9 Home Preparation Tips – Winter Vacation With Peace of Mind

Before you leave on your long-awaited winter vacation follow these 10 home preparation tips so you can travel with peace of mind.

It’s likely been a very long time since you prepared for an extended vacation – we’ve all been staying so close to home! Consequently, you might be a little rusty when it comes to taking everything into consideration as you head out the door. There’s a lot to think about in your home preparation, particularly if you’re leaving for the entire winter season.

Winter, in fact, can be one of the most problematic of seasons. Between the sub-zero temperatures and the heavy, wet precipitation – a mixed bag sometimes with sleet, snow, and ice wreaking havoc. Without the proper home preparation and supervision, there’s a lot that can go wrong over the course of a couple of months.

It’s very easy to overlook some basic home preparations and safety precautions as you’re trying to get everything together to get out the door. So as you prepare to leave for, what we presume is an idyllic – warm and sunny – destination, or even an extended long weekend, keep in mind the following tips.

Why It’s Important to Prepare your Home Before Vacation

You’ve been anticipating this moment for almost two years! You deserve to have a relaxing vacation without worry. And, when you know that you have done a thoughtful and thorough home preparation before you leave, it will go a long way to help ease your mind.

You’ll have enough to think about on your travels, the home you left shouldn’t be one of them. Good home preparation will ensure that your home is safe, sound, and secure while you’re away. After all, there are many surprises that are most definitely not welcome – like learning that your house is damaged by the weather or burglarized.

So, how do you properly prepare a home to be vacant for several months? To start with, there are three primary concerns when you leave your home for an extended period of time. They include protection against intruders or burglars, protection from pests, and the most likely during winter months, protection against Mother Nature – often completely unforgiving!

9 easy tips to prepare your house

1. Stop your newspaper and mail delivery. Visit Canada Post for more information.
2. Have a trusted neighbour keep an eye on your home – let your neighbours know you’re leaving.
3. Unplug all of your small appliances – blender, toaster, space heaters, etc.
4. Be sure to lock all of your windows and doors.
5. Hire a service or a neighbourhood kid to shovel while you’re away – the walks and driveway. In the summer, the same goes for mowing the lawn.
6. Just assume there aren’t any safe places to hide a key outside your home. Give it to a trusted neighbour.
7. Set timers on the lights indoors and install a motion-activated sensor for the floodlights outside.
8. Depending on how long you plan to be away, consider shutting off the water.
9. Be wary of sharing your vacation activity on social media. Save sharing all those great photos until you get back.

BONUS TIP: Upon your return, you want to know that food left in your freezer is still safe for consumption. As part of your home preparation, freeze a container of water. Place a coin on top of the frozen water. When you get back back, if the coin is still sitting on top, you know your freezer has been in good operation while you’ve been away. If the coin is at the bottom, that means there’s likely been a power outage and your food may have defrosted at some point during your time away.

Home insurance considerations

Thoughtful home preparation can make all the difference between a fun, relaxing vacation and a stressful, or shortened, trip due to a crisis at home. But, the fact is, accidents still happen. That’s why it’s vital that you have the appropriate home insurance coverage.

Do you have questions about an upcoming trip and leaving your home unattended? Let us help provide you with peace of mind knowing your home and property are adequately covered. TALK TO US!