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There’s snow on the ground outside, it’s freezing, and the wind is chilling you to the bone. You really just want to get away from it all and take a nice vacation to somewhere sandy, sunny and warm. Frankly, we can’t blame you. However, there are a few things you should handle before leaving on that sunny Caribbean vacation.
Here are the top things you should winterize around your home before leaving on a vacation. Remember: it’s always better to be safe than sorry, so take the time to shore up these last few things before you leave.
Seriously, when you leave, make sure you unplug all of your electronics. Leaving them turned on and plugged in is a great way to just watch your electricity bill climb ever upwards. That’s not to mention the issue of fire hazards: if you’re not home and one of your appliances catches fire, your entire home could go up in smoke. Even if you don’t have pets, this could result in a catastrophic loss of property.
Make sure you go through and unplug everything that doesn’t need to be plugged in. Unless you’re leaving pets at home, you can also turn the heat way down to save on your power bill while you’re out of town!
Make sure you take the time to thoroughly clean before you leave. Human activity is a major deterrent to rats, cockroaches and other vermin, but if you leave their favorite foods out and leave the house for a week, you’re likely coming home to an infestation. Take the time to clean your kitchen, bathrooms and other spaces thoroughly before you take off for your vacation!
Make sure all of your doors and windows are sealed up well and tightly locked. The last thing you need to be worrying about is all of your home’s warm air escaping, or some opportunistic burglar breaking in. You should also invest in some home security alarm stickers to slap on the doors and windows to ward off would-be burglars.
Once you’ve run through this checklist, don’t forget to call your bank and tell them you’ll be out of town. After that, have fun on your vacation!
