How to prepare your home for when you’re away on holiday

General things to do for your home before going on holiday

You can make the following preparations for going on holiday yourself:

Clear out the fridge and storage cupboard

Start using up all your perishable food (and stop buying new) a few days before you go away as otherwise it will go mouldy. It’s a good idea to give leftovers away to neighbours so you don’t have to throw anything away.

Dispose of waste and compost

For the same reason, it is advisable to empty the bins and compost – besides mould, you also risk fruit flies in your home.

Make everything weatherproof

Inspect your balcony or garden and bring in anything that isn’t firmly fixed in place: if a storm hits and sweeps away the folding table, it could smash a window or even injure someone. 

Heating

Turn the heating down or even turn it off completely.

Electricity

While you’re away, you obviously won’t need the coffee machine or the clock radio. So why should they be using electricity unnecessarily? By unplugging most appliances and disconnecting them from the power supply, you can easily save on energy costs. This also minimises the risk of a house fire, as any connected appliance can overheat and start a fire.

The only exception is electrical appliances (such as TVs or lamps) you need to make your home look inhabited and deter burglars.

Closing windows and doors

Before you leave, walk around your home and make sure all windows and doors are properly locked (but don’t put the shutters down or close the curtains everywhere). You can now turn the alarm system on if you have one.

Deterring burglars while you’re away

Whether it’s organised gangs or casual thieves: every burglar prefers a home they can break into and clear out undisturbed. That’s why it’s important to make it look like you’re at home when you’re away.

The simplest thing to do is not lower all the shutters or close all the curtains, as this sends a message to even the most amateur thief that you’ll be gone for a long time.

Light is another sign that people are around. However, due to the cost of electricity, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to just leave all the lights on while you’re away on holiday. So you basically have two options: Either use timers and smart home solutions to do the whole thing automatically or remotely – or ask someone else to do it. 

Neighbours, friends or house sitters

If you’re away for a long time, it’s always useful to make sure someone is checking all is well in your home from time to time, whether that’s your neighbour, parents or a friend who lives nearby. Alternatively, you can hire someone to visit your home regularly. They can let some air in now and then and turn on the lights or the TV to show someone is at home. They can also do the following tasks:

Picking up post

If your letterbox is overflowing or post is piling up on the doorstep, this can leave it vulnerable to theft or weather damage. It can also (like lowered shutters or closed curtains) point to a longer absence and attract burglars.

There might also be something important in the post, like an overdue bill that can’t wait until you return and needs to be paid immediately. In some situations, it may even be necessary not just to pick up the post, but to open it and check how urgent it is.

Watering plants

Plants need water on a regular basis – some more, others less, but they can’t do without it completely. It’s best to add a note to each plant with instructions on how much and how often they need watering so your house plants can get through the holiday season safely.

Pets

For dogs, of course, you need to find your own solution, as they not only have to go out regularly, but can also become lonely and even develop behavioural disorders if they have too little to do and no company for too long. 

In principle, cats can be left alone at home – as long as they are fed every day and their litter box is emptied, mind you. If there’s no one you know who can do this, you’ll find lots of cat sitters online.

This also applies for fish, hamsters, iguanas and the like: they must be fed according to their specific needs (and have their cages or tanks cleaned out).