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Homeowner Tips

Going on Vacation? Don’t Forget to Prep Your Home

3 min read
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picture of author, Hometap TeamBy Hometap Team on October 3, 2018

If you’re headed on vacation, you probably have a to-do list that’s all about packing for your trip. But an equally valuable pre-vacation checklist focuses on your home: what needs to be covered while you’re away so you can relax and enjoy your time off. Check out these pre-trip cleaning, prep, and security tips from home and travel experts.

First Things First: Before You Go

  • An overflowing mailbox signals that you’re out of town. USA Today walks you through how to stop, forward, or monitor your postal mail delivery service while you’re away on vacation.
  • The team at Travel Insurance Review compiled “15 Expert Tips to Securing Your Home Before a Trip,” including security tips from frequent travelers, law enforcement, and property managers. (One standout: Have neighbors take turns parking their cars in your driveway to have it look like someone is home.)
  • Remove your spare key from that fake rock, have a friend or neighbor check on your place, and set your lights on timers are among Smarter Travel’s nine essential tips to keep your home safe while you’re on vacation.
  • Ronda Kaysen of The New York Times shows readers how to protect their homes while traveling, including investing in smart home security systems (controllable remotely via smartphone app), keeping your property tidy, and removing portable GPS devices from all vehicles (especially those parked at the airport that would give thieves easy access to your preprogrammed “home” address).
  • From C-clamps on garage doors to jammed treads on sliding doors, this Do’s and Don’ts to Keep Your Home Safe on Vacation post from blogger Jill Nystul addresses the smaller (yet problematic) areas many homeowners may overlook before leaving on a trip.

Watch Tips from the Pros

  • Sangita Patel of HGTV Canada shares her pre-vacation home security checklist featuring tips any homeowner can take to secure their home before traveling.
  • AARP lists the things you can do around the house before a trip (like taking out the trash to avoid odors and pests) to ensure a happy re-entry once you’re back.
  • From cleaning out your refrigerator to washing and putting away your laundry, these seven ways to prepare your home for vacation are easy to follow with this video from Kay at Hub Neat Home.

A few hours of prep covering both cleanliness and security can get your home in good shape for your vacation. With a tidy property that’s safeguarded, you’ll be able to truly relax and enjoy your time off—and return to a welcoming home.

You should know

We do our best to make sure that the information in this post is as accurate as possible as of the date it is published, but things change quickly sometimes. Hometap does not endorse or monitor any linked websites. Individual situations differ, so consult your own finance, tax or legal professional to determine what makes sense for you.

Hometap is made up of a collaborative team of underwriters, investment managers, financial analysts, and—most importantly—homeowners—in the home financing field that understand the challenges that come with owning a home.

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