Five Tips for Prepping Your Apartment for Vacation or Travel

There's a lot to get done when you're getting prepared to head out on holiday for a week or two. Packing alone is a stressful effort, not to mention getting prepared for the hustle and bustle of the airport and calculating how to get to the resort when you land. Once that's all under control, though, you should take a few simple steps to get your apartment ready for your coming departure. Experts from our apartments in Delray Beach, FL, assembled a list of the top five to take some of the tension out of your next break:

Let someone know

If you're leaving a pet at home, then you've likely already arranged for somebody to come by the apartment. But even if you don't have a feline that has to be fed or plants that will require watering, you should always let somebody know you're going to be out of town if a crisis arises at home. Think about telling a neighbor or a buddy living nearby who can come to your apartment in a few moments if it becomes critical.

Take out your trash

Trash left to sit over an extended leave can not only generate a foul smell, it can potentially entice pests. So make sure to make a brief run to the trash location before heading out the door.

Clean out the fridge

There's little worse than coming back to the apartment after a long flight and discovering sour milk in the refrigerator. To avoid this heartbreaking discovery, make sure you clean out your fridge before you go on vacation. Donate or throw away anything perishable that you won't have time to eat or can't bring with you. You may also consider freezing some edibles, like berries or bread. They'll hold in the freezer for months, while if you leave them in the fridge or the pantry, they'll likely be moldy by the time you pull back in your parking lot.

Unplug energy vampires

Every electronic and appliance sucks up some power when it's plugged in, whether it's turned on or not. So when you're planning to be away for a few days, unplug the TV, the desktop computer, and even little appliances like your microwave. This straightforward step could also cut down on your power bill after your time away.

Set the thermostat

When you aren't at home anyway, you may as well preserve the electricity and lower your bill. When the temperature is warm, turn up the thermostat to 85 degrees when you plan to be away for a week or more. If you have a programmable thermostat, you can position it to automatically return to 72 degrees (or whatever your comfort zone is) before you come home. Even if you have to change it manually when you get back, it's still worth your upcoming energy bill savings.

Use these tips to prep your apartment when taking a vacation or traveling. And, call us first if you are looking for apartments in Delray Beach, FL. We want to help you find your new place.