Preparing Your Home for Your Vacation
Preparing for your vacation requires more than just packing up a bag. Leaving your house unattended means that there won’t be anyone to tend to the cleanliness, safety or order of your home which may leave you feeling anxious and unable to fully enjoy your vacation. There are several steps that you need to take to prepare your space for your departure, and by doing so, you can reduce your stress levels and worry. Before you head out on your trip, consider these 7 tips if you want to avoid undue anxiety or issues in your absence.
Hire Someone to Cover Lawn Care
In your absence, you don’t want to let your lawn get out of hand. Not only is it unpleasant to return home to an unseemly yard, but this can be a signal to unwanted visitors that the property is unoccupied. Avoid an unkempt exterior by finding a yard clean up near me, so that you can come to a safe and well-manicured lawn.
Unplug Appliances
Much like our lawn, appliances that we may leave plugged in around the house may go unnoticed but can present major hazards. Before you leave for vacation, make sure that you unplug appliances. Not only do appliances pull small amounts of energy, even when they are powered down, but they can lead to fires if unmonitored. Make sure that you avoid these significant safety risks with some preparation.
Lock up Your Home
Locking up your home is a crucial step as you look to depart. While this may seem obvious, this can be the one step that many people neglect to fully address before leaving their homes. Take the time a few days before you leave to check the locks around your home, including windows, that way you can just secure your main entryways as you leave. Especially when you are running late and you’re running out the door, you may neglect to secure your home. Don’t find yourself in this situation and prepare ahead of time.
Contact Your Security Company
While having a security system in your home and ensuring that the locks are secured are essential steps, don’t forget to notify your security company of your upcoming travels. By noting when you will be absent from the home, your management company will be on alert for any suspicious activity. These companies are often alerted to accidental activations, but they will know that any activity in your home during your trip are unwarranted and should be addressed urgently.
Notify Your Credit Card Company
Your security management company will not be the only entity that you need to contact ahead of your departure. Make sure that you notify your credit card companies of your whereabouts to avoid being without access to money. Companies lookout for fraudulent activity and strange spending activity may raise red flags. Avoid being stranded without money by proactively notifying your credit card companies.
Check Your Travel Details
This may seem silly, but make sure to double-check your travel arrangements. Even the most detail-oriented people can make mistakes and confuse dates or time. By taking the extra step to review your travel details before your departure date, you can ensure that you avoid unnecessary stress from getting your travel arrangements wrong.
Clean Your Home
Cleaning your house is a necessity before any long trip. Keep in mind that you will be gone for a prolonged period, so small things like the day-old food in your fridge or the trash will likely look very different by the time you return. To avoid an atrocious odor upon your return, take the extra time to give your house a good cleaning so that you can come home to a fresh and clean home.
Your vacation can be that much more enjoyable if you prepare for your departure. By taking the steps to prepare your home, just like you prepare your luggage, you can be sure to truly enjoy your escape from reality. Allow yourself to relax back into your normal life when you get home by having a clean, safe and well-maintained home when you return.
