How to Prepare Your Home for a Long Trip

There’s nothing like the moment that your years-in-the-making, extended dream vacation plans, are finally solidified. When you hit “purchase” on those plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel necessities, it is such a relief. Your well deserved break is finally on the calendar and you get to spend the next several weeks or months daydreaming of all the exciting things you’ll get to see and do!

And at this point, you’re probably used to us giving you all kinds of travel guides and packing tips (which you can always find here), but for longer trips it’s important to think about the things you’re leaving behind…like, your entire home. Because, let’s face it, the last thing you need to be worried about when you’re out and about in another country is whether your plants are going to die or if you’ll come back to a fridge full of spoiled food—yuck!

That’s why we’re bringing you our guide on ✨how to prepare your home for a long trip✨ before vacation season is in full swing. And while we’re writing this guide with Summer vacation in mind, the tips are evergreen and absolutely stand for year round travel, especially during the holidays.

🧺 So you return to a clean home:

• Put clean sheets on all the beds. You’ll be thanking yourself big time when you crawl into your clean and cozy bed after a long day of traveling home.
• Do all of your laundry. Avoid coming home to a smelly pile of laundry that has been marinating for weeks. Between sheets, towels, and clothes, you’ll probably need to run at least a few loads before heading out.
• Clean your kitchen and bathrooms! While the rest of your house can handle a normal tidying, you do not want to come home to something unwanted growing in your kitchen or bathroom. Give them all a decent scrub, wash any dirty towels, and throw away all trash,
• Take out all of the trash in your home. Check every single garbage can and get it all into the bin outside. There is nothing worse than coming home to the smell of trash that has been smelling up a room the whole time you’ve been away.
• Finish up any perishables in your fridge/pantry and toss anything that will go bad when you’re gone. Or freeze what you can!
• If you have kids, make sure their lunchboxes are emptied out and cleaned.
• Run and empty your dishwasher. Plus, be sure to leave the door slightly cracked while you’re gone so that it dries out, otherwise you could come back to mold growth.

🔐 As always, safety first:

• If you don’t have someone coming over to check on your pets/plants/etc. then be sure there is a key accessible to a friend or neighbor in case of any emergencies.
• Unplug appliances and anything that doesn’t need to be in use while you’re gone.
• Close and lock all windows and doors.
• Check the batteries in your smoke detectors.
• Set your lights up on a smart schedule or timer. Most apps will allow you to turn on your lights in random 10-15 minute increments to appear like someone is home. This is still a good idea even if you have someone checking on your home a few times while you’re gone.
• Wait until you’re back to put your trash out, or ask a neighbor bring it back in for you. Leaving your trashcan on the curb for weeks is a tell that you’ve left town for a long time.

📬 Some housekeeping logistics:

• Adjust your thermostat depending on the season. Since no one will be home, lessen your energy use by turning your thermostat a few degrees down in the winter or up in the summer.
• Make sure your utilities and bills are paid so that you won’t have to think about it while you’re out, and so you don’t come home to the consequences of a missed bill.
• Schedule a grocery delivery for the day you get back so you have fresh food waiting for you. (Or have your personal assistant make a grocery trip and restock your fridge for you!)
• If you’re going to be gone for longer than a week, have someone lined up to come over a few times to check on things. Have them bring in your mail, take out/bring in your trash cans, water your plants, and generally check on things.
• Schedule yourself a day off when you get back so that you can catch your breath and get organized before going straight back to work. Include it in the time you’re taking off ahead of time. This is especially necessary if you’re coming back from a major timezone change!
• If you are hiring a house/pet sitter for the entire time you’re away, most of the above won’t apply since they can handle it. But, you’ll need to make them a guide to your house that includes any security system information, wifi passwords, animal schedules and medical needs, vet information, emergency contacts, trash & recycling schedules, plant instructions, and anything else they might need to know! Here is a great checklist for what to leave your house sitter before heading out.

As always, it’s better to be safe and check off all the boxes before you head out of town and check into vacation mode. And if this list feels overwhelming, remember that our personal assistants are here to not only help you prepare your home for a long vacation, they can also manage everything while you’re away—including caring for your pets!