The Single Person's Guide to Date-Proofing Your Home

Tonight's the big night. You're taking her out for your third date. You've made it through two restaurant dinners without her gagging over the way you inhale your steak. You sat through that chick flick she picked out and didn't make one comment on the female lead's hooters.

On her part, she's overjoyed by the fact that you shared your dessert so she wouldn't feel like a pig for ordering her own. You scored more points when you didn't get upset with her for dripping tears in your popcorn during the sappiest love scene in the movie. The fact that you didn't even notice she was crying because of the female lead's hooters hasn't registered with her just yet.

So you shower, shave, and apply just enough of that cologne she said turns her on. You clean the fast food bags and gum wrappers out of your car. Across town, she's got every outfit in her wardrobe strewn across the bed, and is contorting herself into unlikely positions in a vain attempt to make sure the skirt she's chosen makes her butt look small without causing extra back fat.

This could be it. Tonight could be the night one of you invites the other home. You've sailed through the awkward phone calls and initial dating rituals. Now the time has come to show your potential Mr. or Ms. Right how you live when no one else is looking.

Men and women go all-out when preparing for a date with someone new. Our bodies and our hair are scrutinized mercilessly. We spend so much time worrying about razor burn or finding the perfect push-up bra that we sometimes forget to consider our surroundings.

But eventually the time comes to plan an evening in or invite a date home for a drink and a little snogging. When that time comes, neither the sexiest little black dress or the most gentlemanly behavior will help if your apartment or household sends the other person screaming into the night.

If you want top billing in your love interest's cell phone speed dial, follow these simple tips for date-proofing your house or apartment.

THE BATHROOM

Chances are that at some point during the evening, your date will have to take a leak.

Guys