It’s exciting to host a holiday dinner for the special people in your life. However, after hosting for many years, you and your significant other decided to go on vacation instead. As a result, you need to prepare things for the time you’re gone. Here are some great tips so you can enjoy a stress-free getaway.
Know the Facts
Before you can put a plan in place, you need to answer a few questions. For example, how long do you plan to be gone? Do you live in a higher crime area, or has your neighborhood experienced recent break-ins? Also, consider how close you are to the people who live around you. With that information, you can create the best plan for your home while you’re on vacation.
Your Home’s Exterior
Both professional and novice burglars know what to look for when targeting a specific house. So, the goal is to do things on the outside that’ll deter them. Here are some great ideas.
Mow your lawn right before you leave. If you vacation in the winter, make sure there’s no snow on the driveway or walkway. For a long trip, ask a neighbor or hire someone to do these jobs.
Even if you take the garbage out before you leave, it’s not a bad idea to ask a neighbor to set your bin by the curb on trash day. That way, if anyone’s scouting the area where you live, they’ll think that someone’s home.
Contact your local post office to hold your mail. That means on the days you’re not home, they won’t deliver. Not only will that prevent someone from stealing things out of your mailbox, but it’ll also protect private information contained in your mail.
It’s even important to keep bushes and shrubbery trimmed. It doesn’t take long for plants to grow. So, if you’re away for two weeks but don’t have them trimmed, they’ll look unsightly. That’s the kind of thing that criminals look for. Ask the person who mows or shovels snow if they also trim bushes.
Perhaps one of the best things you can do to protect your house while on vacation is to have a family member or friend stop by on occasion. If someone is casing your home, this will force them to move on.
You might also like: Try These Recipes For Fall Favorites
Your Home’s Interior
Not only do you want to prepare the outside of your house while on vacation but also the inside.
Burglars also pay attention to lights turned on inside of houses. However, keeping the same lights on is a dead giveaway that you’re not there. Instead, buy several timers. That will allow you to rotate between several lights.
Also, shut all the blinds. It’s amazing the lengths that criminals will go to peer inside houses. So, don’t give them that opportunity.
If you have valuable jewelry, cash on hand, expensive vases, or artwork, find a safe place to store them while gone. One of the best options is a safety deposit box.
A mistake that a lot of people make when going on vacation is leaving all the appliances plugged in. As a result, they’re wasting money. Before you leave, unplug everything possible. That includes the microwave, toaster, washer, dryer, etc. It’s worth the hassle to reset clocks after you return home.
Disclaimer: The stock image is being used for illustrative purposes only, and it is not a direct representation of the business, recipe, or activity listed. Any person depicted in the stock image is a model.