When you’re going to travel for a long time, the last thing that you want is something to worry about. Itineraries? Public transport? Finances? It’d all better run like clockwork, or else your holiday’s going to go spiralling down into a nightmare.
Add to this another concern which should be at the back of your mind – that piece of real estate, Maitland NSW you happen to call “home” – and you’ll have yourself a lovely list of reasons why you won’t be able to enjoy your holiday. It’s not all bad news, though – if you just take a deep breath and realise that your plans will rarely be disrupted, you’ll realise that you’ll be fine. And in the case of your home, planning is one of the most important aspects that will ensure that you’ll be able to relax while travelling.
Check your plumbing
While a leaking tap or pipe can be a bother when you’re not at home for a day, they can be disastrous when you’re not at home for weeks, months, or years. Be sure to get all of these fixed, but, just in case, don’t forget to turn off the main water supply, lest you come home to a flooded house with water damaged things.
Secure the perimeter
If you’re worried about break-ins and robberies, you should be: 50% of all robberies are simply open opportunities. This isn’t meant to cause you too much undue alarm, although it should spark you into action. Use a self-timer to turn lights on and off randomly in your house so that potential burglars will be tricked into thinking that someone is at home. Install security doors and bars on windows that can be opened from the inside in the case of an emergency. Unplug your automated doors. And don’t forget to hide your valuables in unlikely places: the freezer is a good place to start, empty cans in cupboards even better.
Arrange for a house sitter
If you’re worried about all of the above, then you can simply arrange for a house sitter to look after your home while you’re away. Make sure that this person is trustworthy, or you might come back to a ransacked house with squatters living in every room. At worst, however, if you decide on your twenty something year old nephew, your home might just be subject to a few parties, which, all things considered, isn’t actually the worst that could happen.
Joe Bedet is an enthusiastic traveller who leaves his real estate, Maitland, NSW in the care of his niece when he travels abroad. He knows about the wild parties that go on there, but is too far away to do anything about it.