Things to do around the house before going on vacation: the guide

Hey there, fellow travelers!

Daniela here, ready to help you prep for your next getaway. Before you jet off, check out my latest guide: “Things to do around the house before going on vacation: the guide”. It’s packed with essential tips to ensure your home stays safe and sound while you’re off having fun.

Did you know that 23% of burglaries occur when homeowners are on vacation? Yikes! That’s why this guide covers everything from:

• Setting up timers for lights (reduces break-in risk by 39%)
• Proper mail handling (27% of vacationers forget this!)
• Checking all locks (faulty locks account for 6% of home break-ins)
• Unplugging electronics (saves an average of $4 per day on energy bills)

Plus, you’ll find a handy printable checklist to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

Remember, a little prep goes a long way. Happy travels, and don’t forget to water those plants!.

The time we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived: to take our minds off everything, our routines, our work, to fill our eyes with beauty and our luggage with experiences. But, before going away, it is necessary to make a to do list, that is, a list of things to do at home before going on vacation. We are so busy and transfixed between suitcase, passport, documents, that we often don’t pay enough attention to the house–but that’s a mistake! Pantry, water, electricity, appliances–that’s what never to forget, to travel serenely to your intended destination.

The first step? A check of the pantry and refrigerator

Do you know what the experts say? We should never shop for groceries before we leave! A mistake we sometimes make, let’s face it: maybe we see a nice offer, we are intrigued by the discounts, and there we the mistake is around the corner. Before going on vacation, it is necessary to take a look at the refrigerator and pantry, especially the freezer. There is a very specific reason: because we are not at home, we may never discover any problems with the power supply. The food may deteriorate and no longer taste good. Let’s also take time to check for proper sealing of jars and bags. Or, again, let’s check the expiration date of some products in the pantry. No way to get everything out of the freezer before we leave? No problem: the penny trick in the freezer is always useful–just place a small cup inside the refrigerator with water. Once frozen, we place a coin on top of the ice.

How to leave the house before leaving? Linda and clean

We don’t have to do classic spring cleaning before we go on vacation, but it’s best to have everything in virtually perfect condition when we return. Among the rooms to sanitize thoroughly, and where we recommend more intensive cleaning, there are definitely bathrooms e cuisine. In the kitchen, we go back to the previous point: we remove any food that may deteriorate over time and attract insects or cause not-so-nice smells. In the bathroom, we sanitize the bathroom fixtures. In the rest of the house, such as in the bedroom, living room, living room, or study, we can simply remove dust, wash the floors, change the linens on the beds, and air out before closing the front door and flying off to our heart’s destination!

Unplugging appliances

Friends, did you know that the household appliances continue to consume energy when not in use, trivially leaving the plug plug plugged in? Well, yes! Even if they are turned off, they are still on “standby,” and most of us actually either ignore this aspect or tend to forget it. Nothing could be more wrong. No matter how long we are away, whether for one or three weeks, the important thing is to unplug appliances and make absolutely sure that all lights are off. This is not advice we give just for the phantom consumption, which still weigh on the bill. There is also the risk of failures or short circuits to be avoided, which can cause quite a bit of damage.

Taking care of plants

Especially for those who have chosen to furnish their homes in the Urban Jungle style… never forget to keep an eye on the plants, but especially to find someone to do it for you before you leave. The suggestion in this regard is to check the conditions (is there enough water?), and for those who have a garden, instead, opt for a automatic irrigation system is the best solution. Remember to leave them where there is plenty of light, especially if the plants require it: each one presents different care and attention. Perhaps we can ask our neighbors or close friends for help. In general, it is a good idea to leave a spare set of keys with a trusted person to check that everything is in order in the house.

Gas, water and electricity? Better to shut everything off if possible

How to leave the apartment safely? According to experts, we should definitely shut off gas, water and electricity, Of course, this is not always possible. Think of burglar alarms or cameras: they need electricity to work. How to behave in such cases? It depends on one’s needs. First of all, if we cannot unplug the electricity, let’s remember to unplug appliances anyway. Let’s also mark on our list of things to do before we leave to turn off the light switches (forgetting them is a great classic), shut off the gas and the water pipe.

The alarm? A check never hurts

Summer is definitely the worst time to underestimate the risk of theft. It doesn’t matter whether we live in a seventh-floor apartment or a cottage: we must take all necessary measures to protect our environments. That’s why the list of things to do absolutely can never be without a check the alarm system and the video cameras, to be done in the days before departure, and not at the moment when you are about to close the front door. Of course, remember to close all windows before activating the alarm, and let a trickle of light in for the plants.

Hiding valuables

On vacation, we bring the essentials, but no more: this is the main rule of travelers, especially those who like to go around the world with the famous backpack. This means that we leave almost all our belongings at home, such as grandma’s gold bracelets. At this point the imperative is to hide them, perhaps in a safe, or in a “smart” spot in the house. Let us give, however, a little advice: take a picture, because we might as well forget about them in time.

What about the laundry? Don’t leave anything in the laundry rack

One more final tip: We avoid leaving the laundry basket full of laundry. to be washed and we don’t forget anything in the washing machine. When we return, especially if we have family in tow, with partners and children, we risk having an avalanche of things to wash. For the rest, once all these activities are completed, the time comes to pack… but that is another to do list, much more fun probably, because it indicates that the vacations are coming and we are finally on vacation, free from all daily chores.