Checklists
How to Prepare Your Home Before a Long Vacation
The small things that ruin an otherwise good trip.
Most vacation-prep problems aren't dramatic — they're small oversights (a forgotten delivery, an unwatched leak) that turn into an unpleasant surprise on return.
Before you leave
- Pause deliveries or arrange for someone to collect mail/packages
- Inform your society/watchman of the dates you'll be away
- Check locks, water valves, and anything that could leak or fail while unattended
If you have live-in help or pets
Confirm arrangements in writing, not just verbally, and leave emergency contact information somewhere accessible.
For longer absences
A periodic check on the property (not just at the start and end) catches problems — a leak, a break-in attempt, a pest issue — while they're still small.
Questions
Is a check right before leaving and right after returning enough?
For longer absences, no — problems like a slow leak or a pest issue are far cheaper to catch mid-trip with a periodic check than to discover only when you're already back.
PadosiPro can check on your home periodically while you're away, not just before and after.