10 ways to prep your home for vacation

You’ve finally enjoy the vacation you’ve been talking about for months. While vacation is a blast with friends, family or just the time away from the everyday stresses of life, the fact is home is where the heart is and where you’ll come back from your epic week. Deep down, I think we all really do love to come home but what can make it even sweeter is having your home ready for you when you return. What do I mean by that? I created a simple checklist to make sure your house is ready for you when you get back ( and you feel better about being home too ). 

Plumbing - Make sure before you leave your home that the water is turned off at the main valve. This means that your dishwasher, washing machine and sink do not need any of the water when you are gone. If there is a leak that occurs it can be extremely costly with water damage. This also goes for your water heater- set it to vacation mode to save on your heating bill if you decide to travel in the winter.

Unplug + Check Smoke- Any kitchen appliance or gadget you need to plug in such as your television, sound system or computer should be unplugged so you don’t start any fires. Speaking of fires, also check that your smoke detectors are working well and put fresh batteries in them before you leave.

Emergency Contact - If you are gone for a long time, make sure that a neighbor or a friend has contact details for services that you use such as a plumber or a landscaper who comes and works on your house while you’re away and you can get in touch with easily if something comes up.

Eat Out The Refrigerator / Check For Open Containers - You want to try and eat or throw out any food that you can so you can come back to a clean and fresh smelling kitchen.  A good tip too is leaving a container of baking soda inside your refrigerator to absorb any foul smelling odors. The same goes for your pantry. Sweep out any crumbs that may come from any open containers that are open in your pantry. You wouldn’t want to get any ants while your away.

Image: Premier Surfaces

Wipe Down The Counters/ Bathroom Sinks - One of the easy things you can do before you leave is wipe down all the surfaces in your home including your counters and your bathroom sinks. We recently upgraded our countertops to Cambria Quartz Countertops. With exceptional beauty, versatility, durability, and the strongest warranty in the industry, Cambria is the clear choice for builders and remodelers that won't settle for anything less than the highest quality. It can be a bit overwhelming finding the perfect countertop to match your vision of your bathroom or kitchen, but Premier Surfaces, a company that offers you a variety of various countertops to fit your needs,  made it simple, educational and fun! Working with friendly designers such as Lindsey Frost of Frost Designs Inc, make it exciting and worth the one on one meeting that you’re able to attend when visiting the locations that the company has nationwide.

Keep Car In The Garage - If you’re able too, make sure to park your car in the garage or have a friend drive it periodically to prevent suspicious burglars. This will give you a piece of mind when you travel so no one breaks into your car.

Have A Neighbor Grab Your Mail - If you’re gone for a long time instead of having your mail pile up in your mailbox, ask a neighbor or friend to keep it within your home.

Don’t Share On Social Media - A huge rule of thumb now is not announcing that you’ll be gone from your home on any form of social media. Depending on how you use social media, it would probably be better to share pictures of your trip when you get back. If you do need to tell someone, tell a trusted friend who can keep an eye out on your house as well as your safe return.

Lights - A good idea would have a timer to make it seem as if you are home. If you don’t have a home, I would also think about installing motivation activated light at your door.

Wash Sheets- If your flight is delayed getting home, do you really want to fall asleep in your bed that hasn’t been washed in a few days or worse, weeks? Wash your sheets and bedding so you have fresh sheets to dive into after a long travel day. You’re jet lagged body will thank you.

Now that you have a few tips to keep your home ready while you’re enjoying time in the sun, are there any other tips you have to prep your home? I can’t wait to hear some suggestions you have in the comments below. 

Disclaimer- This article was provided to me to post for my readers.