Seeing new places, experiencing new things, and getting away from everyday life by taking vacation leaves you feeling refreshed. However, if you have not prepared your home first, you may return to stressful and annoying problems or a smelly mess. Follow a few simple steps to prepare your home for vacation to help make your return as pleasant as your trip.
Safety Preparedness
Keeping a home safe and secure is often the biggest concern for homeowners when leaving town. Without properly preparing your home, it will be obvious that your home is unoccupied which make it an easy target for burglars.
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Prepare Your Home by Making it Look Occupied
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Put a few indoor lights on a timer to create the illusion that someone is home. Don’t post on social media that you are going to be away. Wait to share pictures until you return from vacation, or share them only with a select private group of friends.
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A Watchful Eye
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Talk to your neighbors or a trusted friend and have them collect your mail and keep an eye out for suspicious activity. If you have plants or pets that need care, recruit someone who will help out. A housesitter is always a great idea so your home is occupied while you’re away.
If having a neighbor collect your mail is not practical, request that the post office hold your mail until you get back.
Clean Up to Prepare Your Home Before Vacation
Before going out-of-town, do a general cleaning of your home. This doesn’t need to be a deep clean, but it should be thorough. You will walk into a clean home upon your return.
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Clean the Dishes
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Don’t come to a kitchen sink full of dirty dishes, rotting food, and mold growth. Before leaving for vacation, wash any dishes, empty the dishwasher, and put clean dishes away.
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Dispose of Old Food
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Go through food items in the cabinets and refrigerator and remove anything that might spoil while you are gone. Either eat the items before you leave or dispose of them and take out the trash. You don’t want to come home to a smelly fridge after a nice vacation.
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Take Care of Laundry Tasks to Prepare Your Home
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Make sure the sheets on your bed are clean and that all the laundry is washed and put away before you leave. Also, double check to be certain that your washer and dryer are empty. Arriving back home to a week-old pile of damp, mildewed clothes is unpleasant.
Other Tasks to Prepare Your Home Before Leaving for Vacation
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Prevent Excess Costs
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While preparing your home for vacation, turn off and unplug most electrical appliances before you leave. Electrical devices leech power even when turned off, so unplugging these items reduces electricity use while you’re away.
If appropriate, turn the main water supply off while you are gone to prevent water damage in case of a leak. Many water heaters also have a vacation mode to reduce usage costs.
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Pet Care
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If you have pets, make sure they have reliable care while you are on vacation. A trusted friend is a good choice for petsitting. An animal boarding facility can also take care of your pets. If you choose a boarding facility, research it thoroughly, read reviews, and pack your pets favorite toys to keep them happy.
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Get Pests Under Control Before Leaving Town
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Taking precautions to prevent insects is a good idea when you prepare your home before vacation. Insecticide and insect traps will help you come back to a bug-free home.
After a vacation, you are usually tired and might be jet-lagged. When your home is tidy before your vacation, you can come home and relax instead of doing chores.
Weaver Home Inspection provides home inspection services to eastern and middle Tennessee. Contact us to schedule an appointment.