Before you head out for your family vacation, make sure you have taken care of these 7 Things To Do At Home Before Travel. Not only will you leave your home with peace of mind, you’ll come home to a safe, secure and happy home. From security to simple comfort or saving money, these tips are musts prior to any extended travel.
7 Things To Do At Home Before Travel
Set your thermostat lower/higher as appropriate. Raise your thermostat in the summer and lower it in the winter months. For summer we recommend raising your thermostat to 75-78 degrees. You don’t want your home too hot while you are away, but you also don’t want your air conditioning to run constantly. In the winter, leaving your heat at 68-70 degrees will keep pipes from freezing, but still leave it not too warm and not running as often throughout the time you are away.
Unplug all electronics. There is nothing as sad as coming home to a television, computer or stereo system that has been zapped by an electrical surge due to storms or other accidents. Before you leave home, unplug as many of your appliances and electronics as you can.
Set lights on timer. For safety, this is a great choice. If you have someone caring for your house or pets while you are gone, they too can simply flip the switches as they come in and out. Lights going on and off at regular intervals makes it appear someone is at home.
Notify your local HOA or Neighborhood Watch of your travel plans. If you have a home owners association, local community police force or neighborhood watch program this is the time to give them a call and let them know you’ll be out of town and for how long. They can keep an eye on things while you are away.
Put fresh linens on your beds. Coming home to a fresh clean bed is truly magical after you’ve been away for a few days. This is a comfort thing that simply makes life a little bit better when you arrive home. This may be one of the best things to do at home before travel.
Clean out the refrigerator and freezer. Nobody wants to come home to rotting food. Take the time to clean out anything that will go bad or expire while you are away. Give to your neighbors, friends or family if it can’t be used easily before you leave for your vacation. I would even start your post-vacation grocery list at this time. One less thing to worry about when you return!
Lock all windows and doors. Sometimes we forget about those windows over the kids bathroom, or even our back door that leads into a fenced in yard. Take the time to go through the house and lock all windows and doors. Also, don’t forget any garages, sheds and fence gates that you’d like to have locked.
These things to do at home before travel will keep your home safe, your mind at ease and give you a wonderful welcoming home to come back to after you enjoy time away. Vacations are meant to be a time for relaxing, not stressing about things back home! These tips will keep it that way.