Going on a long vacation is refreshing to the mind. You look forward to getting out of a busy city and leaving your work issues at the desk. Vacations should be carefree and adventurous. You don’t want any worries on your mind as you drive down the road and snap pictures of beautiful scenery. Your house needs organization prior to the vacation. Here are some tips on how to prep your home for an extended vacation.
Water
Turn off your water. Turn it off in the basement and anywhere else it leaks from. If you have a pool, consider having a friend come over to clean it while you’re gone. No one wants to return to their home and find it flooded because you forgot to turn off one sink in the downstairs bathroom.
It’s surprising how fast water can build up once when you’re gone for a month or two. Beware of the accessible water ports around your home. Many of us can live in our homes with the best Kohler faucet with no problems and forget about a drip happening downstairs. Tighten the knobs so you don’t return to an insurance headache.
Refrigerator
Figure out how long you’re going to be away on your extended vacation. Butter doesn’t mold or get rotten as quickly as cottage cheese. It’s a good idea to clean out your fridge prior to your long vacation. Buy less food and only eat what you purchased so you don’t have to get more. Don’t load up your fridge with food when you know you’re leaving in a week. This creates a big headache because then you’re throwing away good food that someone else could have used or needed.
Mail and Deliveries
Notify the post office and all deliveries to stop prior to leaving. Stacked packages or mail on a porch or lawn is an invitation to criminals to steal. Give notice 30 days prior to your long vacation. This gives the post office plenty of time to adjust your mail service, and not make your house a hazard for a crime. Don’t have anything delivered to your home while you’re on vacation. This is another way to signal to any robber you’re away from for a long time. If you must use your address for delivery while away, then have a friend come by to pick up the package.
Lawn Care
Unattended grass gets brown fast when no one is there to water it. Hire a student or expert lawn care or pay a friend to come by to tend to your lawn. Brown grass is another identifier that you’re nowhere near your home. Try to keep the lawn looking green to suggest that a homeowner is there taking care of it on a daily basis. Bad lawn care is often the first indicator the owner is gone.
Locks
Make sure you have strong locks. If someone senses you’re away from the home for a long time, then they don’t mind spending time trying to kick in your door. Make sure every door has a sturdy lock. Depending on how long you intend for your vacation, you might consider putting some furniture behind the door. Windows need locks and screens. Make it difficult for someone to break in where it takes them time to undo the lock. This helps alert a neighbor giving them the chance to call the cops if they see something suspicious.
These are some tips on how to prep your home for an extended vacation. Shut off all water in the house. Make sure to check all leaks so nothing overflows while gone. Clean out your fridge so food doesn’t rot or become molded. Don’t buy tons of food prior to leaving; it makes no sense. Stop all mail and deliveries so packages don’t stack up on your porch to invite crime. Keep your grass green by using a friend or hiring a student. This deters bad characters from approaching your home assuming you’re gone. Always have strong and sturdy locks on all doors of the home. Check windows and any entrance that a criminal can break through. Use these tips to have a carefree vacation and return on a happy note.
