Do These Things Before Taking an Extended Vacation

Couple in lounge chairs at the beach

Whether you are going on vacation for a week or a month, that is a long time to leave your home, personal, and business matters unattended. Here are some things you might want to remember to add to your to-do list before you head off on a trip so that you can have peace of mind while enjoying your vacation.

Mail

Mail and package theft happen more often than you think. If you’ll be gone for a while, make sure you put in a request to temporarily stop your mail delivery with your local post office, or have someone you trust collect your mail and packages for you while you’re gone. Your post office can hold your mail for up to 30 days and resume delivery when you return from your trip.

Unfortunately, when you submit a request to hold your mail, it’ll stop mail delivery to everyone at your physical address. While this is perfect if you live alone, it might be better to just ask someone you trust to save your mail if you share housing. For online mail, if you have a busy online in-box at work and you wish to avoid work while you’re on vacation, don’t forget to set up you’re away message so that your business contacts know that you are temporarily unavailable.

Unplug Electronics

One of the basic steps to secure your home while you’re away is to unplug your electronics while you’re on vacation. Unplugging electronics while you’re on vacation can reduce energy bills and prevent fires. Power surges can happen when the power goes out and then comes back on in an uncontrolled manner. You never know when a power surge can occur, so it’s better to be prepared. If you have electronics that can’t be unplugged, make sure you use surge protectors to keep them safe.

Install Home Security Cameras

Modern technology can help keep your home secure while you’re away. If you’ll be gone from your home for an extended time, you can keep an eye on your home inside and out with security cameras. According to Safety.com, If you don’t have one already, most home security providers offer indoor and outdoor cameras. You can even DIY your home security by purchasing a hub, sensors, and wireless cameras that you can install around your house. Smart technology allows you to access your home cameras remotely from smart devices such as phones or tablets.

Turn Off the Water

Most people know to turn off the stove and unplug electronics when they go on extended vacations. However, turning off the main water valve is also important to prevent any accidental flooding in your house. Any pipe has the potential to leak. If the leak happened while you’re away at work, you can return to deal with it when your neighbor calls you. However, leaks become more complicated if you are out of the state or country for weeks. Turning off the main valve can not only prevent property damage, it can also save your water bill from skyrocketing.

Check Your Car

Your car is an asset that needs to be accounted for when you go on vacation. If you are using your car on the trip, make sure your car is ready. According to Popular Mechanics, your car runs on six essential fluids: engine oil, coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, and windshield washer fluid. While some are more important than others, dealing with any of these issues will be a hassle on a long road trip. Your wheels are also important on a long trip and you’ll want to make sure that worn tires are replaced. If you’re planning on driving up to a ski resort during winter, you’ll also want to make sure you have tire chains to drive through the snow and ice.

Pets

When it comes to leaving your pet for a long period of time unattended, sometimes it’s just not an option. There are basically three options when it comes to pet care when you are away. You can ask someone to come to check on your pet once a day, leave your pet at someone else’s place, or bring your pet with you. While each option has its pros and cons, what your options come down to is how much you’re willing to spend versus how much you trust someone to care for your pet.

Going on a vacation can be a great time to recharge and de-stress. However, before you leave, you will want to make sure to limit the number of things that could go wrong while you’re gone. Furthermore, these tips will be of great help in reducing the time you’ll need to transition back to your normal routine when you return.

Vacations are a great way to lay back, relax, and escape the mundane everyday things of life. Try switching up your usual vacation plans with boating and watersports–and here are some tips to have a safe and fun boating venture!