1. Food
After enjoying a wonderful vacation, you don’t want to come home to a nasty smell or spoiled food! Run the dishwasher, take the garbage out, and clean out the refrigerator of foods that may go bad.
2. Energy
Before you escape to the Italian Riviera or depart on your Alaskan cruise adventure, make sure you turn down the thermostat (not too low in winter!) or the a/c off if during the summer. If you live in an area where pipes are prone to freezing during the winter – open cabinet doors where there are pipes or leave the bathtub on a small slow drip.
3. Paperwork
Pay the bills before you depart so you won’t incur late fees or have anything shut off in your house while you’re gone! If your mail is delivered to your house, have your mail delivery stopped while you are away.
4. Clean Your House
After someone else most likely made your bed on vacation, you won’t want to come home to dirty laundry or a messy house! Transitioning back into the real world will be easier if you come home to clean house with room to unpack.
5. Security
Don’t forget to set your alarm, lock the doors and windows, and put lights on timers! I also suggest to not make your house look to “empty”. Don’t close every blind, leave one of the kids’ toys in the front yard… make it look like you’ll be back any moment. Again, have your mail delivery held so you won’t have important personal information stole from your mailbox.
6. Pets
Don’t forget to make reservations for Fido at doggie day care plenty of time in advance (I’ve learned my lesson on this!) and make sure you have a friend lined up to feed the cats or caged critters. 🙂
7. Neighbors
Inform your close neighbors you will be gone and recruit one of them to check on your house periodically. Have them walk through your house to make sure no leaks and water the plants. It’s nice to not come home to any surprises!
Until the next adventure – bon voyage!
Kris
