How to prepare your home for #vacation

With the winter upon us, many people can't wait to get out of town. Here are tips to keep your home safe while you are away. If you'll be gone for a couple weeks or more, I suggest following all these steps. If it's a short trip, you may choose to omit some.

Here we go!

1. To start, you'll want to purge your refrigerator and pantry of any perishables. You'll likely have household staples (sugar, flour, etc.) that you won't want to toss; store those in tightly sealed containers.

2. Round up all of your trash bags and take them out to your garbage bin. Make sure you bring your garbage bin to the curb so the garbage crew can access your trash.

3. Scan your yard, patio, or deck for any outdoor items and furnishings you might have left there and bring them indoors.

4. Water your plants, or hire someone to come by and water them while you're gone. And don't forget to feed your pets and hire a caretaker for them if they're not coming with!

5. Ask a trustworthy neighbor or friend to check on your house while you're gone.

6. Suspend your mail service, or ask a trustworthy friend or neighbor to pick up your mail daily.

7. Turn the thermostat down to about 55 degrees.

8. Turn off the water.

9. Put a few lights in the front of the house on timers so that they go on at night, and turn the rest off.

10. Close your windows, blinds, and curtains to prevent sun damage and to keep your house private.

11. Dust, sweep, mop, vacuum, and wipe down your counters.

12. Wash and dry your bed sheets. Fold them, and put them in your linen closet. Make your bed when you return from vacation to prevent your linens from getting dusty while you're gone.

13. Shovel snow and ice off of any walkways at your home, (during winter months).

14. If you're leaving a car at home, remove valuables and bring them indoors. Lock your car doors, and leave it in the garage, if you have one.

15. Obviously, lock all of your doors (including the garage). But, leave your interior doors open to keep closets and small rooms from getting stuffy.

16. Do a run down to make sure you haven't forgotten anything (passport maybe and your driver's license) and take a walk through your house.

17. Set your alarm if you have one.

18. Last but not least, bon voyage! Thanks for reading The Chris Fritch Real Estate Team eXp Realty ~ Residential Real Estate Specialists blog, "How To Prepare Your Home For Vacation"! We hope you have a fabulous Time!