Secure your home before travelling
With travel gradually resuming after a 2 year hiatus, many of us have probably forgotten the usual pre-departure routines. In this article, we provide some of our top tips that you can use as you prepare to leave your house for stress-free travels.
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Clear your fridge/freezer and pantry
To avoid coming home to a foul-smelling fridge or a pantry filled with pests, go through your fridge and pantry to clear as much as you can before going on vacation. Get rid of items that are going to expire or perishable items. This will ensure that even if there’s a power outage when you’re away, the items left in your fridge will not go bad.
Ensure that any containers storing food in your pantry are kept on tight so they don’t attract ants or other pests.
Turn off all wall sockets and unplug all electronic devices
These help to save energy and money while you’re overseas, especially significant if you’re going to be away for a long period of time. It’s not like you’re going to use your television or your massage chair while you’re away.
Turning off the sockets and unplugging all devices also help prevent an electrical fire or any power surges.
Shut off the water supply
The last thing you want to return to after your travel is a home that’s flooded and damaged due to a water leak. This is especially true if you have wooden flooring, as even a small leak can cause significant damage. To avoid such issues, it’s wise to shut off the water supply before you leave. If you’re concerned about potential leaks or pipe bursts, our guide on leaking pipes offers helpful advice on how to prevent and address these problems.
Schedule cleaning sessions before and after your travel
Before leaving your home and travelling overseas, give it a good clean so that you’re leaving it in pristine condition. Some dust and dirt is inevitable while you’re away, but at least you won’t have that much to deal with when you’re back.
Schedule another clean for when you’re back. When you’re back from your vacation, you already have a lot to do with the unpacking and laundry. Not having to worry about the general housework will help relieve your burden.
Get a trusted friend or neighbour to check in on your home
Make sure a trusted friend or neighbour has a set of spare keys so they can check in on your home once in a while. Try not to leave this spare key under your door mat or flower pot because anyone can get hold of it. Pass the keys to your friend or neighbour in person.
He/she can help to collect your mail or parcels, water your plants, or switch on the lights so that it’s not obvious there’s no one home.
Pro tip: Come by at different times of the day so it seems like someone is at home. In the day, draw the curtains or open the windows. At night, switch on the lights.
Ensure windows and doors are securely locked
Your doors and windows are the first line of defence to protect your home. Make sure they’re securely locked before you leave. It’s a no-brainer but sometimes you can get flustered when you’re in a rush.
Plus, make sure any valuables are stored securely and are not in plain sight.
Home tips for your travel
It can be nerve-wrecking to leave your home empty when you’re on vacation but these are some things you can do to ensure that your home will be fine when you’re back. And for a completely fuss-free experience, why not enlist the help of a cleaning service like Helpling when you’re back?
Helpling provides a range of cleaning services, including general home cleaning and specialised deep cleaning. For specialised deep cleaning, we’ll send a team of highly-trained cleaners who come well-equipped with the necessary tools and products to clean your home.
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