The holidays are a hectic time of year, but for anyone planning to travel, it’s worth it to do some pre-travel prep to ensure you have a stress-free return to real life. DMG shares these tips for residents who are heading out of town during this busy season.
- Tell building staff you’ll be out of town for an extended time. Give your property manager or other building staff a heads up so that they can reach you if necessary or get into your apartment if an emergency comes up. Telling your neighbors is also a good idea, so they can keep an eye on any unusual activity and contact you.
- Do a run through with your house, pet or plant sitter. Let them know about any building rules, how the front door system works, what to do with deliveries, where your dog can be in the building and nearby places to walk, and how to access common spaces. Leave them the property manager’s contact information for any urgent needs.
- Set your thermostat to maintain a safe temperature. If no one will be staying at your place, turn down the heat, but make sure to leave it at a level that will keep it running regular cycles and no lower than 55 degrees. With a smart thermostat, you can set it to your preferred temperature for your return arrival.
- Make sure your mail and packages are secure. Consider putting your mail on hold, so your mailbox doesn’t get overstuffed (especially during this high mail volume time). Avoid getting packages while you’re out of town, or take advantage of a package service app like Fetch to delay your deliveries until you’re back.
- Schedule or prepay any rent or utilities payments due. Using an app to pay your rent and setting up online accounts for utilities makes this easy to take care of no matter where you are.
- Unplug appliances to conserve power. Unplug appliances that don’t need to be charging or drawing power while no one is home to save resources and reduce your utility bill.
- Prevent frozen pipes. Don’t come home to an unwelcome frozen or burst pipe. When the weather is very cold outside, running a trickle of water through the pipes helps prevent them from freezing. Also leave cabinets under kitchen and bathroom sinks ajar to keep warm air circulating around pipes.
- Do a quick cleanup. A few simple chores like taking out the trash and doing any dishes will keep your apartment fresh for your return and make sure there’s nothing enticing for rodents or bugs.
- Do a final check before you leave. Make sure you draw your blinds or curtains, lock windows and doors, and turn on your alarm system if you have one. Leave instructions for anyone that needs to access your apartment while you’re gone in a designated place.
Taking these steps to prep your apartment before travel will help you focus on the joy of the season, and let you return to a cared-for and cozy apartment.