When prepping for a vacation the first few items on my (long) to do list are things like planning an itinerary, booking flights and hotels and packing. These are just some of the things to do before you go on vacation. Commonly overlooked but just as important though is how you leave your home. This leaving home checklist has everything you need to prep your home for a vacation.
Whether you are leaving for a week or a month these tasks will help save your home from potential damage and burglary plus leave you with peace of mind.
So if you want to avoid running around like a chicken with its head cut off the morning of a big trip, keep reading. And make sure you download the printable checklist to keep handy as you are preparing to leave home.
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Download the Leaving Home Checklist
Tell Someone Where You’re Going
It is always a good idea to let a trusted friend or neighbor know where you are going and ask them to keep an eye out for anything unusual at your house.
This way if any packages get delivered unexpectedly they can grab them or they can alert you or the police if there is activity in your house that there shouldn’t be. You may even consider giving them a key in case of an emergency.
If you don’t have regularly scheduled lawn care then you may also want to consider asking someone to mow your grass while you are gone. If it is long enough it will start to look unkempt. An overgrown lawn is a clear sign to burglars that the home is vacant.
Check Bills
If you are anything like me then most of your bills are on autopay so you won’t have to do anything during vacation for those bills. If, however, you have any bills that you have to pay manually then make sure you take care of that ahead of time or bring along any information you may need in order to pay them while abroad.
This includes bills like:
- Credit Cards
- Gas
- Electric
- Water
- Trash
- Lawn Care
Make Arrangements for Pets and Plants
Make sure while you are prepping for your next big vacation that you remember to make arrangements for any pets that need to be cared for. Whether you are boarding them, dropping them off with a family member or just leaving out extra food and water make sure you remember to let people know in advance.
Boarding facilities often fill up especially around the holidays and common travel weekends.
If you have plants that may die while you are gone you can ask a friend or a house sitter to water them. Or you could try these watering spikes that can prolong the time needed between human interaction.
Put a Hold on Mail
If your vacation is more than a few days then the mail will start to pile up which is inconvenient for the mail person and looks suspicious. You can actually put a hold on your mail for up to 30 days through USPS. When you return home you can either pick it up or have it delivered with your next normal mail delivery.
If you need the mail to continue to be delivered for any reason then consider asking your friend or neighbor that is checking on your house to pick up the mail while they are there.
Take Care of the Food
About a week before your vacation take stock of the perishable food in your fridge and pantry. Make a strategic meal plan to eat up as much of the food that will go bad while you’re gone as possible.
Then the day before or the morning of your trip go through any food that is left and put it in one of four categories.
Eat: if you can eat it before you leave or bring it with you on vacation then do that. I like to bring any leftover fruit and vegetables as snacks on road trips.
Freeze: If you can’t eat it before you leave but it can be frozen then package it up properly and put it in the freezer. Just remember to pull it back out when you get home.
Give Away: If there is some good food left over that cannot be frozen try to find someone to give it too so it doesn’t become wasted food. Maybe a neighbor or friend can find a good way to use it up.
Throw It Out: There always seems to be a couple things that end up in the trash when we leave for vacation. Sometimes it’s leftovers or a sad piece of fruit that just wasn’t salvageable. Make sure when you are done that there is nothing in your fridge that will go bad or moldy while you’re gone. You do not want to come home to that smell.
Lastly, I like to purchase or make some food that is non-perishable or maybe a freezer meal that we can make on the first day home from vacation. Alternatively you could schedule a grocery delivery for the day you will return. That way you do not have to rush out to grab food or groceries right away. Instead you can relax at home and enjoy being in your own space again.
Clean and Tidy Up
With all the other prep work you have to get done before a vacation you probably won’t have time to deep clean your house before you leave. I know I never do. However I do like to tidy everything up, vacuum and wipe down all surfaces.
I always make sure to clean up clutter like toys, clothes and other piles that always seem to accumulate. I like to make the beds because it looks so nice when you come back home to a made bed. I like to try to clean the bathrooms and kitchen as much as I can in the time I can spare. Always make sure the washer (and dryer) are empty so that there are no wet clothes that smell of mildew when you come home.
Coming home to a clean home is less stressful and keeps you in that relaxed vacation feeling a little longer. To be honest though, when I am running out of time before we leave this is one of the first things I skip.
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Wash the Dishes
Washing dishes may seem like it fits in with cleaning but it is so important that I feel it deserves its own spot. While I may skip cleaning, I never skip washing the dishes. Wash all the dishes in the sink and run the dishwasher before leaving.
The food stuck on the dishes would cause quite the stink in a short a time as just a few days and absolute disaster in a month.
Unplug Small Appliances
By unplugging small appliances you can save electricity and decrease the chances of an electrical fire occurring while you are gone. Vacations can add up quickly so do yourself a favor by unplugging things around the house to save money.
You can unplug things like the toaster, router, tv, lamps, robot vacuums and even your washer and dryer. Some things shouldn’t be unplugged like the fridge and freezer. If you’re unsure whether you should unplug something when it is going unused for a long period of time you can read the manual to find out for sure.
Shop the Leaving Home Checklist:
Close and Lock all Doors and Windows
I know this seems obvious but what I mean is, go around the house and manually check each door and window. You never know when a window latch was accidentally left open when you wanted to let a breeze in.
Don’t forget to lock the front door on your way out either or else the rest of it is moot.
Adjust the Thermostat
Depending on the time of year you will want to adjust the thermostat to save money. In the summer, raise the temperature, I like to leave it at about 80 F. Just be cautious of any food or hygiene items that shouldn’t be left out at that temperature.
In the winter, lower the temperature, I like to leave it at about 60-65 F. Make sure it does not get so cold that your pipes are in danger of freezing. That could cause a burst pipe and some serious damage. At this temperature that should not be a risk.
One thing to note is that it will take time once you’re home. It may be a little uncomfortable as you wait for the temperature to adjust. You could get a smart thermostat and then you could adjust the temperature remotely from your phone. This way you can adjust as needed both throughout your trip and before your arrival home.
Take Out All Trash
It is crazy how many different things in our house can cause nasty smells. The trash is another one that you won’t want to forget to remove from the house in order to return to a nice smelling house. Make sure you take out all the trash from the bedrooms, bathrooms and especially the kitchen trash.
I always keep a trash bag open until we are ready to walk out the door. Then it comes out with us as we are leaving and right into the dumpster (or garage trash can).
Turn on a Light
In order to discourage break ins and make the home appear lived in I always leave one indoor light on. For a more advanced approach you can use a smart bulb or a timer.
A smart bulb can be controlled from your phone (what can’t nowadays). This way you can turn the light on and off at random times in unpredictable patterns. Another easy alternative is to put one or two lights on a timer. These will turn on and off at a set time every day. It is inexpensive and easy to set up. I don’t think either option is a bad option.
Set Your Alarm
If you have an alarm system, you might as well use it. Make sure the alarm is set as you’re walking out the door as another layer of precaution. If you have a house sitter or friend that may be entering the house, give them all the information to turn off the alarm so they don’t accidentally set it off.
Leaving Home Checklist
If you follow everything on the leaving home checklist you will minimize your chances of mishaps and break ins from ever occurring while you’re enjoying your hard earned vacation. So relax with your mind at ease because your home is well taken care of.
Is there anything you would add to your checklist? Let me know in the comments below.
