Getting ready for holidays can be very stressful. It’s helpful to use a checklist for proper planning before you jet off. Once you are away, it might be an uphill task correcting the mistakes of improper planning. Technology makes it seamless to organize your needs with a smartphone. More so, to avoid been caught unaware you can get helpful tips from this article.
Use Programmable Thermostat: Bills don’t stay away while you’re on holidays. Your home’s heating-ventilation air-conditioning and cooling (HVAC) system is one of the biggest energy drainers. You can install high-end thermostats with body sensors or program them to reduce energy consumption. You might need money when you return; so, it’s wiser to cut cost. It’s not a wise decision to turn off the HVAC system completely because frozen pipes during winter might cause high maintenance cost.
Plan Mail Deliveries: The deliveryman might not be aware of your trip, and vacation doesn’t stop emails and orders from reaching your doorsteps. You can ask your neighbor to stop by and gather your mail, or sign-off on every delivery. Alternatively, in the absence of a neighbor, you can use a routing address or suspend mail deliveries. The local postal service might charge extra fees to hold the mails until you’re back home. To avoid piling up of newspapers, defer your subscription till you are back from vacation. Additionally, you can hire a young neighbor who needs extra income and asks him to keep your newspapers in a safe place.
Make Plans for Pets: If you live with pets, it could be a big mistake to travel without making plans for their care. Before you go on a vacation, find veterinary services that can assist you. However, some hotels offer boarding kennels for travelers accompanied by their pets. It’s important to check availability in advance so that you can plan adequately. You might be lucky to find a good friend or neighbor that can accommodate your pet while you are away. Pets need to eat, play, exercise and poo; they might require much attention from their keepers while you are away.
Clean your Home and the Refrigerator: Don’t fail to unplug your appliances from wall sockets before leaving your home. Unpleasant smells might be the first thing you’ll notice after returning from a long vacation. To find a dirty and damp home with foul odor after relaxing on holidays might be embarrassing. So, cleaning your kitchen’s sink, storage, toilets, and refrigerator before traveling will prevent awry conditions. Left-over foods shouldn’t be allowed to freeze in the refrigerator. Instead, consume uncovered foods and fruits. Usually, left-over meals stink when your refrigerator is affected by electrical power surges while you are away.
Avoid Online Insecurity: If you are active on social media, consider the time zone of your getaway holiday location and adjust suitably. Some online groups require steady contributions; allow the administrators to know that your level of participation might be reduced. While you are away, it’s not reasonable to let your status show that your home is vacant. Posting vacation photos online can alert intruders and put your property at risk. Don’t use technology from the point of disadvantage; instead turn off location trackers on your devices and social platforms.
Setup Email Responders: Email responders help you get in touch with senders within a few minutes of receiving their emails. Setting up the auto-reply is very easy on your G-mail account. It’s a simple message that says; ‘sorry, I’m away and can’t treat your emails, but I’ll reach you once I’m back. The auto-reply doesn’t have to be a long text; it just to a polite way of communicating whenever you’re unavailable.