Your holiday is just around the corner, and you can finally getaway. You have your bags packed, and you’ve done the sunglasses, sunblock, and good reads check. Now it is time to do the other pre-holiday checklist as you go around your home and ensure everything is safe. If you want your holiday to be the stress-free experience you desire, then you need to put some effort into avoiding potential unpleasantness on your return.
Here we take you around your home, helping you think about all those things that will make your return home relaxing too.
Whole house walk-through
First, think about your electricity bill and what can be switched off while you are away. Flicking the off switch on everything except the fridge/ freezer can save you a surprising amount of money. Also, if there is some peace of mind in knowing that electrical faults are off the list of potential disasters.
Then, clean everywhere. Cleaning just before your holiday sounds like a buzzkill, right? Yet, imagine cleaning when you come home from your holiday. Yep. Better to get it out the way, so you can continue the chilled vibe on your return.
Now, take time to adjust your heating. If you are travelling during the winter, you should keep the heating on a timer to prevent the pipes from freezing. Even if the heating only comes on for an hour a day, it prevents damage to your home. You can turn your radiators and underfloor heating down to keep the energy bills in check.
Make sure you find someone to care for your pets and your plants. You may have a plan for your pets but be sure to have a Plan B, should there be a last-minute emergency.
Kitchen, Bathroom, and Bedroom
Your kitchen and bathrooms deserve a little more attention. For instance, in the kitchen, you should clean out your fridge of any food that will expire while you are away. You should do a check-in with your cupboards for perishables and remove these too. You do not want to come home to bad smells from the kitchen.
However, if your flight will be late in the evening on your return, you may want to put some tinned/ frozen food away and some long-life milk.
Make sure you leave the doors to the dishwasher and washing machine open, to allow them to dry out. Turn off all the taps and empty your bins. You should do the same in your bathrooms – making sure you lay out fresh towels for your return.
One tip that will always make you happy: put fresh bedding on your duvet for your return. You will never feel so satisfied to sink into fresh linen.
Security check
When away on holiday, your home is more vulnerable to burglary than ever. There will be a noticeable change in routine in and out of your property, and it is likely that lights not going on and off will be another clue.
Obviously, you will walk around and make sure everything is secured. It is a good idea to double-check the locks on windows too. Remove spare keys from home, especially your car keys, if you are leaving this behind. Leaving your keys in your underwear drawer is not a great plan. Instead, give these keys to a trusted friend, who will also come check on your home for you.
You should probably cancel your deliveries and, if you are away for a long time, ask someone to come collect your mail, so it doesn’t stack up on the doormat.
Even if you do not want to ask your neighbours to check on your home, let them know you are away. Your neighbours are most likely to hear noises coming from your property and raise the alerts.
That boring admin stuff
Some tedious tasks need completing before you can hope to get away stress free. You will want to tell your bank that you are travelling abroad, for instance. Your bank might get a little nervous if you start charging huge bills to your card in a faraway place. You do not want them to freeze your card while you are away.
You should also check out your roaming charges with your mobile phone. While some networks will automatically swap you to a local network, some don’t. You could also be subject to massive charges if you do not do your research.
You should pay your bills before you leave, another job you would hate on your return. And finally, make sure you are not going to missing a birthday or special event while you are away.
All done.
Then, you are ready to fully relax on your holiday. Enjoy!
