So you’re going on a vacation? Congratulations! While you may be looking forward to your vacation, preparing for the vacation can be less than thrilling. If you are afraid you may forget something important before leaving, you may want to check out this list. Here are 5 things that you may forget to do before leaving for vacation.
Set The Security System
Setting the security system is one of the most important things to do before you leave for vacation. Sadly, this is also one of the most common things that people forget. Your home security cameras and systems will not work unless you turn them on! Of course, home security systems like the Vivint home automation system are vital for protecting your home while you are gone.
Stop The Paper Delivery And Mail Delivery
Some of the signs that burglars look for when choosing their targets for a home invasion are a pile of papers or a stack of mail in the mailbox. This alerts observant criminals that the homeowners may be out of town. If you don’t want to stop your mail and paper delivery, then make sure that you’ve arranged for a trusted family member or friend to stop by your home daily to get the paper and the mail.
Notify Trusted Neighbors
It’s always a good idea to notify trusted neighbors of your plans. Talk to your neighbors about when you will be leaving and when you will be arriving home. You may want to leave information about your destination and your travel arrangements. In addition, you should leave emergency contact numbers for family members just in case something goes wrong at your home while you are gone.
Create An Emergency Plan
In most cases, everything will be fine while you are gone. However, it is good to plan for emergencies just in case. Such a plan may include notifying relatives or the police if a problem happens. In some cases, a friend or family member may need to call the insurance company or let an insurance adjuster into your home. For that reason, you should leave a set of phone numbers as well as a set of extra keys with a friend or neighbor just in case.
Create a Plan For Dealing With Phone Messages and Emails
It’s not good to let phone messages and emails pile up during your absence. Not only will it alert others that you are gone, but it will also create a backlog of items to go through once you return. You can leave instructions with important clients and other contacts before you leave for vacation. You may also want to set up an automatic reply which can be sent out when emails are received. Likewise, you may want to record a special message on your phone before leaving for vacation.
