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WITH Christmas and New Year’s Eve just around the corner, it is clear that the holiday season is officially upon us.
It is finally time to make full use of all the untouched annual holiday leave, jetset to the destination you have been dreaming about all year, and really end the year on a high note.
However, if you are planning to spend an extended amount of time feeling the warm tropical breeze in your face and powdery white sand in your toes on a pristine beach somewhere halfway across the world, you need to consider the things you will need to do to take care of your home while you travel.
Aside from paying your bills ahead of time so you will not come home to nasty surprises like a power cut and locking all your doors before you leave, there are also a couple of other basic preventative measures which can work wonders to give you a peace of mind while you are away.
Automatic plant watering system
Worry less about your green babies. Keep indoor plants watered while away on vacation with an automatic plant watering system.
There is a variety of self-watering devices available online such as the SANNIX spikes and Nimbus’ intelligent watering system. If you are particularly good with your hands, you can even DIY one on your own.
Source: Shutterstock.
Get crafty for the sake of your greens!
Timer lights
A sure sign that you are away from home is if your house has been left in the dark for a couple of days. It literally broadcasts, “I’m on vacation!” to potential thieves.
That having said, leaving the lights on around the clock while you are away is also a silly idea. Solution? Time your lights or lamps, both the interior and exterior ones. You can easily get timers that plug right into an outlet.
Source: Shutterstock.
Just make sure the lights come on at random times so it will not look “automated”. If you want, you can even plug in your TV or radio to create noise.
Alarm security system
If you do not already have an alarm security system, it is probably worth getting one installed.
The newer systems come fully equipped with multiple wireless accessories, allowing you to control your system remotely and view what is happening at home in real time.
Source: Shutterstock.
It will also be able to call a phone number you specify, such as a family member or a neighbor, in the event of an alarm trigger so before you jet off to your long-needed holiday, remember to notify them that you will be away.
Stop your subscriptions
Another big indication that someone is not home is if the porch or mailbox is flooded with newspapers, letters, and packages. And believe us, the packages will not be the only thing thieves will run away with once they have broken into your compound.
To appear lowkey about being away from home, put in a request for your postal service to hold all mail until the date of your return. Then, pick your mail bundle up at your nearest post office.
Source: Shutterstock.
And while you are at it, stop your subscriptions too.
Share less
While it is always fun to post up numerous envy-inducing travel bragging updates on social media, you may never know who are the crooks hiding amongst your followers.
And it does not matter if your accounts are private and only limited to your circle of family and friends. You can never be too sure and it is better to be safe than sorry.
Source: Shutterstock.
So try not to tip a burglar off when you are hundreds of miles away from home and maybe leave a bulk of your updates for when you have returned.
Airbnb it
While getting somebody to stay at your house to minimize the risks of theft is a good idea, getting a housesitter (that you will likely have to pay or treat in return) is not easy.
So how do you find people to occupy your home without any charges? Airbnb it.
All you need to do is go here to set up listing your home on Airbnb. The platform gives you full control of your availability, prices, house rules, and how you interact with guests.
Source: Shutterstock.
To add on, Airbnb covers every booking with US$1 million in property damage protection and another US$1 million in insurance against accidents so your home and your belongings will be kept safe.
The post How to take care of your home while you travel appeared first on Travel Wire Asia.
Source: travelwireasia.com