Going on holiday can be stressful; there are lots of things you need to plan to ensure your trip runs smoothly. All the preparation you do to ensure you’re packed and ready to go on time can mean you forget about the things you need to check on your home and car to keep them safe whilst you’re away. The following are some important things you need to sort out in your home and car before vacation.
Turn everything off
To save money when you’re away from home, you should go around your house and turn off all the lights, appliances and plug sockets. This will help minimise your electricity bill and prevent issues such as electrical fires whilst on holiday. There are a few appliances you should keep on; these are your fridge and freezer. If you choose to turn these off, you will need to empty them and defrost your freezer to prevent leaking water. One consideration you need to make is what to do with your heating schedule during your holiday. If it's summer, you should be fine to leave it off whilst you’re away on holiday. However, if you’re going away in the winter months, it can be beneficial to leave the heating on a timer or keep your thermostat on low. If you turn your boiler off and the weather turns particularly cold, your pipes might freeze and burst, causing damage to your home. You should turn your heating down to 15 or 16 degrees celsius if you have a thermostat, or you can opt for your heating to come on for a short period of time during the day if you use a scheduling system. This will prevent your pipes from freezing and potentially bursting.
Clean your home
Before going on holiday, you should clean your home, take out the bins and wipe down any surfaces. Leaving rubbish in your home unattended can attract pests and flies, which can move in whilst you’re away. It's also much more pleasant to come home to a nice, clean, tidy house after a holiday, rather than one filled with rotting food or pests. Cleaning your home should include emptying out the fridge and shelves of any perishable items and donating them to friends or family members where possible to avoid too much food waste.
Dishwasher and washing machine
When you’re getting ready to go on holiday, make sure your dishwasher and washing machine are empty and clean. Wash any final pots and clothing and put them away. This will prevent you from finding mouldy, damp clothes or pots with dried dirt and leftover food when you get back from holiday. Once empty, leave the doors open, so the appliances can dry.
Checking your car
You should do several things before setting off when travelling to the airport and parking in the car park at Manchester airport or another airport. Always check your tyre pressure and carry a spare pump in your car; you might find when you return from your holiday that your car tyres have deflated. A spare tyre and puncture repair kit are also helpful to keep in your vehicle. It's also important to check your car fluid levels; this includes the windshield washer fluid, coolant, brake fluid and oil. Ensure these are at the correct level, and top them up if needed. Some items can become dangerous and cause fires if they’re left in hot cars, take out any perishable food items, pressurised containers, electronics and any water bottles to be on the safe side.
If you’re leaving your car at home, you should make sure that the vehicle is locked and your handbrake is firmly on. All electronics should be turned off in the car, and remove any dangerous items listed above. Where possible, keep your car out of sight in a garage to prevent theft. Don’t leave any car keys on show in your home; instead, take them with you or place them in a secure, locked location outside your property, such as a friend's house.
Doors and windows
Go around the house and check that all doors and windows are shut and locked. Keeping windows open can result in dampness and increases the risk of a break-in.