3. Cleaning the House

Simply stated (though not so easily done) -- give your home a thorough, top-to-bottom, cleaning. Vacuum the carpets and floors, wipe clean the cupboards and bookshelves. Make sure you get into all those hard-to-reach places: under the sofa cushions, the spaces between the floorboards. Move aside furniture and kitchen appliances to get behind and underneath. Bottom line: if that proverbial cookie crumb could be hiding there, go after it!

As each area of the home gets cleaned, make sure that everyone knows that it's "kosher for Passover" and absolutely off-limits for any food to be brought in there. Practical advice: start with the bedrooms, then proceed with the living room and other common rooms, leaving the dining room and kitchen for last, so that you can use these spaces for eating chametz as close as possible to the "deadline."

Other places that need to be cleaned: office, car, pocketbook -- any space that is yours by ownership, lease, or right of use.

Places you don't have to clean: a) Rooms and areas where you're absolutely certain that no food was ever brought. b) Rooms and areas that will be sold (see step 5).