When was the last time you thoroughly enjoyed your vacation? When you embarked on your journey without worrying about whether you accomplished everything you needed to before leaving home? Without worrying about if you forgot to turn everything off? Or to lock the door? Your vacation shouldn’t be plagued by worries, and the best way to enjoy your vacation is to make home preparations before you leave.
Why Make Preparations Before You Leave?
Preparing your home before you leave for vacation helps ensure it remains secure in your absence. If you do not make the proper preparations, you might spend your vacation worrying rather than relaxing, which can lead to the following symptoms:
- Upset stomach or nausea
- Uncomfortable physical sensations
- Racing thoughts
- Inability to sleep
- Stress dreams
If you find yourself worrying about your home while on vacation, you can consider installing home tech that will allow you to keep an eye on it from afar. People who install smart home technology tend to be more satisfied with renovations than people who opt out, and it can help you feel a bit better about leaving your home for an extended period.
5 Home Preparations to Give You Peace of Mind
These home preparations are some of the most effective for beating anxiety and stress before leaving on a long vacation.
1. Turn Off and Unplug
If the thought of house fires distracts you during your vacation, you might feel better when you prioritize unplugging your large and small appliances before leaving. While it might not be necessary to unplug every device, it can certainly eliminate some stress you might face.
Around 24% of home fires occur in the kitchen, so before you leave, make sure that the following devices are turned off or unplugged:
- Coffee maker
- Pressure cooker
- Crockpot
- Air fryer
- Microwave
If you’re prone to forgetting whether you turned devices off, you can take photos of your unplugged or turned-off appliances. Then, you can look back when you need peace of mind on your trip.
2. Pause Your Mail
If you live in a house, nearly anyone can access your mailbox when you’re out of town. So, before leaving, ask the post office to pause your mail for the duration of your trip. With this option, you don’t have to rely on someone else to pick up your mail, and you don’t need to fret about someone stealing from your mailbox. Your mail will be waiting for you upon your return.
3. Update Your Passcodes
Many homes are only accessible via a key, but some smart homes are accessible via passcode. This option is often safer — especially if you have someone coming to check on plants or animals — because it means you don’t have to make a copy of your key. However, it can be risky to keep the same code for a long period.
You’ll want to update your passcodes regularly and should aim to choose a random combination of letters, numbers or symbols. Passcode updates should encompass everything from your front door to your garage door. The first step is to check your batteries to make sure everything is operational. That way, you’ll be able to test everything to make sure the new code works well.
4. Take Out the Trash
Before you leave, remove all the filled trash bags from your home — even if they’re not full and even if you don’t think they’ll smell by the time you come back. Even a scrap of food has the potential to smell, and the smell might attract wild animals.
You may also notice ants or other bugs when you return if you don’t take the trash out. It’s best to just deal with the garbage before you leave.
5. Double-Check Everything and Leave Lights On
How many times have you wondered if you left the stove on when you left the house? Though it might seem tedious, walking around your home to double-check everything is a great way to prevent this anxiety and ensure you won’t have a sudden moment of fear while trying to relax on vacation. Check the following devices and parts of your home:
- Doors and windows
- Stove and oven
- Microwave
- Curling irons and hair dryers
- Spoiled food in the refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Washing machine and dryer
You can also leave some lights on while you’re away. A well-lit house can deter burglars and help prevent falls if it’s nighttime when you arrive back home.
Don’t Worry — Enjoy Your Next Vacation
By carrying out home preparations before you leave or having some way to check in, you can put your mind at rest and know that your home is safe. It’ll be there waiting for you whenever you return — meaning you can look forward to resuming your responsibilities once you feel refreshed and not a moment before.
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