8 Ways to Take Care of Your Home While Travelling

If you have planned an upcoming vacation or business meeting out of the country, you may feel nervous about leaving your home unoccupied. There are things in a house that need constant care. Pets need feeding, plants need watering and loads of other things. Moreover, an empty house can be a tempting target for criminals. However, you can rest assured knowing that there are certain steps you can take to prevent break-ins and other issues while away from your home – also see our other blog. Here we look at ways to take care of your home while travelling.

1. Avoid Posting about Your Trip Online

*Photo by Louisa Mac on Flickr

Social media platforms are a fun way to stay in touch with friends and family members. You may feel the need to make a post about heading out of the country – and especially during the trip, but this can backfire on you. Criminals search for posts based on keywords that lead them to their next victims. 

To stay on the safe side, avoid posting anything about your absence from home until after you have returned. Also, ensure you haven’t shared your home address or phone number on any social media platform.

2. Move Your Valuables

When breaking into a house, burglars search for more expensive but lighter objects. Items such as jewellery and banknotes are easy targets. 

Renting a small storage unit is an affordable and easy way to gain peace of mind while out of the country. Putting your valuables in storage during your time away from home is the best way to keep them safe, and many facilities have secure storage spaces as small as 2.5’ x 2.5’ (Stor-N-Lock). Believe it or not, this method is more effective than relying on a safe, which can easily be broken into by a savvy criminal.

3. Leave Your Curtains the Same as Always

*Photo by reader of the pack on Flickr

Many homeowners close their curtains and turn on their porch light while they are away, but this can actually clue a criminal in on the fact that you are gone. Instead, leave your curtains exactly how you always do. If you usually keep them open, don't close them and vice versa. The same goes for your porch light.

If a friend can visit your empty house regularly, he or she can draw the curtains in the morning and then close them at night. But if it is too much of a hassle for them, it is better for them to leave them as they usually are.

4. Install Light Switch Timers

A light switch timer will automatically turn your lights on and off according to a schedule that you set. This will make it seem like someone is home, making criminals think twice about breaking in. This also works with your porch light, which means you won’t have to leave your light on during the day if it’s usually on at night.

You can set timers on other electronic appliances, too. There are even timers with random settings to give a more natural look to your empty house. It is for extra surety as the burglars will think twice before breaking into a house that looks active and has inhabitants.

5. Consider a House Sitter

Hiring a house sitter is a simple way to ensure that your plants are watered, and your home is being cared for properly while out of the country. You may select a friend or family member or employ a professional house-sitting service to do the job.

Leaving your home unoccupied can be nerve-wracking, especially if you do not have anyone else checking on it. However, these strategies can give you the peace of mind you deserve while out of the country for a while.

6. Have Someone Mow Your Lawn Regularly

*Photo by Joshua Ganderson on Flickr

One of the activities that you won’t be able to do while away is lawn-mowing. It is necessary to keep your lawn or garden trimmed and ready all the time. Not doing so will cause hygienic issues, and your lawn becomes a great place for annoying insects and vermins.

Moreover, smart burglars and thieves will notice an unattended lawn and quickly assume that the house is empty or its residents are on vacation. So, they consider it a great opportunity to break in and steal stuff.

7. Give a Heads-Up to the Neighbours

Informing the trusted neighbours that you are going away and for how long is a very good idea. They will be aware that the house is empty and be prepared in case anything happens. For example, they will be the first to be notified of any possible fire, flooding or even burglary.

Trusted neighbours can also be very helpful if you have a pet or plant needing attention. You can leave them with a key so that they go in sometimes, have a look around and see if everything is fine, feed the dog, water the plants and make sure everything’s safe.

8. Shut Off the Water Supply

Threats such as burglary and vandalism are only one aspect of what your home faces when you are away. Natural and household disasters are also something to be wary of.

One of such dangers is the possibility of flooding inside your house. There might be leaks in some pipes that will grow bigger. The garden hose or sprinkler may get out of control and go off.

So before you leave, the best idea is to shut off the water supply to the toilet, washing machine and any other place you deem necessary. Also, check the gutters to see if they are clean so that the water can run away in cases of heavy rainfalls or floods.