You’ve recently decided that now is the time to go see the world. You find yourself leaving your home to travel for an extended period of time. But before you leave, it’s important to have everything ready for your trip as well as your absence. The last thing you want is for something bad to happen at home while you’re away or worry about something bad happening the entire time you’re on vacation.
Here are some basic tips for traveling around the world without worrying so much about what’s happening back home:
Make Sure Your Home is Secure
Preparing your home before traveling overseas may take a little time and effort. However, it will be worth it to know that your valuables and residence are safe during your absence. The very first step you should take is to make sure your renters or homeowners insurance policy is up-to-date. Check over your homeowners policy to make sure it includes flood, fire, tornado, and other natural disasters coverage. You can not know what the weather will do while you are away, so it’s best to be prepared for anything. Update your policy if you need too.
Renters should also get insurance to cover their place while they are away. Check out cheap renters insurance quotes online. Find a policy that will cover your valuables and personal items should anything happen while you are away.
Some people will feel more comfortable traveling when they know that their home is safe at all times. Consider finding a housesitter to come and stay while you are away. This person could be hired by a reputable company to stay in your home. It could be a friend looking for a change of scenery. Trustworthy college students make excellent housesitters because they need an affordable place to stay near to the university. You can hire someone to stay 24/7 or just to stay during daytime or nighttime hours. Ultimately, it’s up to you who you hire and for what hours, or even if you want to hire anyone at all.
Alarms and Monitoring Systems
For some people, the thought of someone being in their home for housesitting brings on anxiety. A great alarm system can be almost as effective as having a 24/7 sitter at your place. Simply lock the doors and windows before you leave. Set the alarm. If anyone tries to break in, the police will be notified. For more security, consider getting a monitoring system installed. These systems work with cameras inside and outside the home. They also work with smoke detectors. If your home is broken into, or if fire or smoke sets off the alarm, a monitor will notify the police and fire department to go to your residence. Live people watch your home through video monitoring for flooding, fire, intrusions – etc. These systems also allow you to look inside your home via an app on your phone. You can see what’s going on. This gives you real peace of mind when you are abroad.
Outside Security Tips
Don’t forget to secure the outside of your home before you leave. This means having your mail put on hold. Let a trusted friend pick up the paper or have service stopped. Hire a lawn maintenance service to mow grass and collect leaves. Set timers on your outside lights to come on at dusk and go off at dawn. A well-illuminated house is less likely to be broken in to.
After taking all of the preventative measures, relax and enjoy your time abroad.
