It’s the time of the year again! Summer is just around the corner and families are gearing up their summer plans whether on a nice, sunny beach or a trip outside the country. Indeed, going on a family vacation is a perfect way to escape and relax from all the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But whether it’s a week- or month-long vacation, you need to ensure your house is in perfectly good shape before walking out the door.
Taking careful measures before a vacation gives you the right peace of mind that the home you will come back to will welcome your family with big, open arms. Of course, the last thing you want is to ruin your vacation bubble by coming home to a disorganized and dirty house. All you want is to have a comforting re-entry to your comfort zone after a long travel ride.
So, before booking hotels and flights and deciding which destinations to visit, you might want to give your home some good cleaning and maintenance before leaving everything behind. Here are some suggestions to prep your home before going on a long trip. Follow these steps for a worry-free post-vacation experience!
Common areas
A deep spring cleaning might be unnecessary before a vacation. But a little cleaning and organizing here and there will make your return home more pleasant. This way, it will be easy to go on a full relaxation mode after a long, tiring journey.
Start by cleaning the common areas a week ahead of the vacation. If you have areas in the house where pests like to hang out, hire a pest prevention service to prevent pests from taking shelter in the kitchen and common areas while you are away.
Dust off the debris on every piece of furniture and vacuum the carpet flooring, especially if you have pets around. It would be great if you have a vacuum robot to keep those floors squeaky clean at all times.
For wastes and unused items, provide a trash can for every room to make it easy to go through each item and decide which ones you need to throw, recycle, or donate. Have everyone clean their own rooms, arrange the desks, and pick up scattered objects and clothes on the floor. Don’t forget to empty the wastebaskets to prevent attracting fruit flies during your absence.
For the bathroom, give the sink, toilet, and shower a good cleaning before your departure. For good measure, leave the bathroom door open to allow air to circulate through and prevent mildew from forming inside the bathroom.
Laundry
Upon coming home from a long vacation, expect to bring back plenty of dirty travel clothes that badly need some washing. But doing the laundry can be much tougher if you left a basket filled with unwashed clothes before the vacation. There’s also a good chance to return home to smelly and mildewy linens and towels. As much as possible, give yourself few things to wash and clean when returning home.
The best way to start is with the bed sheets. Make sure everyone stripped the beds and washed every dirty sheet a few days before leaving. This will give you plenty of time to hang the linens and keep them fresh once you returned home. But make sure to return them inside once they are dry to have a comfy bed to lie onto after the long journey. In addition, never forget the bathroom linens to avoid returning home to dirty and smelly towels.
Likewise, make sure the family deals with their laundry duties a week before leaving. These include the piled-up clothes on closet floors and the ones left at the bottom of every hamper. Double-check any signs of dirty clothing and place the clean ones in their respective closets. Also, ensure family members manage their laundry to make sure they are packing fresh clothes for their luggage.
Electronics
When cleaning the kitchen, make sure to include the fridge in your cleaning checklist. Toss, eat, or freeze foods that are likely to spoil within a few days. A fridge filled with stinky and rotten foods will only add up to your responsibilities when you get home.
One of the most important precautions when leaving for a long vacation is to unplug electronics and appliances around the home that don’t require power. This is a great way to save on energy bills and reduce the risk of fire. These include the TV, computer, router, charger, and lights. But make sure to leave a few ones turned on to prevent robbery.
Another technique to save on utility bills is to program the thermostat. Newer models of smart thermostats come with an “away program” to adjust their temperature setting when no one is at home. You can set the temperature for heating or cooling whether you are going on a summer or winter holiday.
Nothing beats the feeling of returning home free from domestic worries. It is easy to make yourself comfortable knowing all things are in perfectly good shape. So before going on a long trip, take note of the suggestions mentioned above to take the stress out of your vacation!
