6 things you should do at home before going on vacation this holiday season

If you’re fortunate enough to be celebrating the upcoming holiday season sunning on the beaches of Bora Bora or racing down the Alps, there is much to do before you jet off to your relaxing winter getaway. However, it’s important to remember that vacation prep goes beyond what you bring in your suitcase. As a homeowner, what you are leaving behind is just as important, if not more.

When you leave your home vacant, even if only a weekend, there are a number of risks that may present themselves while you are away. While condo-dwellers can count of their concierge for certain things, most low-rise homeowners don’t have this luxury. Fortunately, there are precautions that can be taken to protect your home that require minimal effort and boast optimal efficiency.

Before you jet off to spend the holidays in paradise, you can ensure that your house is properly equipped for your extended absence by doing these things:

1) Share the news with close friends

In the days leading up to your departure, let your trusted neighbours and relatives know that you will be away. This way, they can help keep an eye on the house.

More importantly, if you have a home-alarm system, you should always inform your security company of when your home will be left unattended. You can also take this opportunity to test all of your home’s alarms and detectors to ensure that they’re in perfect condition during your vacation.

To ease any additional anxiety, you may want to consider using smart tech to keep an eye on your home. Nowadays there are a number of trusted security apps that allow you to see everything going on in your house from your smartphone.

2) Keep up appearances

Do you remember in Home Alone when Kevin McCallister temporarily deterred the burglars by setting the scene for a Christmas party in his otherwise vacant house, complete with lights, music, and elaborate silhouettes? Your display definitely doesn’t need to be as elaborate, but taking subtle measures to make your house look occupied can be extremely effective. You can accomplish this by installing motion-activated sensors on outdoor lights and timed lights indoors.

Before you leave, don’t keep all of the blinds and curtains closed in every room. Instead, try to keep things as they usually are. Also, covered windows can benefit burglars by allowing them to go virtually unseen while they rummage through your valuables.

3) Hide your wheels

If you have a garage, be sure to park your car inside. But in the interest of making your home look occupied, you can ask a close neighbour to park their car in your driveway instead.

4) Make time for maintenance

Nothing will remind you that you are not on vacation anymore like coming home to a dirty house. You can keep yourself from falling into a post-vacation slump by cleaning your house before you leave. This way, instead of dreading your return, you can look forward to coming home to a spotless house.

As you clean, don’t forget about your fridge. The week before your vacation, keep grocery shopping to a minimum and try to cook with whatever you have in your fridge. This way, you can clear out your fridge and won’t have to throw away brand new groceries when you get back.

Make sure you don’t leave without asking a neighbour to shovel your driveway and sidewalk as often as possible. This is a vital detail; if a passerby happens to slip and hurt themselves on the ice in front of your home you will still be held responsible. Needless to say, it will also be a major relief to come home and already have the shoveling taken care of.

5) Say no to newspapers

Piled mail and newspapers in front of your house are a dead giveaway that you aren’t home. To combat this, you can easily contact your local newspaper and ask them to cease deliveries for the duration of your trip or ask your neighbourhood to pick up your mail.

6) Unplug appliances

When you’re on vacation, burglars aren’t the only thing to be afraid of. Your energy bill is just as likely to rob you while you are away. To avoid any unnecessary fees, unplug as many appliances as possible before you leave.

We hope that these tips help keep your home safe and secure while you are on vacation!