You are planning to go away on a holiday, and no one is ready to look after your house? Even though such situations happen left and right, hardly 10% of homeowners know how to take care of their homes while they are away.
If you don’t want to come back to a dusty and stuffy house, wilted plants, and unhappy pets, you can take advantage of our tips. All of these tricks are easy but necessary to keep your home clean and safe.
1. Ensure Your Plants Have Sufficient Water
Cacti and succulents can easily survive without water for several weeks. So all you have to do is put them in a shady place and forget about them. However, other plants need more of your attention.
The simplest way to hydrate them while you are away is to fill a plastic bottle with water, immerse one end of a ¼’’ nylon cord in it and dig the other end into the flowerpot. The cord will transfer the water to the plant gradually.
2. Clean Your House Before You Leave
Some people believe that cleaning the house before leaving doesn’t make any sense. However, the dirtier you leave your home before the vacation, the more work you’ll have upon returning. By keeping the dirt around and the windows closed for days, you are promoting bacteria growth.
According to experts at eco-friendly home cleaning services, it’s better to use such simple products as white vinegar and baking soda to do the cleaning before you leave. This way, you won’t be leaving chemical residue on the surfaces and in the air, thus creating a stuffy and chemical-filled environment.
3. Adjust Your Thermostat
While you are away, you don’t need a comfortable temperature maintained inside the house. Turn your thermostat down or up depending on the weather in order to minimize the energy bills.
If it’s winter out, consider leaving the blinds open so the natural sunshine heats up your home, thus keeping the energy consumption low. During the summer, keep the curtains shut and the blinds down.
Consider investing in a smart thermostat, which will adjust the temperature according to your needs when you are on your way home.
4. Plan Pet Care
If you have a dog, you need to make sure you have someone taking care of it outside your home. However, if you have a cat or smaller animals, they can survive while you are away with someone coming to feed them and clean up after them.
Make sure your pets are well cared for on a daily or weekly basis depending on their needs. Even though some animals can survive without food or cleaning for a long time, you may hinder their health.
5. Ask For Help
If you are going away for more than two weeks, it’s a good idea to ask a neighbor or a local housekeeper to check in on your home every once in a while.
Opening windows for at least five minutes to let in fresh air is a good idea to prevent mold formation and bacteria growth. Turning on faucets can keep the pipes working properly. Checking for house damage is also important if you leave for more than a month.
6. Keep Your Home Secure
Invest in a home monitoring system, which can give you a video feed of what is going on inside and outside the house 24/7. This way you can quickly react to problems. In order to keep your valuables secure in case of a break-in, consider getting a small safe.
Looking after a house on a holiday is easy as long as you do some planning. With just a little effort, you can come back to a clean, warm, and secure home.
