Heading off on a long vacation is exciting, but before you start dreaming about beaches or mountains, it’s important to make sure your home will be safe and well-maintained while you’re away. A little preparation goes a long way in preventing unwanted surprises when you return.
Secure Your Home
Before you leave, make sure that your home is secured. Check all of your doors and windows, including things like basement windows.
Make sure that any security systems or cameras are working properly. If you don’t have cameras, consider installing some. This is usually fairly easy, using a small Wifi camera.
Adjust Your Thermostat and Utilities
Set your thermostat to how you would like it while you are gone – warm enough to avoid frozen pipes, etc. You can also use a programmable thermostat that can be scheduled, as well as having access from your phone while you are away.
Unplug appliances to avoid energy waste, which also eliminates fire hazards.
Food and Trash
Now is a great time to go through your fridge and pantry. Clean out anything that is expiring and would go bad while you are gone.
Make sure that all of the trash is taken out, and that you run the disposal and dishwasher.
It is also a good idea to make sure things are stocked up – you don’t want to come home to no food or a lack of toilet paper and have to run chores right away.
Make Your Home Look Lived in
It is always good to make sure it looks like your home is lived in. Set timers for indoor lights to turn on and off at different intervals, or use smart home systems to control lighting remotely.
Make sure that things like yard work and mail collection is handled, so that things like boxes don’t pile up on the porch, which would attract thieves.
Protect Your Home from Weather
Before leaving, check that your home to make sure it is safe from any inclement weather. It is a good idea to make sure that patio furniture is stored carefully, gutters are cleaned out, etc. Think of anything that might be an issue if there are storms or other intense weather while you are away. If you have a sprinkler system, it is good to have it on a system but that you can also change remotely from your phone.
Clean Your House
Clean your home before you go so you can return without feeling stressed and frazzled. Wash sheets, run the dishwasher, and try to make sure the laundry is done. You will likely have to do a lot of unpacking and laundry when you arrive back home, so it is nice to return to a clean house.
Inform Friends, Family, Neighbors
It is a good idea to let your neighbors know that you will be away, so that they are not concerned about your absence and they can keep an eye on anything that might seem out of the ordinary.
I so agree about informing your neighbors that you will be gone. You forgot to mention putting your mail on hold.
I should print this out to have the next time we go away. I always worry I’m going to forget something. My Mom always knows when we go somewhere since she watches the cats when we do 🙂
I always make sure that I go through the fridge. Anything going off whilst we are away will firstly be offered to others to minimise waste before I consider throwing items away. Lights on timers are great to make a home look lived in.
Each of these suggestions for preparing your home for being away is spot on. My stepdad would always leave the TV on when we were younger, and we all left the house, so it seemed like someone was home.
I really enjoyed how your post so clearly blends practical check-lists and thoughtful touches. It makes preparing for a trip feel manageable. Your tone is reassuring and relatable, which turns what could be stressful “to-do” items into smart, calm steps.
The longest I’ve ever been away from my home is 7 days. These are great reminders, especially adjusting our thermostat and unplugging certain appliances!