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So, your vacation has finally arrived! You've, hopefully, contacted your super amazing Travel Advisor to help you plan the perfect experience, shopped for and packed all your cute new travel clothes and are ready to go! Maybe not… Have you made sure to leave your home in a good state so it stays clean, protected and energy-efficient while you’re away?
CLEAN
Change the sheets. When you arrive home from your vacation, there’s nothing quite like crawling under the crisp, clean sheets of your own bed. It’s worth the few extra minutes it takes before you leave.
Take out the garbage. Nothing could be worse than arriving home, opening the door and being greeted by a smell that reminds you you forgot to take out the trash! Not the welcome home anyone wants.
Empty out the fridge. Throw out any leftovers and offer any perishables to friends or neighbours. No sense wasting good food and you won’t have to deal with the cleanup when you get home.
PROTECT
Lock all your windows – it’s easy to remember to lock the doors, but be sure the windows are shut tight and locked. You don’t want to come home to puddles or unwanted guests!
Be sure someone has a key – a family member or trusted neighbour that has access to your home. Have them check on your home while you’re away – insurance policies state how often someone needs to check on your home. Be sure to turn off your waterlines to avoid leaks and flooding while you're away.
Email yourself copies of your ID, travel documents and credit cards to a web-based email account. If these are lost while you’re travelling you can easily access your important information online and have them replaced.
CONSERVE
Invest in a timer. An inexpensive timer lets you programme your lights for security, and conserves energy, rather than leaving them on all day.
Unplug! Consider unplugging all appliances and electronics that you can while you’re away. Not only will this conserve energy, but it can be a fire hazard as well.
Adjust the thermostat. Be sure to set the furnace or air conditioning to an appropriate temperature to save energy while you are away. Remember to adjust the temperature on your hot water tank as well.
By following these suggestions, you’ll ensure that your fantastic vacation isn’t ruined by an unwelcome surprise when you open your front door!