How to Get Your Home Ready Before Going on Holiday

Going away can be an exciting time, you get to go to somewhere new, plan how you’re getting there and know that soon you are going to have a fantastic time!

You can forget about work, forget about your bog standard 9-5 and instead enjoy an adventure.

But in all that excitement, forgetting about tidying up your home before you go away is a common thing. It might seem like a pointless thing, as surely your home can wait to get sorted out before you go on holiday, but there is nothing worse coming from a great holiday to a dirty and messy place.

Whether you’re going away for the weekend, or for a couple weeks, sorting your house out before you leave can make for a pleasant stress free return.

Do a General Clean Up Before You Leave

• Tidy up. You don’t want to come back to a messy place after a lovely ti
• Run a quick vacuum or sweep the floor, especially around coffee tables and other places you eat to remove any crumbs and food residues. You don’t want to come home to ants or insects because you couldn’t be bothered to clean your house before you left.
• Unplug all appliances. In case of lightning storm or any other electricity problems while you are away your appliances will be safe. Plus it will help you not waste electricity.
• Set the boiler. Most new models of water heaters can be set to turn on a certain date, so you could save some energy while on vacation. If your boiler cannot be programmed you can invest in mechanical timer – this way it will work only in certain part of the day and you will be able to lower the power consumption.
• Plants and Pets. If you’re only going away for a short amount of time, then just water the plants before you leave. However, if you need to do a bit more, then give a key to a neighbour or good friend. As for the pets, make sure that they are being looked after properly.

Before You Leave

There are a few simple things that you can do before you leave to go on holiday. All of which will help keep your home clean and tidy, ready for your return.

• Arrange for a friend to keep tabs on your home. If you’ve got a good friend, they’ll keep an eye on your house without you even having to ask. But just for your peace of mind, it’s a good idea to ask. If they say yes, then they’ll either just pass by your house and quickly check that everything is okay. Or you can give them a key and let them house sit properly for you.
• Clean Out Fridge/Freezer of Perishables. This is always a good idea to do on a regular basis (although it’s also good practice to make sure that you’re not wasting food. If you’re going away for a day this probably won’t matter. But it’s still a good idea to go through them and go through your pantry, too, and toss out anything that will expire by the time you get back.
• Set Thermostat for Away Temperature. To avoid wasting energy, set your thermostat to a higher temperature during the summer, and a cooler temperature during the winter. You don’t want to turn it off completely, particularly in winter (otherwise your pipes might freeze).
• Unplug Electronics. Not only will this help you save money. It’s not like you plan on using your TV while you’re gone, right?
• Lock All Doors and Windows. This is obvious, but how many times have you left the house and thought “did I lock that door?” Make a final walkthrough before you leave, go with your partner so that the both of you can confirm that everything is locked and you won’t panic.