What Do You Do...

[BlueJacketsFan1]

Stop the mail and newspaper and then lock the down and go on our cruise. A friend or our daughter will stop by a couple of times and check in on the house. We board our parrot and dog, so no problem there.

[skyscanr]

Put the lights on timers , turn off the heat ,drop the cats off at vets (dd works there so we get a very good rate). Of course we turn on the alarm and we stop the mail , biut just have a neighbor pick up the paper as I dont really want them to know that we are gone .

 

If they do break in well we have insurance so not something I really worry about .

[bankerbabe]

I have a whole checklist of things to do before we leave - I'm just OCD that way. Mostly it's things like turn off the water supply to the washing machine, turn off the hot water heater, make sure that the thermostat is set to vacation mode, and get rid of any perishables in the refrigerator. Oh, and make sure that all of the garbage cans are empty in the house.

 

If anyone would like my incredibly OCD checklist, feel free to email me at bankerbabe_lisa at yahoo dot com. It's on my computer at work, though, so I won't be able to email it until Monday morning.

[bankerbabe]

We've also become really good friends with one of the police officers here in town - he coaches football with my husband. He has offered to come house sit for us, but only if we have the vending machine in the theater room well stocked with beer and the bar fully loaded. I'm thinking that we might just take him up on his offer.

[kelledge]

We have someone stay at our house. Mostly to take care of our dogs. He gives us his grocery list in advance, and we just have to leave him a vehicle to drive. Him and his wife share one car, so he needs to be able to get back and forth to work while staying at our house. The dogs love him, and he enjoys the mini vacation from his own family(wife, kids, and mother in law).

[ALLMYKIDS3]

Great point about washer hoses. In fact, you should always leave your washing machine water supply off at the hose unless you are using the washer. You don't need to be away for a week for a problem with that. Just going to work or running errands is enough time for those hoses blow and you will be mopping and dealing with mold.

 

I don't quite understand this water supply to the washing machine.If you're not washing clothes why would there be a water supply to the washer? Sorry if this is a stupid question:confused:

[F22Smitty]

I don't quite understand this water supply to the washing machine.If you're not washing clothes why would there be a water supply to the washer? Sorry if this is a stupid question:confused:

 

The hoses are pressurized from the water valve to the washing machine. If either hose ruptures, you will have a flood.

 

It's like turning your garden hose nozzle off, and opening the hose doesn't rupture.

[Crusin6]

I leave cars in the driveways...muddy sneakers on the porches....and have my neighbor put her garbage at my curb...among other things.

[ilovetexas]

I don't recommend this.

 

We got back from our first cruise only to discover that my 7 year old son had left this on the front porch. He was so excited about the cruise, he wanted everyone to know.:D Good thing we live in a good neighborhood!

[Goldiesmom]

We are lucky to have wonderful neighbors that keep an eye on our house. We stop the mail and papers, but both of those carriers have messed up and left us papers and mail, Thank goodness the neighbor checked and collected it for us. They also have mowed our lawn and snowblowed our driverway when we've been gone.

[smallworldtraveller]

lizard goes to pet shop for care and a week with a girlfriend ;)

friend checks house and feed cats and fish. Make sure there is beer in frig for freind

throw our garbage and clear out frig.

Have general delivery of mail so post office gets to keep it for an extra week

 

but then again we have completely lost our house once and watched as they threw everything in dumpters. it is only stuff and can be replaced. If someone wants to break in and take it, I just take the attitude take it if it is that important to you. Not sentimental....

[DelRio]

My sister lives a mile from my house. I keep beer in the fridge for my bother-in-law and they spend a lot of time here when I'm away. They drink beer, feed my cat, watch my TV. Did I mention drink beer.

[Mary Ellen1]

Agree with those who shut off the water to the washing machine. We replaced the standard rubber hoses with heavy-duty metal ones (sort of a metal mesh hose material). And I turn off the water faucets, behind the washing machine, when we're going away. But now you've got me thinking... My laundry room is on the 2nd floor, and a flood would be bad. So maybe I'll get DH* to think about replacing the twist-type shut-off faucets with an easier-to-use shut-off valve or lever or something. So then we can easily shut it off during the 90% of the time when the washing machine is not in use. Hmmm.....

 

Also, we plug in the light-timers, and set the thermostats either way-up, or way-down, depending on the season. Puppies go to the Puppy Palace. Put the mail on hold (https://holdmail.usps.com/holdmail/landingView.do) & tell the next-door neighbor. Try to remember to empty the trash, and maybe even the veggie bin in the refrigerator. ;)

 

*Hmmm... Do you think I can bribe DH to tackle this chore by booking him a cruise?

[CynLovesCrusing]

I have three spoiled rotten dogs and a cat so it's more economical for me to hire a live-in sitter. That also takes care of everything else. Since someone is living at the house, just as I would be, there nothing to turn off or shut down. It works perfectly for me.

 

Since there is obviously someone different living in my house, I do tell a few choice neighbors, one of which has a key to my house anyway. My sitter found that quite helpful when she locked herself out last September, hahahaha.