There are many household tasks that you may worry about while you are away on vacation such as your pet, your plants, your mail, a bill that will be late when you get back, or if you have left an appliance on. It’s easy to neglect taking care of many important and obvious things in your excitement about the trip or while you’re in a rush to leave.
If you don’t want to worry about things at home while on vacation, it’s essential to take a few minutes and review the following tips that can help you stay cool and worry-free.
Don’t Neglect What has Taken so Long to Grow:
Most of your house plants will survive if you water them sufficiently well before you leave for your trip. They may end up slightly wilted or limp until you return, but watering once you get back should revive them. If you don’t want to risk it, you can ask someone to water your plants, but if no one can actually help you in this regard, there are some other steps you can take to protect them. If you are going on vacation in the warmer weather, close the blinds and shades to keep your house cool. Your house plants will need less water when they are cooler. Or, create a mini greenhouse before departing for a long vacation.
Secure Your House Before You Leave:
Carefully inspect your home before you leave. You can use a timer to turn the main light of your home on and off every day. Keeping a light on in the evening while your home is empty can be a good way to avoid the risk of theft and burglary. Set the timer so that the living room light will stay on from 7 to 9 pm. Make sure that the glow of the light can be seen through the window blinds from outside the house. Moreover, you can also use an exterior light that can prove to be a better deterrent than interior lighting. Therefore, you can also set one or two of those on a timer.
Take Care of Bills Payments While You’re Away:
Always plan ahead in case of your bills. You would not like to be charged with a fine on a pending bill when you get home from vacation. In such a case, a bill pay app comes in handy. It’s a good practice to pay your fixed bills in advance such as television cable, internet bill, and health insurance premiums etc. Just make the payment electronically before you leave. Moreover, you can also set up automatic withdrawal for your mortgage payments, so you never have to think about them when you are away. You can also have your bill charged to your credit card. Also, pay your rent in advance before going on a long vacation.
Lock and Secure Access Points:
Ensure all the access points and properly locked and secure. Lock all the doors as well as windows. Make sure to lock the door that connects your home and garage. Unplug the power access to the automatic garage door so that no universal remote can be used to gain access. Place a metal rod or a piece of plywood into the track of a sliding glass door. Put all your valuable belongings in a fireproof and safe place.
