Prepping for your Vacation!

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With summer right around the corner, summer vacations are the best getaway to refresh your mind and rejuvenate your spirit. While preparing for a vacation may appear unnecessary, having a plan and check list will ensure a restful and stress free getaway.

Your home is more vulnerable when you are away, especially for a weeklong vacation. Taking some simple steps will prepare your home for your departure and leave it safe and secure.

Tips to prepare your home!

Create a checklist and mark items off as you complete the task. If you are giving an itinerary and key to a trusted neighbor, or friend, make sure they know the best place to enter your home as well as the security code if you have an alarm set.

Set automatic lights!

You can set timers for indoor and outdoor lights to turn on and off at random when you are gone. You can even set a timer for your television. This gives the appearance that someone is home.

Keep you’re A/C on, but set the temperature!

With the hot summer months approaching, keep your air conditioner on while you are gone, but set the temperature so it does not run constantly. This will keep air circulating through your home so it does not get stuffy.

Clean out your refrigerator!

Especially if your trip is a week or longer, make sure you take out food that will spoil.

Take out the trash!

A week is a long time for trash to sit in your home.

Mute your house phone!

Muting your house phone can ensure that no one hears all of your unanswered phone calls throughout your trip.

Lock up!

Lock your garage, all gates, windows, skylights, and doors. Make sure there is no point of entry to your home left unlocked.

Stop your mail!

Don’t forget to put a stop on your mail before your trip. The post office makes it easy to put a stop on your mail and have it all delivered the day you return.

Lawn Care

Depending on how long you will be gone and your HOA, you may need to have a neighbor, friend, or gardener mow your front lawn.

Blinds and Curtains

Keep them just as you would if you were home.

Extras!

Do you have pets?

Make sure you arrange in advance for your pets to board or have someone come in to care for them. Summer and holidays are the busiest times for boarding places, so reserve a spot for your pet now. Double check the hours of operation and your flight times so you can plan ahead and make sure you have plenty of time for the drop off. I always pre-package the food and write out instructions as well as include a local contact in case of an emergency.

Credit/Debit Card

Make sure you let your bank or credit card company know you are travelling…some banks and credit card companies will put a hold on your account if purchases are made suddenly outside of your region.

Bills

If you will be gone when bills are due, make sure you have them set up on automatic payments for drop a check in the mail before your trip. You want the power on when you come home!

House Plants

If you have several indoor house plants, you may want to arrange for them to be watered while you are gone, depending on the type of plant.