Hello, Friends!
Here is a checklist you should do to prepare and protect your home:
- Select an area that you are going to hide your valuables. Most burglars are heading straight towards the main bedroom. Some experts think it’s a great idea to use your kids’ bedroom to hide your valuables and fireproof safe.
- Don’t tell everyone that you are going out of town.
- Don’t post pictures until you get back from your vacation on social media.
- Hold your mail.
- Set your thermostat lower. Some experts say to set it in the low 60s.
- Buy a few timers and set up a few lamps around the house on timers.
- Ask a neighbor or friend to drop by the house and check on it at least 1-2 X a week while you are gone.
- Can you ask that same neighbor to bring down your garbage and recycling so things look normal?
- Most of us don’t want to come back to a messy house, so spend time cleaning and organizing your house so when you come home, you are at peace.
- Clean out your fridge before garbage day. You don’t want experiments sitting around in the fridge while you are away stinky everything up.
- Make sure the laundry is done and nothing is left in your washer, dryer or dishwasher.
- If you are traveling and there was snow back home, ask someone to drive up and down your driveway so that it appears there has been some traffic. If you live somewhere cold, do you want to turn your water off? Do you have to be concerned with pipes freezing. Maybe just call your home insurance company and ask them what their guidelines are.
- I’ve heard that some people will call the police and let them know that they will be out of town and sometimes they will make extra passes by your house.
- Do you have to alert your bank, credit union or credit card company about your upcoming travel?
- People have installed remote cameras where they can monitor their house inside and outside remotely. This might be worth the investment if plan to be away from your house with long periods of time. One of my clients installed a camera by her furnace and water heater so that remotely she can check to make sure nothing is leaking.
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Your local professional organizer,
Betty Huotari
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