Simpson
Here are some ideas for how to prepare your home before you leave.
1. Clean the Bathroom
One thing you should do as soon as you’ve got a spare moment is clean your bathroom. Get rid of any old towels, washcloths, and so on. Replace them with new ones if necessary. Throw away anything that isn’t being used anymore, including makeup, shaving cream, deodorant, and toothpaste.
You should also check behind the shower curtain and under the sink. Use a little bleach solution to disinfect the grout between tiles, and wipe down all surfaces with mild soap and water. Don’t forget to empty the toilet tank too.
Make sure there aren’t any nasty surprises waiting for you when you return from your trip.
2. Organize Kitchen Cabinets and Fridge/Freezer Drawers
Before you leave, make sure everything is where it belongs. Clear off shelves, remove clutter, and organize items into categories. This will help you find what you need more easily when returning.
Take care of any food that needs refrigerating or freezing. If you have an electric fridge, switch it on and set the temperature to the coldest setting. Then take the frozen foods out of their bags, put them in the right places, and label them clearly. Do this for any other perishables too.
Once you’re done, turn the fridge back off again.
Make sure all drawers are closed properly and that they don’t stick.
3. Check Appliances
If you use an electric oven, ensure its timer is working correctly. The clock should show the correct amount of time left to cook. Also, check that the thermostat is set to the right temperature.
Check that all appliances work correctly and ensure there aren’t any safety hazards. For example, ensure the pilot light is lit if you have a gas cooker.
4. Take Care of Any Pets or Plants
Most pets and plants require regular attention during the winter months. Ensure that your pet’s water bowl is full, that its bedding is dry, and that its food dish is clean. Feed your pet regularly, but avoid feeding it at night because it might become ill.
Keep any plants indoors during the winter, either by putting them in a heated greenhouse or by covering them with a sheet of plastic or glass. Remove any snow, ice, frost, or rainwater inside the container.
Remove leaves and weeds outside the containers, and remove fallen leaves from paths.
5. Disinfect Housewares
If you’re going on a long trip, it’s a good idea to sterilize your kitchen knives and cutting boards. To do this, fill a bucket with hot water, add a tablespoon of bleach, stir thoroughly to dissolve the bleach, then let it sit for 10 minutes.
Wash your hand, knife, or board in warm, soapy water, rinse well, and dry completely. Then store your equipment somewhere safe until you’re ready to use it again.
6. Maintain Clothes
If you plan to stay in one place for a while, it’s worth taking care of your clothes. Wash them every week, and hang them neatly in the wardrobe.
You can also buy special clothes hangers made especially for hanging clothes. These are designed to prevent the clothes from wrinkling.
7. De-clutter Your Bedrooms
Get rid of anything you no longer need. This includes things like old books, unwanted clothing, and old toys. Anything which you don’t want to keep should be thrown away.
Throw out anything which hasn’t been used for many years. You can donate these items to charity instead.
Put any unused furniture back where it came from.
8. Make Sure All Windows Open Properly
Ensure that all windows are open properly. This means ensuring that the window catches are pulled shut and that the sashes are not stuck.
Also, if you live in a block of flats, make sure that the windows in each flat are open. If any windows are blocked, call the management company and ask them to arrange for someone to fix it.
9. Look After Garage Doors & Garages
It’s a good idea to check that the garage door opens and closes properly. Ensure the keypad works and the opener has enough battery power.
Don’t forget to close the garage door properly after leaving the car in there overnight.
10. Put Away Winter Clothing and Keep Warm During Cold Weather
If you plan to travel during the winter months, you’ll probably need to pack extra clothing to wear while you’re staying somewhere else.
To keep yourself warm, you could put on several layers of clothing, such as a thick sweater, jacket, scarf, gloves, hat, and boots. You could also carry a small space heater or portable heater to keep you warm at night.
11. Pack Up Summer Items
When packing summer items for storage, ensure they’re packed tightly and securely so they won’t fall over or get damaged.
For example, if you have a shed, ensure it’s locked and that nothing gets stolen from it.
12. Set up New Seasonal Decorations
As the weather starts to change, decorate your home accordingly. Change the curtains and blinds, and replace any damaged outdoor decorations.
If you have a TV, unplug it and hide it away safely. Turn off the lights and music system, and put away any electrical goods you normally use.
Your home will look better than ever once you’ve completed all these tasks. When you return home, you’ll feel refreshed, relaxed, and ready to settle back into your routine.
Still relevant to our discussion, next we are going to present you
10 Ideas on How to Prepare Your Home Before You Leave It for a Holiday Video
A lot of people prefer to spend their holidays in a different location. Whether you’re traveling abroad or just staying at a friend’s house, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the season without worrying about maintaining your home.
Fortunately, you can take some necessary precautions before leaving for vacation if you have no idea what. To begin with, we have listed these 10 ideas to prepare your home before you leave it for a holiday. As always, Simphome presents you with the list.
10. Clean the Fridge Thoroughly
The fridge is one of the things you should worry about before leaving for vacation. You do not want to come home only to find spoiled food in it, do you? Therefore, make sure you clean it thoroughly.
- First, take everything out of the fridge to start fresh. Once everything is out, you can begin to wipe out the racks to remove spills. If possible, take the removable pieces in your refrigerator out so you can scrub them in your sink.
- You can try using a cloth, hot soapy water, or cleaning spray to wipe the surfaces.
- Then, you can use an old toothbrush with a rubber edge to remove any gunk from hidden areas.
When you are finished cleaning, it is time to sort out things. Toss everything that will go bad because they will only ruin your fridge when you are on vacation. You will also have to check the expiration date. - Finally, you can put everything back in the fridge without worrying about the eyesore you will probably find when you are home.
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Return to our ideas,
9. Check Your Dishwasher
Besides the fridge, the dishwasher is also prone to odor. Here are the things you can do to keep the pesky smell at bay:
- Pour a cup of water into the drain to prevent the filter drain well from drying out. If it dries out, the odor will be back from the drain tube, and you do not want it to happen.
- Consider filling and running the dishwasher the night before you leave.
- Ensure you leave the dishwasher door open to evaporate any standing water.
8. Do the Laundry
Damp, sweaty clothes are another culprit of the pesky odor you may deal with when you arrive home. For this reason, you should consider doing the laundry before you leave.
Do not forget to put it in the dryer and ensure it is completely dry. Otherwise, you will find mildewed clothes when you return.
7. Keep Odors at Bay
Since you leave your house, you will likely keep it closed for a week or more. As a result, a musty smell is an inevitable thing that you may find.
It happens because of the lack of air circulation. Another thing that can trigger a musty smell is damp clothes and food waste. Therefore, avoid wet towels, dirty laundry, and food waste before vacationing.
You probably think you do not need to take out your trash because it is not full and seems clean. Are you sure about that? Consider taking it out as you leave because it may smell pretty rotten if you leave it in an enclosed house for a week.
Another thing you should consider is placing a dehumidifier in rooms prone to moisture, such as in the bathroom and basement. Also, you can invest in a few air fresheners or a potpourri bowl and let the pleasant smell welcome you when you return.
6. Unplug Your Electronic Devices for Peace of Mind
If that is the problem, consider unplugging TVs, computers, microwaves, game systems, and other devices for peace of mind. This way, you can keep the fire risk down to a minimum.
Besides, unplugging your electronic devices can help you save some money.
Did you know that charging cables still pull electricity without using them?
However, do not unplug your fridge because it can lead to a nasty odor.
5. Turn on the Lights Smartly
Another thing that you may worry about during your vacation is security. A vacant house is a safe haven for burglars, and you do not want them to break into your home, right? Fortunately, you can prevent it from happening.
If you have a short trip, you can turn on some lights throughout the house. This way, people will think you are at home. Nevertheless, you cannot do this if you are away for a more extended period because people will notice that you are on vacation.
Consider investing in automatic timers that will turn on and off your lamps at staggered intervals. It is undoubtedly a smart way to trick anyone into thinking you are not on vacation. You can also try to program your TV or radio to come on to provide some noise. You do not need to do it all the time, though. You only need to set it at a specific time.
The last thing you can do is postpone posting your happy moments during your vacation on social media. You are inviting burglars to break into your vacant house by uploading your pictures on your Instagram or Twitter. You can post your photos later when you are at home.
4. Leave Some Curtains Open
One thing many people do when they are on vacation is close all the blinds and curtains. It will be fine if you always do it regularly. However, it would seem weird if you usually let natural light come into the house all the time.
For this reason, it is a terrific idea to let some blinds and curtains remain open so that would-be thieves will think you are at home.
3. Secure your Door and Window
This one should be on your top list – never ever forget to lock your doors and windows.
Unlocked doors and windows are a ticket for a would-be thief to take everything from your house. Therefore, you had better double-check your windows and doors before leaving.
If you have sliding glass doors, you can try using a bar on them. This way, the thief will not be able to open them.
Where do you usually leave a spare key? Under the doormat? In a flowerpot on your porch? If you are always doing that, you had better stop it now. You should bring it along with you.
2. Clean and Tidy up Your House
You have cleaned up the fridge and dishwasher thoroughly. Why don’t you clean up the entire house too? It would be nice to come home to a clean and neat house after going on a trip.
Cleaning up the house may take time and energy. However, you will appreciate this little thing you have done before your trip. Besides, by deep cleaning your home, you will not find any bad smell when you return.
You can begin with sweeping or vacuuming the floor. Then, pick up clutter. You can also consider squirting a drop of dish soap down the drain. Next, run some water and turn on the garbage disposal to ensure it is clean.
Lastly, number 1. Go Ask for a Help
Last but not least is to see your reliable neighbor or friend and ask them to do you a favor. You can ask them to take care of your plants or have them mow the lawn.
If asking your neighbor to do some chores is not an option, you can hire a house sitter. By hiring a house sitter, you will not worry about security. They can help you clean the house and look after your pet. Thus, you do not need to do a lot of cleaning before you leave.
Those are the list of 10 ideas for preparing your home before you leave it for a holiday. So, are you ready to have fun?
To sump up:
When you’re going away, it’s easy to forget all the little details about your home. The last thing you want to do is return to a dirty house. If you’re planning an extended vacation, your home must be ready when you return.
Here are some ideas for ensuring everything is running okay while you’re away:
1. Kitchen
- If you have a dishwasher, make sure you run it before you leave. This will prevent issues with the machine or dishes left in the cycle for too long. Also, take care of any food items that need refrigeration. Remove them from the fridge and place them somewhere cool until you return.
- Make sure all trash cans are emptied and cleaned out. Take care of any garbage you may generate during your trip. Don’t forget to empty the lids if they are plastic and don’t pop up easily.
- Clean the stovetop as well. Make sure there are no burned-on bits of food or grease around. Use a baking soda paste to scrub off any burnt-on marks.
- Don’t forget to clean out the refrigerator. Check the shelves for mold or mildew growth. If you can see any food particles, wipe them down with a damp cloth.
2. Bathroom
- Before you leave, check the water pressure in all faucets and toilets. If you have low water pressure, add more water to the tank.
- Check the shower head and soap dispenser for leaks. Replace any cracked pieces or worn parts. Take care of any loose tiles around the bathroom. They could fall off and cause damage. Be careful not to put anything underneath them.
- Remove makeup containers, perfume bottles, or other cosmetics that might spill. Store these items in airtight containers until you get back.
- Clean the mirrors and glass showers.
- If you use an electric toothbrush, remove it from its charger before you leave.
3. Bedrooms and Dressing Room
- Make sure your bed is made properly. Take the sheets off the mattress and wash them. Lay them flat to dry.
- Clean your dressers.
- Check your closet for dust bunnies. Sweep the floor and vacuum under the furniture.
- Wipe off any fingerprints or smudges from the walls.
4. Garage & Basement
- Check the tires on your car. Have them filled with fresh gas and inspected by a mechanic before leaving.
- Make sure the battery is fully charged and replace any dead batteries.
- If you have a lawnmower, ensure it has been cut and stored correctly.
- Check the weather stripping around doors and windows. Clean off any dirt or debris.
- Check the garage door opener for power. Have the key removed and replaced with another one.
- Be sure to turn off any outdoor lights.
5. Attic/Loft
- Have any broken or damaged items been repaired before you go
- Look at the roof. Is it leaking? Does it look like it needs shingles replaced? Do you notice any cracks in the insulation? If so, have these areas fixed.
- Check the attic for spiders or other pests. If you find any, spray them with insecticide and seal off any entry points.
6. Outdoor Spaces
- Clean the gutters and screens.
- Empty and clean the bird feeders.
- Water the plants thoroughly.
- Check the sprinkler system and test it to make sure it works properly.
7. Pets
- If you have pets, be sure they are fed and watered before you leave.
- Check the water bowls for signs of leakage or overflow.
- Remove any pet waste.
- If you have a cat, clean the litter box regularly.
- If you have dogs, ensure their kennels are clean and free of feces.
- Brushing your dog’s teeth before you leave is also a good idea.
These tips should help your home stay clean and organized while you’re gone. Keep these handy for future trips and vacations.
So,
What is the most important aspect of preparing your home for guests? Let us know in the comments below!
References:
10. Theinspiredhome.com, Tasteofhome.com
9. Cnet.com, Subzero-wolf.com
8. Apartmenttherapy.com
7. Homeairquality.org
6. Lifehacker.com
5. Blog.trekaroo.com
4. Coachellavalleyhomewatch.com
3. Bobvila.com
2. Calculatedtraveller.com
1. Lifesavvy.com
