blog post

More North Americans travel in the months of July and August more than any other time of the year outside of the holidays.  If you’re one of the millions that enjoys a summer vacation, here’s a checklist to make sure your home is safe and secure so you can have more peace of mind while you’re away. 

• Pre-pay or setup auto-pay bills due – an important step to make sure nothing falls through the cracks during your trip.
• Inform your bank and credit card companies of your travel plans – many banks will decline charges for transactions that are out of state or out of the country assuming it’s fraudulent activity.  Nothing is worse than not having access to your money while you’re out of town.
• Wash dishes, clean out the refrigerator, and empty the garbage – coming home to a smelly house is such a letdown after a great vacation.
• Install automatic timers for the lights and television – set timers for various times in the evening throughout your home to give the appearance that you’re there.
• Water plants and arrange for the lawn to be mowed – depending on your length of vacation, an un-mowed yard is a sure sign that the household is vacant.
• Make vacation plans for family pets – whether it’s a pet sitter, friend, or boarding facility, be sure your pets’ vacation plans are set along with your own.
• Advise local law enforcement of your travel dates – many communities offer this as a free service including regular drive-bys from your neighborhood police or sheriff department.
• Schedule a temporary hold on your mail – the U.S. Postal Service can hold your mail for 3-30 days.  This complimentary service can be setup online at usps.com, but you’ll need to appear person with proper identification to claim your mail once the hold has expired. Don’t forget to place a hold on any newspaper subscriptions as well.
• Leave a house key, security alarm code, and travel itinerary with someone you trust. Be sure to include phone numbers to your hotel or cruise ship since you can’t assume your cell phone will work, especially if you’ll be out of the country.
• Inform a neighbor you trust that you’ll be out of town and ask to keep an eye on your home for the duration of your trip.  Have him/her periodically check for newspapers and deliveries (newspapers piled up is a sure sign the household is on vacation).
• Purchase trip insurance – not only will this safeguard the cost of your vacation if you had to cancel or interrupt your trip due to an emergency, but most policies also cover you due to a natural disaster or if your home becomes uninhabitable  due to fire, flood, or burglary.
• Make 3 photo copies of your passport – one to keep on file at home, one for a family/friend not traveling with you (along with your travel itinerary), and one to keep in your carry-on luggage.  If your passport is lost or stolen while traveling, having a photocopy will help in expediting getting a new one issued.
• For single parents or if traveling with a minor child other than your own, be sure to get a notarized Parental Consent Form from the parent(s) not traveling.  Not only should this letter authorize you to travel out of state or country with the minor child, but it should also give you consent to make decisions in the event of a medical emergency.  This step is important for domestic and international travel.  When traveling internationally, the issue is not whether the airlines or cruise lines allow you to travel with the child, but whether U.S. Immigration will allow you back in the country with the minor child without parental consent.  This is important even for grandparents who tend to travel more frequently with grandchildren or for single parents not traveling with the other parent (however, if a parent has sole custody of a child, it’s best to also have on hand the legal document granting sole custody every time you travel with the child).   U.S. Immigration detains people every day for this very reason, so it’s better to be prepared than to risk detention or to be denied boarding on a flight or cruise.

The one thing I suggest not doing in preparation for vacation is to post on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media of your impending travel plans if no one will be at your home while you’re away.  As tempting as it is, these posts can easily be an open door for someone ready to burglarize your home, thereby ruining your vacation.

Planning a vacation can be stressful enough.  Ultimately, pre-planning and home preparedness can go a long way to help you come back from your vacation relaxed and rejuvenated.