Nobody wants to come home from a relaxing trip to a burglarized house or a mess of spoiled food. A little prep before leaving your home while on vacation can prevent both. These simple tasks take less than a day, but they make a real difference for your home’s safety and your peace of mind.
Create the Illusion of Occupancy
An empty-looking house is an easy target, so your first goal is making it look lived-in. Start by pausing your mail and any newspaper deliveries, or ask the post office to hold everything until you’re back. A stuffed mailbox is one of the clearest signs that no one’s home.
Ask a trusted neighbor to water your plants and turn on a few lights in the evening. Better yet, use smart plugs or timers to turn lights on and off automatically at different times each night. Smart lighting is far more convincing than a single lamp left on around the clock. If you have a video doorbell or security camera, this is also a great time to make sure it’s working and connected before you leave.
Leaving a car in the driveway helps too, since an empty driveway can be just as noticeable as a dark house. If a neighbor or their teenager is helping out while you’re away, a bit of cash or a small souvenir is a nice way to say thanks.
Save Energy and Prevent a Mess
Unplugging your TV, toaster, and other electronics you won’t need can trim your energy bill while you’re gone, and it also reduces fire risk from devices left running unattended. It won’t add up to much for a weekend trip, but over a week or more, it’s worth doing. Move any larger electronics away from windows or entry points too, just as an added safety precaution.
Your refrigerator is the one thing you should leave running. Before you go, toss bread and other highly perishable items that won’t survive the trip, and clean up any crumbs or leftovers. Coming home to ants or a spoiled fridge is never a good welcome. If time allows, donating extra food to a local shelter is a nice way to avoid waste altogether.
Make Coming Home Easier Too
Vacations end, and routine picks back up whether you’re ready or not. A little effort before you leave can make that transition smoother. A quick vacuum, made beds, and a bit of light dusting go a long way toward making your house feel calm when you walk back in.
Coming home to a clean, organized space helps that post-vacation relaxation last just a bit longer. It’s a small effort that pays off the moment you walk through the door.
Leaving your home while on vacation doesn’t have to come with any extra worry. A quick checklist covering your mail, lighting, food, and a little tidying up before you leave sets you up for a smooth departure and an easy return. A little prep now means you can actually relax while you’re away instead of wondering what’s happening back home.
While you’re planning your trip, it’s also worth double-checking that your homeowners insurance is up to date. Give an AIS Insurance Specialist a call at (888) 772-4247 for a free, personalized quote, and travel with one less thing to worry about.
The information in this article is obtained from various sources and offered for educational purposes only. Furthermore, it should not replace the advice of a qualified professional. The definitions, terms, and coverage in a given policy may be different than those suggested here. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.
