Any parent of multiple children (and lots of one-child families!) knows that dressing for family holiday photos is easier said than done. Who hasn't been there, frantically scrubbing at stains and tugging down sleeves while the photographer taps his foot? Worse, last-minute clothing issues don't lead to happy faces for the family photo.

This week, check the condition and fit of any outfits to be worn in family photo sessions. If garments need to be added or replaced, add them to the seasonal shopping list. Save time and tears!

November is on the horizon--and holiday cards and letters will be flying soon. Will your family send Christmas letters this year? If so, it's time to begin drafting your holiday masterpiece.

Set aside a few minutes to make notes for the year's Christmas letter. Beginning early makes it easier to keep your letter clever, light and entertaining--and allows you to consult with other family members about the year's high points.

Want your holiday letters to stand out from the seasonal crowd? Try these tips for sparkling holiday letters:

Seven Tips for Sparkling Christmas Letters

This year, household cleaners have taken center stage in the fight against a pandemic. With cold weather bringing families indoors, disinfectants and antibacterial cleaners are the first line of defense, so check stocks of cleaners now. Bleach alert! Chlorine bleach has a shelf life of six to nine months, depending on storage and temperature. After that time, the product has degraded to salt water, and lacks disinfectant power. Translation: time to toss those bottles we bought last Spring, and replace them with fresh chlorine bleach for winter. Stay home, stay safe, stay organized!

Holiday stamps are available now from the United States Postal Service. Buy stamps early, and you'll have your choice of seasonal designs.

Better still, buy stamps online from USPS.com. Holiday stamps are now available for pre-order!.  Standing in line at the Post Office is one holiday tradition that deserves to fall by the wayside.

While you're at the USPS.com site, consider ordering free mailing supplies. Flat rate envelopes and boxes can be delivered to your door, and they're ideal for shipping Christmas baked goods and small gifts. Oh, and did we mention that they're free?

Even during a pandemic, it's time to take stock of Halloween plans, and make preparations for Halloween treats.

Creative solutions for Halloween celebrations are possible, even when social distancing concerns rule out traditional "trick-or-treat" activities.  Consider virtual spooky greetings, porch-drop options like the Halloween BOO, or drive-through celebrations this year, to keep the celebration safe.

If you'll be treating, now's the time to stock up!  Candy availability may fluctuate, so plan ahead for any needed events.

[Christmas Creep Alert!  If you'll need harvest-themed candies to make Thanksgiving Blessings Mix this year, shop now.  Readers have reported "no Thanksgiving candy!" in November for the past three years. ]

Chill breezes blow, signaling that it's time to prepare the house for the coming of winter. Fall cleaning ahead! Take time now to tackle seasonal cleaning chores around the house.

An Autumn session of deep-cleaning carries the family into the holiday season from a clean house; exterior decorating goes more smoothly if fall yard-clean up chores are completed early.

Try this Fall Cleaning chore checklist from sister site Organized Home to guide fall cleaning:

Fall Cleaning Chore Checklist

If you haven't done so already, it's time to decorate for Halloween! Jack O'Lanterns and black cats set the stage for a spooky good time as Halloween approaches.

To keep seasonal decorating changes simple, use solid-color or generic fall decor for the bulk of the decorations. Tuck a few Halloween-specific items into the mix this week.

After the big night has come and gone, they're easy to remove and replace with Thanksgiving decorations. Keep decorating simple to keep the focus on the good times!

It's not just "visions of sugarplums" that dance through our heads when we think of the holiday season. Many of us also succumb to Holiday House Fever: an intense desire to begin major home decor projects in the weeks before Christmas.

Anybody who's ever decorated a Christmas tree before a half-painted wall knows the risk: our dreams overpower our time, energies and resources. Result: damp carpets, naked windows, wet paint and lots of stress.

Today, we'll bring sanity to the question of holiday home spruce-ups. The Holiday Home Spruce-Up exercise in realistic planning will anchor our dreams and help us identify realistic, doable goals. Ready? It's a cure for Holiday House Fever:

Holiday House Fever? Cure It With A Home Spruce-Up Exercise

Brisk weather is on the way; time to clear out the coat closets! Whether it's making space for family cold-weather gear or preparing for seasonal visitors, now's the time to clear out the coat closet.

Does your outerwear storage space work for you? Not that a designated "closet" is always the right solution! Many families prefer to keep coats, umbrellas, gloves and galoshes in open storage areas. Hang coats on pegs, tuck boots under a low bench, and consider an over-the-door shoe rack to corral little mittens, hats and scarves.

Check closet space from a guest's perspective, too. Are extra hangers available--and appropriate for heavy outer garments? Is there enough room to add a bulky parka without crushing a woman's wool coat?

Clear it out and be ready ... for Christmas!

Holidays ahead! About this time of year, it's a good idea to contemplate the toy situation in your child's room.

Adding Santa's bounty to overstuffed kids' rooms is a recipe for January clutter disaster. Clear the decks and cut kid clutter with a pre-holiday toy clear-out:

Make Room for Santa: Pre-Season Toy Declutter