Make Sure Your Home is Ready for Vacation

The 4^th of July is one of the busiest travel times this summer.  It is estimated over 49 million Americans will travel 50+ miles away from home this holiday. Are you packing up the family for a road trip or hopping on a plane to fly away to a fun-filled destination? If so, then don’t forget to make sure your home is ready for your vacation too.

Safe and Sound

Don’t make it easy for burglars while you are away on your vacation. Of course, make sure all your doors and windows are locked, but make it look like you’ve never left home. Keep your lawn trimmed and put a hold on your mail and newspapers. Lighting can also be a good deterrent to make sure your home is ready to be left alone. Install a motion-activated outdoor flood light or put exterior and interior lights on a timer. Make sure to get rid of any outside hidden or spare keys and if possible add a remote home monitoring system. Always leave emergency contact info with a trusted neighbor who can also keep an eye out and possibly park in your driveway to make it look like someone is still home.

Neat and Clean

Don’t come back from your vacation to a messy house. Make sure laundry is done and put away before you leave. Clean out the fridge of any items that might spoil while are gone and insert a fresh box of baking soda. Take out all the trash – especially anything that may stink up the house. Clean your countertops to ensure they are free of crumbs and kitchen sink is free of food debris. Run your dishwasher and garbage disposal and do a quick spray for bugs.

Plumbing, Electronics, and Appliances

Before you leave on holiday, here are a few more things to check off your list. Some of the most effective are easy to accomplish. Such as turning off the main water valve so you don’t come home to any surprising leaks. Also, unplug your small appliances and larger electronics like TVs and computers that could be affected by power surges and more while you’re gone. Last but not least, set your home thermostat closer to warmer temperatures and put your water heater on “Vacation” mode. 

Happy Travels!

We hope you use these simple steps and action items to make sure your home is ready for your family’s summer vacation. They could just save you some heartache, money, and hassles while you’re away. Now head out and make some more awesome memories this summer.