Don't forget the home when you're going away

It’s coming up to Going-on-Holiday season, so it’s timely to have a quick reminder that the holiday prep isn’t all about buying new swimming costumes, shoehorning as much into your case as possible and digging out your passport, there are things to think about around the home too. Here’s a list of things to remember…

1. Cancel all your newspaper/milk/organic veg box deliveries for the period as you don’t want stuff piling up outside the front door making it obvious nobody is home.

2. Let a trusted neighbour or friend have a key (and burglar alarm code/company phone number if you have one) and see if they can pop by once or twice so they can make sure the post is taken from the letterbox, water the plants, and maybe open or close some curtains, giving the impression of people being home. If you’ve nobody handy that can pop in, you could consider asking your cleaner to do these things for you – more on this later!

3. Put a few lights or even a TV or radio on timers to give the impression of inhabitation.

4. Lock away your valuables and important documents. My mum even hides away the laptop when she goes away, which isn’t actually such a bad idea – your computer is full of important data so you don’t want to hand it to an opportunistic burglar on a plate.

5. Just before you leave the house, make sure there’s no gas or electrical appliances or heating systems left on, and turn off the water supply to the boiler. That is unless you’re heading away in the winter, and then it’s worth keeping the heating on at a low setting to make sure the pipes don’t freeze.

6. Go around and make sure all your windows and side/back doors are locked, and as you drag your suitcase through the door, set any alarms and lock the front door tight.

Finally, if your cleaner is scheduled to visit, don’t automatically assume you need to cancel their appointment. They could do the plant watering and post clearing, as suggested above, or you can arrange for them to do some tasks that might not be on their usual list – dusting those high shelves, giving the oven a proper going over, or cleaning any other corners of the home that may be a little neglected. After a relaxing holiday, just imagine how nice it’d be to come back to a shiny clean home! If you’re an AG Cleaning Services customer, do call the office and discuss your requirements before you go away.

Happy travels!

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