Before You Leave Home
by NeatTick · Used 2 times
Close up the house before any trip: mail, trash, thermostat, locks, and the small jobs that save you a bad surprise when you get back.
This is a community list. Start a checklist to check items off or edit them.
A few days before
- Confirm reservations (travel, lodging, campsite)
- Arrange pet care or boarding
- Hold mail and packages (or ask a neighbor)
- Pay bills that come due while you're away
- Refill prescriptions that will run out
- Tell a trusted neighbor or friend your dates
- Download maps, shows, and boarding passes
The day you leave
- Empty the trash and recycling
- Clear perishables from the fridge
- Run and empty the dishwasher
- Set the thermostat to away mode
- Set the water heater to vacation mode
- Unplug small appliances and electronics
- Water plants
- Set lights on a timer
- Check the stove and iron are off
- Lock windows and doors, including the garage
- Leave a spare key with someone you trust