Do These Five Things Before Leaving for Paradise

Between last-minute planning and packing, getting ready to embark on your vacation is hectic. Did you remember to pack your toothbrush? How about to take out the trash? Take a deep breath and close your eyes for a second - time to refocus. Have you taken care of these last minute to-dos yet?

1.Call your credit card company.

Nothing is more awkward than having the time of your life with your friends on vacation, pulling out your credit card and having it declined. Do yourself a favor and skip the hassle: call your credit card company ahead of time. Let them know where you’ll be traveling and between which dates, so they know not to block any charges that might occur when you’re on vacation in that area.

2. Don’t let the mail pile up.

Don’t let your mail pile up when you’re on vacation. Make arrangements with the post office to have your mail held if you’ll be gone for a while, or ask a neighbor to collect and hold your mail until you return.

3. Adjust your heat or air conditioning accordingly.

Are you planning on getting away to warmer weather in the dead of winter? How about heading to cooler climates in the heat of the summer? Before heading out, make sure you adjust your heat or air conditioning accordingly, especially if you have pets in the house. If it’s a cold winter, you don’t want to turn your heat off completely, otherwise you may accidentally freeze your pipes, a costly mistake. Likewise, you don’t want to keep the A/C off completely in the heat of the summer, especially if you have cats or other animals you’re keeping inside while you’re away. Adjust your heat or air conditioning accordingly while you’re away to avoid coming home to a disaster.

4. Arrange for a friend or neighbor to watch the house.

When you’re away for a long time, chances are the people who live around will notice your car isn’t in the driveway, or has been sitting there without moving for a few days. As you get ready to vacation, ask a neighbor or trusted friend to keep an eye on your home. Maybe that entails collecting your mail and hanging at the house for a few minutes each day, turning on lights at night to make it look like someone has been home, etc. Or maybe it just means having someone keep an eye out for you. No matter what, it’s always a good idea to make someone aware you’ll be away and for how long - just in case.

5. Don’t forget about your furbabies!

Your animals mean the world to you, but don’t let them hold you back from embarking on your next adventure - just make sure you take care of them before you go. This may mean arranging for them to stay at a kennel, or having a friend check in on them each day at the house while you’re away. Make sure it’s someone you trust to actually check on and take good care of your pets. And always have a backup plan in place, in case your trusted friend falls through or something happens with the kennel - you don’t want to leave your pets defenseless while you’re away!

Nothing is worse than laying on the beach, relaxing when you suddenly remember you forgot to turn down the heat at home. Help yourself out and make a checklist of things to handle before you go away. That way, you’re not scrambling at the last minute trying to remember what you forgot to do!

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