How to Prepare Your Home for a Trip

As I prepare for a highly anticipated eight day vacation (my sister-in-law is getting married!) I’ve been following my packing lists for the whole family religiously but I’ve also had to develop a new list – how to leave my home sweet home! Whether it’s a quick weekend trip to the cottage or a flight across the country, I hate coming home to a disorganized and dirty house – especially knowing I’ll already have a lot of unpacking and laundry to do as soon as I walk through the door. I’ve broken my list into three parts – the things I do the day before I leave, what needs to be done morning of and a few special notes for extended (a week or more) trips.

Day Before Departure

Kitchen. Go through the refrigerator to toss anything that will expire or spoil while you’re gone. 

Bathrooms. Wipe down countertops and clean the toilets inside and out. Give the showers and tubs a once over with your cleaning product of choice.

Bedroom(s) and common areas. Dust, sweep and/or mop. 

Miscellaneous. Water all plants. Notify your bank you are traveling to prevent accounts and/or cards from getting frozen due to suspected fraud.

Day of Departure

All rooms. Collect trash and dirty dishes and lock all windows.

Kitchen. After the last meal has been eaten, wipe down all of the countertops and load and start the dishwasher. As soon as the dishwasher starts, wipe down the sink itself. Unplug as many appliances as possible. Not only does this reduce the risk of fire, but it also keeps energy costs low while you’re gone. Don’t forget to clean the coffee maker or at least take out the last k-cup.

Bedroom(s). Make the bed(s) and put all dirty clothing in the hamper. 

Bathroom(s). Pull any towels and linens and put them in the hamper. Flush your toilets and leave the lid up to prevent mold. Speaking of preventing mold, if you have nonstick mats in your tub or shower, pull them up and hang them over the side of the tub or on the curtain rod.

Miscellaneous. Take out compost, recycling and trash. Turn the thermostat off (or to a reasonable amount). Make sure all interior and exterior cameras are plugged in and turned on. And finally, lock all exterior doors. 

For Extended Trips

There are a few more things you’ll wan to keep in mind if you’re traveling for a longer trip, such as two weeks or more.

Maintenance. Coordinate someone to mow your lawn and care for any indoor plants. If it’s a cold season, keep your thermostat at at least 40 degrees to prevent pipes from freezing. Unplug what you can to save on energy costs and fire hazards.

Accounts. Have a neighbor pick up mail every so often or have it forwarded if you’ll be gone for a few months. Put any accounts that you can (internet, cable and trash for example) on hold until further notice. 

Crossing all of this off your list before you walk out the door will allow you to truly enjoy your travel and not worry about costs, issues or the mess at home. Safe travels!

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