Posted on August 7, 2017 by Miller and Smith Blog Team
You’ve been waiting for this moment all summer long and now you are finally getting ready to go away on a vacation! While you may be focused on what to pack or your arrangements for the trip, preparing your Miller & Smith home before you leave is also very important. This is often the most overlooked part of going on vacation, and you don’t want to be thinking about how your home is doing while sitting on a beach somewhere else! Before you leave, make sure to take care of these upkeep and safety tasks:
Clean out trash cans and fridge: Just like you don’t want to come home to sour smells in your trash can, you also don’t want to open the fridge to dinner from last week that you forgot to get rid of. Clean out all of the trash cans in the house and make sure to dispose of perishable items in the fridge.
Unplug electronics: While you’re away, save money and energy by unplugging smaller electronics like your toaster, lamps, chargers, etc. If you want to leave one or two lights on for peace of mind while you’re gone, put them on a timer to save energy during the daytime.
Get pets and plants taken care of: If you are getting ready to leave your ferns or furry friends behind while you’re away, make sure you have a plan for them. Arrange for neighbors or family members to babysit pets while you’re away and leave a detailed plan, including instructions on feeding times, when they need to be walked, etc. If you have houseplants that are low maintenance, be sure to water them well before you leave, and maybe ask a neighbor to water them once or twice while you’re gone.
Stop mail & newspapers: If you’re taking an extended vacation and will be gone for a couple weeks and don’t want a pile of newspapers as a giveaway that your home is vacant, but also could cause important things to get lost in the shuffle, or your mailbox to get too full. We suggest that you either put a temporary hold on your mail and newspapers or have a neighbor grab them for you each day.
Prepare for return: Nothing is better than coming home to a clean and chore-free home after a vacation away. Taking care of daily tasks before you leave will make transitioning back to your regularly scheduled routine a little bit easier! Doing a few loads of laundry a day or two before departure will be quick and easy with the convenience of our upper level laundry rooms. It is also a good idea to make the beds with fresh sheets, vacuum carpets and sweep hard floors, and wipe down kitchen and bath surfaces for a fresh start after vacation!
The night before departure: Before you leave, have a checklist ready so you can make sure you don’t forget any of the above steps, but also so you can have everything packed and ready to go! Have each family member put his or her bags in one spot, or right by each bedroom door so you can wake up and go.
We hope these tips are helpful for your vacation preparation and that you have an amazing time while you’re away!