutter from tables and dressers, wash the windows and dust your furniture. Wash your linens, or, even better, buy new satin or high-thread-count cotton sheets.
- 5). Open your windows and give all rooms a good airing out. Set out fresh flowers on the dining room or kitchen table. Place a large fresh flower, such as a magnolia, in a shallow bowl of water to make your place look romantic and fresh, suggests "House Beautiful" contributor Jenn Andrlik. Arrange tea candles or votives in decorative jars or containers.
- 6). Turn off the ringer on your phone and turn off your answering machine, if you have one. The last thing you want is a romantic kiss interrupted by your mother's five-minute message or an embarrassing phone call from a bill collector.
- 7). Create a romantic playlist. In its list of 100 greatest love songs, "The New York Daily News" mentions the Beatles' "Michelle" and "In My Life;" Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful;" Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight?;" and Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" among the top 10.
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