Resolved: Fix It : Stop beating around the bush and start caulking around the windows and planing around the doorjamb. Take care of all those little repairs you meant to get to in 1994, and you’ll be home free in no time.

You knew ahead of time that the relatives were going to be staying at your house over the holidays. You got all of your shopping done early; the refrigerator was stocked; the house was clean, and you hung so many decorations it looked as though you went through one of those mall Christmas stores with a magnet. Everything had to be just right.

But it wasn’t. In a series of holiday humiliations, it took Aunt Alice three big pulls to get the front door open; a cold wind came whistling through the window in the guest room, and, instead of jingling sleigh bells, children heard the gurgling of the toilet that wouldn’t stop running.

Once upon a time, you probably meant to fix those nagging blights on your home’s image, but you learned to live with them. It’s only when company comes--especially company you’re trying to impress--that these embarrassing annoyances come to the fore, and you find yourself telling your father-in-law to make sure he jiggles the handle.

Now’s the time for a New Year’s resolution to fix those problems and make your house feel renewed. Here are some common household repairs that get put off and what you can do to about them.

Plumb Crazy

When it’s 2 a.m., the “plop . . . plop . . . plop” of a dripping faucet will make you wish there were a plumber in the family. But when the sun’s out and you’re off to start the day, it’s easy to forget about that drip. Unfortunately, leaky faucets are everywhere, and the water they lose adds up to hundreds of thousands of gallons wasted in our drought-prone state.

Most faucet leaks are relatively easy to fix with a plumber’s wrench and a screwdriver. Depending on the type of faucet you have, you’ll shut off the water supply, remove the handle and valve stem and change all of the washers. But before you get the new ones, make sure you take the old washers or the stem to the store with you.

“That’s the best way to get the job done right,” says Frank Eckert of Arrow True Value Hardware in Orange. “Whether it’s a plumbing problem or anything you’re working on at home, it’s a lot easier to help people when they can show us what they’re trying to do.”

The running toilet is usually caused by a worn tank ball or flapper, which is easy to replace. Also make sure the chain or arm isn’t sticking and is moving freely up and down. If the seat is loose, tighten the two bolts underneath or replace it.

The Doors

Earthquakes and settling can cause jambs to compress and shift. If a door is exposed to moisture, the wood swells and keeps it from fitting correctly. It all adds up to a sticking door, and don’t think you’re the only one in the county who has one.

Carefully look the door over; open and close it as many times as needed to figure out exactly where it’s sticking. Once you find the hot spot, take action.

“Take the hinge pins out and pull the door off. Use a plane to shave off some of the edge,” says Jim Gorman of Rancho Lumber in Westminster. On some homes, the door’s not swinging freely because it’s hitting the carpet. In that case, create more clearance by scoring a line across the bottom of the door and trimming it with a circular saw.

If you’ve got people coming over in an hour and you need a quick, temporary fix, try rubbing candle wax on the spot to lubricate and make it work a little easier for a while.

While you’re at the door, use spray lubricant on the hinges to get rid of creaks.

Cabinet doors often do strange things in winter.

“Because of the humidity, the doors sometimes swell, and they don’t close properly,” Gorman says. “Try adjusting the magnetic catch, and make sure the hinges are on tightly.”

If doorknobs and handles have wriggled loose with use, it’s a simple task to get out your screwdrivers and tighten them.

Paint It Back

You may have dragged an old paint can in from the garage to cover up a few scrapes and grease marks before “they” arrived. But when those spots dried, they turned out a little lighter than the rest of the wall.

“When paint gets old, it can change chemically, and it may not be good anymore,” says Joe Ragsdale of Color Center in La Mirada. “Use fresh paint, and if you’re covering up a few spots on a wall, it’s probably better to paint the entire wall so that you have a consistent look.”

Also, even if you’re just doing touch-up work, remember the key word to a good paint job--preparation.

“Make sure the surface is clean and that any rough areas have been sanded,” Eckert says. “If you have dried water spots on your ceiling, you’ll need to prime them with a white lacquer to prevent them from bleeding through.”

If you did some painting over the summer and weren’t as careful as you should have been about masking, you may have gotten paint on the windows or mirror. Most paint stores sell razor-blade-holders designed for scraping paint drops.

If you were unfortunate enough to get paint on the carpet, try using the blade to cut off the dried glops.

Window Dressing

Cracked glass and loose windowpanes can let a lot of cold air into the house. Even if you are temporarily holding things together with gray tape, take matters in hand and replace any broken windows and caulk around any windows that need it. Cracks around the casement and sill can be patched in a blink with a small tube of caulk.

Screens are another easily neglected part of your window that can make a big difference in the look of your home. Corrosion can make them hard to see through, and tears not only allow bugs in but also give your home a ragged appearance.

Kits are available that allow you to replace your worn screens. If you prefer, take the screen out and have the work done professionally. While you’re at the window, make sure the hardware to keep them in place--especially on sliding doors that see a lot of action--is in good shape. Hardware and home building stores carry a variety of the little pieces, from rollers to door handles, that you might need.

Bottom Floor

Do you think of your old wood floor as your home’s internal security system since no one can sneak around without creating a cacophony of squeaks and groans? Maybe it’s time to give those planks some peace and quiet and start relying on the dog to alert you to activity in the house.

If you’re looking for a quick fix rather than a major project, try the old trick of spreading talcum powder on the wood and sweeping it around. If the noise is caused by planks rubbing against each other, the powder will slip between planks and act as a lubricant--quieting squeaks, at least temporarily. (Permanent fixes require some dirty investigative work with drills, saws and hammers.)

Does your tile floor have loose, broken or missing pieces? Loose tiles can be re-adhered after a thorough scraping to remove the old dried mastic. Spots of dirty grout can be cleaned out with a grout brush, or, if that doesn’t work, a small grout scraper can wear away the thin top layer that’s stained, leaving a clean patch. Deep scratches in one-piece floors and vinyl tiles can be filled with clear epoxy.

If there are broken or missing pieces, look around for replacement tile--often there are spares left over from installation stashed in the garage or other storage areas. If the problem is extensive, you might need to resign yourself to getting a new floor. If that’s the case, don’t despair. The cost may not be as high as you imagine, and, in any event, it’s a good way to give your home a real lift.

Appliance Checks

Clogged furnace filters can cause a lot of dust in your house and are usually simple to replace.

“When it’s in there too long, it can distribute dust through the house, and you could end up choking the motor,” says Tom Houlihan of Orange County Appliance Parts in Garden Grove.

If you’re having trouble locating the filter, a service technician can help. If it’s been a year or more since your gas furnace has had a safety check, have it done. You can call the gas company to arrange for a free safety check of this and other gas appliances. A faulty gas appliance can emit deadly carbon monoxide fumes into your home.

Next, take a good look at the other appliances in your house. Are they speaking to you?

When a refrigerator groans, remove the front grill and brush out the dust and dirt underneath. Keeping this area clean helps the fridge do its cooling job a little more easily. This is especially important when you have pets, because shedded fur tends to collect on insulate condenser coils that are meant to be clean.

Does your ceramic stove top have scratches and dents? It’s easy to remove, and an appliance refinisher can re-enamelize it and make it look new again. Add new aluminum or stainless steel burner guards while you’re at it. And if your range hood has a grease filter, check your owner’s manual. You should be able to pop it off and give it a ride in the dishwasher. If it’s beyond a washing, replace the filter; appliance shops can order one if it’s not in stock.

Into the Light

Is there a lampshade that hangs crooked, a cord that’s frayed, a switch you have to jiggle to make the light turn on?

Lamps may seem mysterious, but after unplugging one and looking around inside, you’ll see they’re pretty simple devices. Most lighting stores sell replacement harps, the metal pieces the shades screw into, as well as replacement sockets, switches and cords. Take the lamp with you; you may need it to make sure you’re getting the right part.

If you’ve got some electrical eccentricities in your house, but you’re a little leery about taking them on, don’t. Unless you’re absolutely comfortable working with electrical wiring and understand the safety issues involved, it’s best to call in an electrician.

However, no training is needed to change a light bulb.

Remember when the bathroom light burned out in March and the only spare bulb you had was the kind that looks like a candle? Change it as you go through your home inside and out to make sure all the light fixtures and lamps have working bulbs of the right size, shape and wattage. This simple task can go a long way toward brightening your home.

Calling for Help

If all the things that need to be done seem like more than you can handle, hire a professional handyman or handywoman to go through the house with a toolbox and hammer, patching and painting things into shape.

“Many jobs are harder than they look,” says handyman Ed Miller of Laguna Hills, who recently closed his toolbox for the last time before retiring. “Sometimes it pays to get someone who can do a good, fast job.”

Handymen generally charge between $10 and $50 an hour, with higher rates for someone with more expertise.

“I’m often called out to do plumbing, carpentry and electrical work at someone’s home,” says Vince Thomas of Chief Wishbone Handyman Services in Huntington Beach. “If you were to have a plumber, carpenter and an electrician come out and do the work, you’d be paying more.”

When having any skilled tradesman work on your house, check if he or she has a contractor’s license and is bonded.

“Handymen often have a reputation for being flaky,” Thomas says. “That’s why it’s also a good idea to ask for references and to check them.”

The person you are hiring may want to come out to your home and look over the projects before giving you an estimate.

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Once you resolve to get things fixed up, you’re halfway there.

Oh, yeah, and in 1995, you might want also to resolve to keep things fixed up, so come next December--and its accompanying visits--you won’t feel compelled to explain quite so many of the idiosyncrasies of your home to the aunts, cousins, parents and in-laws.