Planning for a Trip: Preparing Your Home for a Vacation

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This post provides a checklist for preparing your home ahead of a vacation.

For those interested in long-term travel preparation, refer to our guide: Travel Planning: Part Two — The Logistics of Long-Term Travel; What You Need to Do Prior to Departure

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General

• Dispose of perishable refrigerated items
• Put odor absorber (baking soda) in fridge
• Unload dish washer
• Tidy kitchen counters
• Pull garbage bins in
• (Deep) water plants
• Put all items back in the places where they live
• Check mailbox
• Set thermostat
• [Seasonal] turn off the water to avoid flooding from frozen pipes bursting
• Empty trash bins & cover trash bin lids
• Turn off lights

Laundry

• Prepare laundry area for return home: make sure laundry detergent in stocked, laundry baskets are emptied, and hangers are ready
• Wash sheets
• Change bedding
• Put away laundry not going on trip

Secure

• Remove house keys external to your home
• Program external lights for morning/evening
• Program motion activated outdoor lights
• Sync video cameras to mobile devices
• Remove hide any house keys near your door
• Draw window curtains and blinds
• Remove valuables from out of sight
• Set house alarm
• Lock external doors, windows, and the garage.

Yard

• Tidy yard to make home look cared for

Animal

• Portion food
• Gather leashes
• Gather waste cleaning supplies
• Clean litter box
• Pick up animal waste
• Friend pet sitting: leave feeding notes, emergency vet information in a visible location (also text or email this information)
• Stay at kennel: confirm drop-off + pick-up instructions