Heading out of town to enjoy some time with family? A warm sandy beach? Don’t neglect to protect your home!
Prevent damage.
Turn off your water supply. Prevent any potential leaks by eliminating the water source altogether.
Assign one family member to go through each room in the house, ensuring windows are closed, appliances are unplugged, and ovens are turned off. No more crossed signals between family members on who has checked which rooms or items.
Clean out your refrigerator, and take out the trash. Prevent your home from taking on a putrid odor by removing the source.
Pour baking soda down your drains and toilet. Baking soda is amazingly useful. And, when you combine it with vinegar, it freshens your drain (and helps clear clogs too). Pour about a cup down your drain and toilet to avoid playing “What’s that smell?” when you get home. (Thanks to eSurance for this tip!)
Cover yourself personally.
Make copies of your passport. Keep one copy in your luggage, and one at your home.
Pay your bills ahead of time. It’s a weight off your shoulders, and you’ll thank yourself while you are relaxing on a beach or mountaintop.
Let your bank know you’ll be out of the area so they don’t unexpectedly freeze your account.
Deter home invasions by making your home look lived-in.
Invest in a timer for lights, then set them to turn on and off periodically.
Stop your mail service, or ask a friendly neighbor to collect your mail for you.
Hire a neighbor kid to mow your lawn or shovel snow from your driveway.
Save energy.
Adjust your thermostat to better match the season. If it’s warm, don’t waste energy on AC. Conversely, in cooler weather, drop the temperature in your home down a bit.