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Vacation Checklist

Ten Things You Need To Remember Before Leaving Home

When you’re away from your home, your personal property and belongings are at risk. Here is a list of things you should do, regardless of how long you will be away from your home.

  • 1 – Enlist the Help of a Family Member or a Trusted Friend

The best scenario for protecting you home is to have someone you trust help in several ways. They can make sure that your home still looks “lived in” by doing some simple, visible things. For short trips your pets can be cared for, your windows be opened and shut. This they can do, in the same manner, as would occur if you were home.

  • 2 – Check and Recheck the Security of Your Home

Before you depart, walk through your home. Check that all windows are closed and secured. Make sure exterior doors are completely locked with both regular locks and a double dead bolt lock on each door. This includes window and exterior doors on every level of the home, from the basement to upper floors. Your goal is to secure every possible point of access into your home.

  • 3 – End Mail and Paper Deliveries

If your trip is more than one night away, ask the paper delivery and post office to hold your deliveries. There will still be flyers and free papers delivered to your property. Your trusted friend should take care of these.

  • 4 – Trash and Recycled Material Pickup

If possible ask for your trash and recycled material not to be picked up. Criminals can spot overflowing trash cans. If stopping this service is not possible, either empty all waste or ask your trusted friend to put out, and take in, trash receptacles for normal pickup.

  • 5 – Kennel Care for Your Pets

If you have pets that can stay in a kennel, for absences of more than one or two nights, it might be better to arrange kennel space. This will ensure your pet is safe and well fed during your time away from home.

  • 6 – Climate Control

Depending on the type of thermostats you have in your home, set back the thermostat to a level consistent for an empty home. There is no need to provide normal heat, or air conditioning levels for a home that is vacant.

  • 7 – Electrical Appliance and Lighting Timers

Install several timers that turn off and on lights in your home. They can be sent to mimic your normal routine when you are at home. You can also install motion detection devices to turn on a radio when there is movement in the home.

  • 8 – Motion Detector Lighting on the Exterior of Your Home

Have exterior lighting that turns on when movement occurs outside your home. There are several types of detectors that can be utilized.

  • 9 – Security System Activation

Make sure your Vivint home security system is activated if you own one. Give the codes to a trusted friend or family member. They will need the codes when they perform security checks on your home. This is important because Vivint reviews the status of your home continually while you are gone. If an intruder enters, without knowing the codes law enforcement authorities are immediately notified.

  • 10 – Notify Your Police or Neighborhood Watch

You should advise your local police and neighborhood watch of your planned absence. They should be told that your trusted friend will be visiting your home from time to time.

Vacation Checklist
Vacation ChecklistDaniel*1977 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

These are some things that you can do to protect your home any time you will be away. Review each idea and apply or modify as is applicable to your home and situation.