Vacation Homeowner’s Checklist

Getting ready for a vacation usually means thinking about what to pack, where you’re staying, and what time you need to leave. But before you lock the front door and head out, it’s worth spending a little time preparing your home too.

Whether you’re leaving for a weekend or several weeks, a few simple precautions can help prevent water damage, spoiled food, unwanted visitors, and unpleasant surprises when you return.

For Arizona homeowners, preparing a house before an extended summer trip is especially important. Extreme temperatures, monsoon storms, plumbing problems, and power outages can all cause issues while a home is unattended.

Here is a practical checklist to help protect your home while you’re away.

1. Check for Water Leaks Before You Leave

A small plumbing leak can become a major problem when nobody is home to notice it.

A day or two before your trip, walk through the house and check under sinks, around toilets, near the water heater, and around appliances that use water.

Look for:

• Dripping faucets
• Moisture underneath sinks
• Water around toilet bases
• Damp cabinets
• Stains on walls or ceilings
• Unusual water around the water heater
• Leaking outdoor faucets
• Refrigerator water-line leaks

If something looks questionable, don’t ignore it simply because the leak seems small. A slow leak that normally gets noticed quickly could run for days while you’re gone.

Homeowners who travel frequently may also want to consider installing smart water-leak sensors. These small devices can be placed near water heaters, washing machines, toilets, sinks, and other areas where leaks commonly occur.

Some systems can even send an alert to your phone when moisture is detected.

2. Decide Whether to Shut Off Your Water

If you’ll be away for an extended period, shutting off the home’s main water supply may reduce the risk of serious water damage from a broken pipe or plumbing fixture.

However, this isn’t always as simple as turning a valve.

Some homes have appliances, irrigation systems, fire suppression systems, pools, water treatment equipment, or other systems that may be affected by shutting off the main water supply.

If you’re unsure what your shutoff controls, ask a qualified plumber before changing anything.

At the very least, every homeowner should know where the main water shutoff is located. An emergency isn’t the best time to start searching for it.

3. Don’t Forget About Your Refrigerator

Nobody wants to return from vacation to a refrigerator full of spoiled food.

Before leaving, throw away foods that will expire while you’re gone. Pay particular attention to milk, meat, leftovers, produce, and anything that’s already close to its expiration date.

Take the kitchen trash out after cleaning the refrigerator.

If you’ll be gone for several weeks, consider reducing the amount of perishable food you purchase during the week before your trip.

It’s also smart to place a few bottles or containers of frozen water in your freezer. A fuller freezer generally maintains its temperature longer than an almost-empty one if there is a temporary power interruption.

4. Unplug Electronics You Won’t Be Using

Walk around your home and unplug unnecessary electronics and small appliances.

That may include:

• Coffee makers
• Toasters
• Chargers
• Computers
• Gaming systems
• Televisions
• Countertop appliances
• Hair styling tools

You don’t necessarily need to unplug everything in the house. Refrigerators, security equipment, internet equipment, and other devices may need to remain powered.

The idea is simply to disconnect equipment that doesn’t need to operate while nobody is home.

This can reduce unnecessary electricity use and eliminates one more potential problem while you’re away.

5. Make Your Home Look Occupied

A house that obviously looks empty can attract unwanted attention.

Avoid leaving obvious signs that nobody is home.

One of the easiest solutions is putting a few interior lamps on timers or smart plugs. Rather than leaving lights on continuously, schedule them to turn on and off during normal evening hours.

You can also ask a trusted neighbor, friend, or family member to periodically check the property.

If possible, have someone:

• Bring packages inside
• Remove flyers from the door
• Check for unexpected problems
• Put trash containers away
• Make sure gates remain closed
• Look for signs of water leaks

A little activity around the property can make a home appear occupied while also giving you someone nearby who can respond if something goes wrong.

6. Pause Deliveries and Think About Packages

An overflowing mailbox or several packages sitting by the front door is an obvious indication that nobody is home.

If you’ll be gone for more than a few days, consider having your mail held or asking someone you trust to collect it.

Review any recurring deliveries before leaving as well.

That might include:

• Grocery subscriptions
• Meal delivery services
• Pet supply subscriptions
• Online shopping orders
• Prescription deliveries
• Household product subscriptions

It’s easy to forget about something that automatically arrives every month.

7. Check Every Door and Window

This sounds obvious, but departure day can be hectic.

Before leaving, walk through the house and physically check exterior doors and windows.

Don’t forget less obvious entry points such as:

• Side doors
• Garage entry doors
• Sliding patio doors
• Pet doors
• Storage rooms
• Backyard gates
• Detached garages or sheds

Check that windows are fully closed and locked.

If you have a sliding glass door, make sure its lock is working properly. Some homeowners also use a secondary security bar or device for additional protection.

8. Prepare Your Yard for Arizona Weather

Arizona homeowners have another consideration when traveling during summer: monsoon weather.

Before leaving, walk around the property and secure lightweight outdoor items that could be moved by strong winds.

Look for:

• Patio umbrellas
• Lightweight chairs
• Decorations
• Empty planters
• Children’s toys
• Pool accessories
• Loose tools
• Trash containers

Make sure gates latch securely.

It’s also worth looking at trees for obviously damaged or hanging branches, particularly if they’re close to your roof, vehicles, windows, or neighboring property.

You can’t storm-proof a property completely, but removing obvious hazards can reduce the chances of damage.

9. Take Care of the Pool

If you have a swimming pool, don’t simply ignore it until you return.

Arizona’s heat can quickly affect pool chemistry and water levels.

If you’ll be gone for an extended period, arrange for someone to check and maintain the pool.

Depending on your setup, that may mean monitoring:

• Water level
• Chlorine or sanitizer
• Pump operation
• Filter condition
• Debris
• Overall water quality

A little preventive attention is much easier than returning to a green pool that needs extensive cleanup.

10. Don’t Forget Indoor Plants and Pets

Arrange care for anything living in the house.

For plants, determine how much water they’ll realistically need while you’re away. Some plants can easily go a week or more without attention, while others cannot.

If you’re leaving pets at home with a sitter, provide clear written instructions.

Include feeding information, medications if applicable, veterinarian contact information, emergency contacts, and instructions about where important pet supplies are located.

Make sure the person caring for your pets knows how to reach you.

11. Test Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Before a longer trip, it’s a good opportunity to make sure your home’s safety devices are operating properly.

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Replace batteries when necessary.

If you have a monitored security or fire alarm system, verify that your emergency contact information is current.

12. Use Your Home’s Smart Technology

Smart-home devices can be especially useful when you’re traveling.

Depending on your setup, you may be able to remotely monitor:

• Door locks
• Security cameras
• Water sensors
• Garage doors
• Interior lights
• Doorbells
• Indoor temperatures
• Smoke alarms

Before leaving, make sure important devices are connected and working properly.

There’s little benefit to having a smart leak detector if its battery died six months ago.

Also make sure you know your passwords and can access the necessary apps before you’re hundreds of miles away.

13. Clean the Kitchen Before You Go

Coming home to a clean house makes the end of a vacation much nicer.

More importantly, cleaning the kitchen prevents odors and pests.

Before leaving:

• Wash dirty dishes
• Run and empty the dishwasher
• Clean food from the sink
• Wipe countertops
• Dispose of perishable food
• Take out the garbage
• Check the garbage disposal
• Remove food that may attract insects

Don’t forget trash cans in bathrooms, bedrooms, offices, and the garage.

In Arizona, food left in a hot garage trash can for a week can become particularly unpleasant.

14. Be Careful About Posting Your Trip Publicly

Vacations are fun to share, but consider how much information you post publicly while you’re away.

Announcing that your entire household will be gone for two weeks can tell more people than intended that your home is currently empty.

Check the privacy settings on your social media accounts and consider sharing some vacation photos after you return instead.

Children and teenagers in the household should understand this as well.

15. Give Someone You Trust a House Key

Even with smart locks and remote monitoring, having a trusted person nearby can be extremely helpful.

Give a family member, friend, neighbor, or house sitter a way to enter the property if necessary.

They may need access if:

• A water leak occurs
• An alarm goes off
• A storm damages something
• A package needs to be brought inside
• A pet needs assistance
• Equipment stops working
• You accidentally left something running

Make sure they know where your main water shutoff and electrical panel are located, especially if you’ll be gone for an extended period.

16. Do a Final Five-Minute Walkthrough

Right before you leave, perform one final walkthrough.

Instead of trying to remember everything from the driveway, physically walk from room to room.

Check the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, garage, backyard, and exterior doors.

Look for anything unusual.

Then ask yourself:

Water? Doors? Windows? Appliances? Trash? Pets? Lights? Garage?

That five-minute inspection can catch something you overlooked while packing.

A Little Preparation Can Prevent a Big Headache

Most vacations end without anything going wrong at home. But when a problem does occur, an unattended house can turn a relatively small issue into an expensive one.

A dripping water line that would normally be discovered within an hour could leak for several days. A package that would normally be brought inside could sit at the front door all week. A loose patio umbrella could become a problem during a monsoon storm.

You don’t need to obsess over every possible scenario.

Instead, create a simple pre-vacation routine and use the same checklist every time you travel. Once it becomes a habit, preparing the house may only take 20 or 30 minutes.

Then you can lock the door, head out, and enjoy your trip knowing you’ve taken reasonable steps to protect the home you’re coming back to.