Vacation time! It should be a time of deep relaxation, fun, and a way to generate lifelong happy memories with friends and family. But, in order to even get to the point where you are finally on the beach sipping a cold drink with a tiny umbrella, you have to put in some footwork, especially when it comes to preparing your home. Before you go, especially if you’re going to be gone for two weeks or more, your home will need to be prepared to operate without you for that length of time, which is actually more of an undertaking than you would have imagined. In today’s article, we’re going to cover some of the basic and even not so basic best practices that you can deploy the next time you and the family get to hit the open road on vacation.
Before you leave, make sure that you dump all of your home’s trash cans and make arrangements for your large trash cans to be taken to the curb and brought back in while you’re away. You will also want to go through your fridge and pantry and either throw away, give away, or consume any food that may spoil while you are out of town. The last thing you want to do is come back to a house full of rotted food.
The outside of your house can be just as important to secure as the inside. Make sure that your lawn gets mowed just prior to your leaving so that it doesn’t get too overgrown while you’re away. Also make sure that your sprinklers are on a good schedule that allows for your lawn to stay green and healthy.
Do a perimeter check around your house and make sure that there are no branches or trees that have grown in such a way that would allow a burglar to have access to a window or upper deck. Trim any trees that are this way and feel free to trim any tree branches that may get overgrown or shabby while you are away too.
Clean your gutters in order to ensure that they won’t overflow or spill water during a storm while you are gone. That could lead to other problems down the line as well.
In the garden, make sure that you either arrange for someone to come by to water your plants and trees or to set up an automatic watering system for when you are away.
You will want to clean your house before leaving so that you can come back to a nice clean home that won’t stress you out once you finally get back from your travels.
Clean out your garbage disposal and make sure it isn’t clogged before you go. Empty the dishwasher and leave the door cracked open slightly so it can dry out while you are gone. You will also want to ensure that all of your laundry is clean and that your washer and dryer are empty before you go. You don’t want to leave dirty soiled clothes in the hamper for a few weeks and you definitely don’t want to accidentally leave wet clothes in the washer either!
For The Road
Making sure your home is ready for when you go on vacation is no small feat, but with a little preparation you can be ready for anything that comes your way this year. Contact us if you or someone you know may be in need of a residential or commercial cleaning service like ours. We can’t wait to hear from you. Give us a call or email us here. Have fun and stay safe out there!