Going on holiday soon? Here’s a quick checklist for you to tick off before you leave home…
1 Tell your alarm company that you’ll be away. Also give them the name/s of the person or people who will be housesitting for you while you’re gone (if applicable), and ensure that your sitter knows how to operate the alarm system – and what to do in the event of an emergency.
2 Test your home alarm before you go on holiday to confirm with the control centre that it has received a signal. If your alarm is faulty, don’t leave it to the last minute to request a technician to fix it.
3 Suspend any deliveries (magazines, parcels, etc) that you may be expecting or get someone to collect them for you. And ask a neighbour to clear out your post box.
4 If you haven’t organised a house-sitter, consider asking a friend or family member to pop in at your home on a regular basis for a quick check.
5 Don’t advertise that you are going away. Rather pack your luggage into your vehicle behind closed garage doors.
6 Whether you’re gone for a week or a month, there are three main options for your pets when you’re on vacation: You can have someone take care of them in your house, have them go to someone else’s place (or a kennel), or you can take them with you. What you do with them depends on how long you’ll be away, how much money you’re willing to spend and how much you trust others to take care of your extended family. Whatever you do, don’t leave them alone – even for a short break.
7 Pay any bills that will be due while you’re away.
8 Collect refills of any chronic medication that might run out while you’re on your trip.
9 Throw away perishable food items, including any fruit and veggies that might go bad while you’re away.
10 On the day you leave, take out the last bag of trash to the garbage bin.
11 If you’re catching a flight, check in online before you leave home and confirm all your hotel and car rental reservations, etc.
12 Unplug electronics such as computers and other devices that might be damaged by a power surge. Also make sure that all your appliances are turned off (stove, oven, coffee machine, etc).
13 Water your house plants. If you’re going to be away for a while, try and arrange to have them watered while you’re gone.
14 Turn on your email auto-response. Do this even if you are planning on checking email (it will help alleviate the pressure to answer quickly and reduce the number of emails you get).
15 Fully charge your phone/tablet/laptop the night before you leave and double check that you have all the documents and/or confirmations you’ll need for your trip.
16 On the day you leave, wash any dishes you used for breakfast or dinner and pack them away.
17 Close the curtains or blinds if you have windows where people can see in to your house.
18 Arrange to have somebody mow your lawn while you’re away if possible, to avoid calling attention to an unattended house.
19 Sprinkle a little baking soda in toilets and down basins and sinks to avoid coming home to blockages or the smell of stagnant water.
20 Make sure the relevant people know how to get in touch with you if they need to.
Got a handy tip for going on holiday? Share it with us…
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