Going out of town for the holidays can be exciting and stressful all at the same time! There are so many things you have to do before walking out the door like packing, wrapping any presents you need to take with you, securing the house, etc. 

With the long list of things that need to be completed before you leave, it's understandable if securing your home is just checking lights and making sure all the doors and windows are locked when you leave.

But, we want to make sure that your rental is as secured as it can be (beyond just locking doors and windows). That's why we gathered together a list of different ways you can keep your home safe and sound until your return. 

(Hint: a house sitter covers a lot of these ways)

Security

Keeping your rental safe both inside and out is important and it will give you peace of mind, leaving you to just enjoy the holidays wherever you are.

• Avoid updating your travel plans online (we know it's hard but anyone can stalk you on social media)
• Ask a friend to watch a TV show in your rental, or anything to give the illusion you're home.
• Ask a friend to check your mail and grab your newspaper on a daily basis.
• Keep a few of your lights on (or invest in a light timer if you're interested in saving money)
• Remove the spare key that you have hiding on your front porch
• Have a pet? Ask a friend to house sit
• Move any valuables out of sight. 

Maintenance

• Spray for bugs (this includes ants and gnats)
• Unplug your thermostat. If you have a wall heater, turn it off and blow out the flame
• Unplug electronics and/or turn off electrical strips
• Put all plants that require watering in your bathtub so whoever is watering them won’t forget a plant

Smell

Nothing is worse than returning home to an awful smell, so why not just prevent a smell from ever happening?

• Take out trash in all rooms (don’t forget the bathroom!)
• Throw out food that will spoil in your refrigerator while you're gone
• Have a cat? Clean the litter box before leaving
• Make sure that you don’t have any clothes in your washer or dryer

It's always nice to go on a vacation and do some traveling. But when returning to your rental, you want it to be in the same condition that you left it in. So take the time before you leave to get all of these things done to make getting back into the swing of things easier.

It's always important to keep the safety of your home in mind. From the small things like keeping up with maintenance to the importance of getting to know your neighbors. For more rental tips check out our resources page!