The world doesn’t stop while you’re on vacation, even though it sure feels like it! Don’t just take off and leave your life behind. Before you leave for some well-earned time off, there are a few housekeeping things to take care of to make sure that your house is safe and sound while you’re gone.
Set Up a House Sitter
Many vacationing homeowners will have someone they know come by to check on their pets or plants. Even if you don’t have any critters in your care, it’s not a bad idea to arrange for a house sitter while you’re gone. This person can take care of some of the everyday things like picking up the mail, so you don’t have to worry about putting stops on your services. If they come by every day (ideally at different times of day), they also make it known that even if the house is empty, there’s someone still on the property regularly. This can lower the risk of your home being broken into while you’re away. Check in with your house sitter daily to make sure that nothing seems to be out of place.
Do a Deep Cleaning
Don’t leave a sink full of dirty dishes or a hamper full of laundry while you’re gone. When you return from vacation, you’ll probably be tired and want to relax from the trip home. The last thing you’ll feel like doing is taking care of chores. If you ignore the housework before you go, you may come home to a smelly house, which is a pretty rude return to reality after being on vacation for so long. Take care of the cleaning before you leave so that your house is ready for your return.
Conserve Energy
If you’re going to be gone for a week or more, you should shut off unnecessary electronics. This will conserve energy and lead to a lower power bill at the end of the month, and it will protect your devices from any damaging power surges that may occur. Raise your thermostat to a higher temperature than normal (78-80 degrees in the summer). Make sure that all of your lights, ceiling fans, and so on are turned off. You can also unplug televisions and other electronics that don’t have to run while you’re gone. Your house shouldn’t stop functioning altogether, but you should cut your energy use a good bit.
Take that trip you deserve but make sure your home is set before taking off. You wouldn’t want to get to your destination and spend your vacation worrying about the house and everyday life.
