Prepping Your Home Before Going On A Vacation
When preparing for a big vacation, most folks focus on what to do when they get to their destination and what to bring. We often ready ourselves for what can happen while away from home, so we make checklists, itineraries, and contingency plans for when things go wrong.
But have you ever done the same amount of preparation for your home? You’ll be leaving your property behind, so it just makes sense to ensure that it’s secured while you’re not there to care for it. So many things can happen while you’re out of town, which is why doing this can help you protect your home even when you’re away.
Here’s a list of the most basic things to do to your home before a vacation.
Take preemptive measures a few days before your departure.
There are a few things that you should do a few days before your trip to make sure that you’ll have a smooth-sailing getaway. Some of these are the following:
1. Clean your fridge and pantry and toss out perishables that will go bad while you’re away.
No one wants to come home to a gross kitchen, so take this simple step a few days you head out. This will save you from the hassle of having to clean your fridge or pantry when you’re having a vacation hangover.
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2. Notify your neighbors and make arrangements for your pets or any upcoming deliveries.
If you’re relatively close to a few neighbors, you can let them know that you’re leaving for a while. Some might offer to check in on your home every once in a while, and that’s nice. Ask them to inform you if there are unusual movements in your property while you’re away. This might prevent theft and burglary.
If you have pets that you’re not taking on your trip, you should also arrange for their care ahead of time. If you’re waiting for a delivery, you can ask for a new schedule or arrange with your neighbor if they can receive your items for you.
3. Check the settings of your automatic lights.
If your home has a few lighting fixtures with timers, make sure that they’re set to turn on at the right time. This will help make it look like someone’s home so intruders can be put off from breaking into your home.
Make a checklist of what you need to do before you leave the house.
Since you won’t be coming back to your house right away, it’s important to make sure that everything is in proper order before you leave. This can guarantee that your home will still be in great shape once you get home.
To do this, making a to-do list before you leave the house on departure day would be very helpful. Include the following to make sure that you’ll cover all your bases before stepping out of the house:
1. Unplug all of your electronics.
Doing this can prevent fires and prevent power surges from damaging your appliances.
2. Shut off the main water supply.
Doing this in the winter can help prevent water from flowing out if your pipes freeze.
3. Empty all trash cans.
This can prevent stuff from rotting inside your home while you’re away. It would also be ideal to do the dishes and laundry before you go so you don’t have to deal with chores when you get home.
4. Check the stove.
There are chances of you leaving the stove on in a rush, which can lead to disastrous results. It’s also recommended to lock your oven settings to prevent mishaps later.
5. Lock all the doors and windows.
Most importantly, make sure to lock all of your doors and windows. This will be your home’s first line of protection against burglars and intruders.
You may also call us at Rescue One Restoration to do additional home preparation tasks such as weather disaster preparation.
