Home Prep Before Vacation
What to do at home before a trip so you come back to a home, not a flood and fines: water, gas, sockets, trash, keys. Tell us if plants or pets are staying behind.

[ ] Shut off the water
    Main valves plus the washer and dishwasher taps. A burst hose over two weeks renovates your place and the neighbors' below.
[ ] Shut off the gas
    The valve on the pipe by the stove. Ten seconds now, one less anxious thought on the beach.
[ ] Unplug everything except the fridge
    TV, router, kettle, chargers. Protects against power surges and quietly dripping kilowatts.
[ ] Turn off the water heater
    Heating water for an empty home is an expensive hobby. Switch it off and unplug it.
[ ] Eat or give away perishables
    Audit the fridge a couple of days out: dairy, veggies, open jars. Coming home to a biology experiment is overrated.
[ ] Take out all the trash — bathroom bins included
    The little bathroom bins are the ones everyone forgets. Give them two weeks and they'll remind you themselves.
[ ] Don't leave wet laundry in the machine
    Finish the load, hang it up, and leave the machine door ajar — or it will greet you with a smell.
[ ] Wash the dishes
    A sink of dishes turns into a fruit-fly resort in two weeks.
[ ] Lock windows and the balcony
    Every window, vent pane and the balcony door — against both rain and uninvited guests.
[ ] Pay the bills in advance
    Utilities, internet, phone. Autopay is a traveler's best friend.
[ ] Leave keys with someone you trust
    Family or a neighbor with keys can check the place, water plants and let a plumber in if something goes wrong.
[ ] Have someone clear flyers from the door and mailbox
    A door stuffed with flyers announces 'nobody's home' to the whole building. Ask a neighbor to clear it.
[ ] Don't post your trip on social media until you're back
    That airport photo captioned 'gone for two weeks' has readers beyond your friends. Post the album — afterwards.
[ ] Set a smart light on a schedule
    A lamp that switches on in the evenings says 'somebody's home'. A smart plug and a floor lamp do it for pennies.
[ ] Water plants well and move them off the sun
    Water the day before you leave and move pots away from direct sun — the moisture lasts noticeably longer.
[ ] Arrange watering: self-watering gear or a person
    For trips over a week: watering globes, wick watering, or a deal with whoever holds your keys.
[ ] Book boarding or a pet sitter early
    In holiday season good boarders and sitters fill up weeks ahead. Introduce your pet to the sitter before you go.
[ ] Leave food and litter with a buffer
    More food than the trip needs — flights get delayed. Plus bowls, litter and the favorite treats.
[ ] Leave the sitter vet records and clinic contacts
    Vaccination records, your clinic's number and a 24/7 one, quirks in writing. In an emergency this saves hours.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/home-before-vacation