How to Prep for Summer Vacation

The fourth of July was last week and now you’re scrambling trying to get ready for vacation. If you’re anything like me, you’re usually running around crazy trying to get everything organized at home and wrap up work to-dos before leaving for summer vacation. In that frenzied state — the opposite of how you hope to be on your break — it’s easy to let an important home safety measure slip through the cracks. Following is a checklist and guide of things to do before you leave for summer vacation. That way you can kick back and relax without a care in the world. Plus, there are a couple of things you can do (or not do) while you are away to further put your mind at ease. Read on, and have a fabulous trip!

Set your thermostat. There’s no need to turn your thermostat off while you are away — if you live in an area with high humidity, that can lead to mold. According to Wyckoff Comfort, you should adjust your thermostat only by 10 degrees to achieve maximum energy savings while you are on vacation. So, if it’s usually set to 70, for example, raise it to 80 for the time being, and 85 max.

Turn off the water. Coming back to a leaky pipe is no fun, so make sure to shut off your water main before you leave for a length of time. If you have a fancy programmable thermostat, set an alert to let you know should water enter your basement.

Clean out the fridge. You don’t want to return from time off to a refrigerator that’s stinking up the place. If you’re traveling by car, load up produce in a cooler for the ride. If you’re going too far to bring leftovers with you, try to eat up anything that’ll spoil in the week prior; otherwise, chuck the rest (or give it to neighbors), and don’t forget to take out the trash, too.

Unplug everything. Yeah, that means going around the house and making sure all appliances — from laptops to coffee maker — are out of the sockets. It’s a precaution that could save you time and money should a summer thunderstorm create a surge that destroys your valuables. It’s also a way to avoid potential fires. And it’s eco-friendly. Even when appliances aren’t turned on, many of them consume energy.

Make it look like you’re not gone. Burglars are on the lookout for homes that have been vacated over any holiday season, so give them reasons to believe you are still at home. If you have timers attached to your lights in the yard or home, keep them plugged in and going while you’re away to create the allusion that someone is home. If not, leave an energy-efficient light or two on in your home that can be seen from the street. Also, put your mail and newspaper delivery on hold so there isn’t an overflow. Hire someone to take care of your lawn and outdoor container plants as well. Now it’s as if nothing has changed.

Turn on the alarm. It sounds simple, but don’t forget to turn your alarm on and lock every door and window. Have a trusty neighbor check on your place from time to time while you’re away and notify your neighborhood security watch of the dates when you’ll be out of town.

Stay away from real-time social media posts. It’s tempting to update your Facebook and Twitter pages with your summer vacation experiences in real time. I mean, now is the time when you have TIME to do that, right? But there are likely more people (acquaintances, strangers) able to view these pages than just your close friends and family, so, for safety’s sake, wait to share your favorite photos of you guys swimming with the dolphins until you are back at home.

Create custom postcards. You know you’re going to hear it from your mother that “you never contact us when you’re on vacation!” Because sometimes it’s not on your top-priority list to find and send postcards while you’re visiting with Mickey Mouse or scuba diving in the Caribbean, prepare in advance! Create custom postcards with a cute note (“we miss you!”) and/or a photo of the kids, put stamps on them, and then mail one every day from your vacation destination. Now you don’t have to worry about it and mom and other concerned family members or friends have never felt so thought of. Nice work.

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