10 Things to Do Before You Leave for Holiday Travel

Table of Contents

• Things to do before leaving the house: the 10-item checklist
• 10 things to do before you leave
  • 1Pause your mail and packages
  • 2Turn off the tree lights and deal with the tree
  • 3Turn off the stove, oven and small appliances
  • 4Protect your pipes in freezing weather
  • 5Deal with leftovers and the trash before you go
  • 6Make the house look lived in, and keep your trip off social media
  • 7Lock up and leave a spare key with someone you trust
  • 8Ask police about a vacation check
  • 9Ask someone you trust to check in
  • 10Do one last walkthrough
• A quick last-hour checklist
• Things to do before leaving the house: your questions, answered
  • What should you do before leaving the house for holiday travel?
  • 10 Day Trips From Washington D.C. For Nature Lovers
  • How long can USPS hold your mail?
  • What temperature should you leave the heat at when away?
  • Should you unplug everything before you leave?
  • Should you turn off your water before a trip?
  • Should you post about your trip on social media?
  • How long do holiday leftovers last before a trip?
• The bottom line

Things to do before leaving the house for holiday travel go beyond locking the doors. A live tree may need daily watering, holiday leftovers need a plan, packages are on the way and freezing weather calls for pipe precautions. Here are 10 checks, with advice from USPS, the Electrical Safety Foundation, the American Red Cross, NC State Extension, Nebraska Extension and police departments in Ohio, Virginia and Indiana.

The short answer: pause your mail, turn off and unplug what you do not need (tree lights, stove, small appliances), keep the heat on at 55°F or higher in freezing weather, deal with leftovers and the trash, make the house look lived in, lock up, and ask someone you trust to check on it.

Things to do before leaving the house: the 10-item checklist

10 things to do before you leave

1Pause your mail and packages

USPS says Hold Mail pauses USPS delivery of letters and packages to an eligible address for 3 to 30 days. You can request a hold online up to 30 days before it starts, or complete PS Form 8076 at your local Post Office. USPS says it cannot be used to hold a single package, and it does not cover other carriers, so arrange those deliveries separately. If you pick up your accumulated mail at the Post Office, USPS says to do so within 10 days after the hold ends or it will be returned to the senders. Our practical tip: schedule the hold to begin on the first delivery day you will not be home to collect your mail.

2Turn off the tree lights and deal with the tree

Electrical Safety Foundation International says to water a live tree daily, to keep decorations three feet from heat sources, and never to leave electrical decorations on while sleeping or away from home. Our fire prevention tips cover more. Our practical tip: a live tree needs water every day, so if you will be away more than a day, ask someone to water it or consider skipping the live tree this year.

3Turn off the stove, oven and small appliances

The American Red Cross says to check before leaving home that all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off. Electrical Safety Foundation International says to always unplug countertop appliances when they are not in use. The Red Cross also recommends testing smoke alarms each month with the test button, so a test before a long trip is a good habit. Our guide to things you should never plug into a power strip is worth a look if holiday lights and decorations share outlets.

4Protect your pipes in freezing weather

In freezing weather, NC State Extension recommends leaving the heat on and setting the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees, and having someone check on your house daily while you are away. It also says to open cabinet doors under sinks so heat can reach the pipes, to know where your main water shut-off valve is, to let a faucet drip on pipes along exterior walls, and to insulate pipes in crawl spaces, attics and near outer walls. Treat 55 degrees as the source’s minimum, not a guarantee for every house.

5Deal with leftovers and the trash before you go

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension says to refrigerate food within 2 hours of cooking or serving, divide it into shallow containers 3 inches deep or less, and that leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It also says to use freezer containers or moisture-resistant wrap and keep frozen food at 0°F. Westfield, Indiana says to ask someone to put the garbage out on collection day. Our practical tip: before you leave, eat or freeze anything that would pass its 3 to 4 days while you are away, and toss food that sat out too long. Our guide to putting hot food in the freezer may help.

6Make the house look lived in, and keep your trip off social media

Ross Township Police Department in Ohio says to put outdoor lights on timers so the home has an occupied look, to keep entry points and the garage lit, and to leave a car in the driveway and have someone move it every few days. It and the Leesburg, Virginia, Police Department both say to have the post office hold your mail or have someone collect it, and Leesburg notes that uncollected mail can signal an empty home. Police departments in Ohio, Virginia and Indiana all say not to announce your trip on social media, and Westfield adds turning off location services on your devices. Our practical tip: ask a neighbor to shovel the walk or rake the leaves, since an untouched yard can look empty too.

7Lock up and leave a spare key with someone you trust

Westfield, Indiana says to double-check that all doors and windows are locked and to set your alarm system if you have one. The Ross Township police say never to hide keys outside, such as in a mailbox or under a doormat, and to leave one with someone you trust.

8Ask police about a vacation check

Some departments offer one. The Ross Township Police Department in Ohio asks you to fill out a vacation check sheet with your travel dates and contact information, and says it will make periodic checks. The Leesburg, Virginia, Police Department offers free exterior house checks, and Westfield, Indiana, has an online Vacation Security Check form, with check frequency depending on call volume. Programs differ, and some exclude homes where someone has been appointed to be present, so call your local non-emergency number to ask about eligibility.

9Ask someone you trust to check in

NC State Extension says that if you will be away, have someone check on your house daily. The Ross Township police say to ask a trusted neighbor or friend to keep an eye on it, and Westfield suggests a neighbor or house-sitter. Our practical tip: leave your house-sitter your travel dates, a phone number and instructions for pets and plants.

10Do one last walkthrough

Walk through each room before you lock the door. Check that the stove, oven and small appliances are off (Red Cross), decorative lights are off (ESFI), the thermostat is set for the weather (NC State Extension), and all doors and windows are locked with the alarm set (Westfield).

A quick last-hour checklist

1. Turn off tree lights, the stove, the oven and small appliances.
2. Set the thermostat to 55°F or higher in cold weather.
3. Refrigerate or toss leftovers, and take out the trash.
4. Set light and radio timers.
5. Check that every door and window is locked, and that no spare key is hidden outside.
6. Give your caregiver your contact details and a spare key.
7. Confirm your mail hold dates.

Before you drive: the American Red Cross says to make sure your car is in good condition for a road trip, share your travel plans with a family member or friend, and check the weather before departing and along your route.

Things to do before leaving the house: your questions, answered

What should you do before leaving the house for holiday travel?

Pause your mail, turn off the stove, oven, small appliances and tree lights, keep the heat on in freezing weather, deal with leftovers and the trash, lock up and ask someone you trust to check on the house.

See also

How long can USPS hold your mail?

USPS says Hold Mail runs from 3 to 30 days. It cannot hold a single package, and it does not cover other carriers.

What temperature should you leave the heat at when away?

In freezing weather, NC State Extension says to leave the heat on and set it no lower than 55 degrees.

Should you unplug everything before you leave?

The Red Cross says to make sure stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off, and the Electrical Safety Foundation says to always unplug countertop appliances when not in use and never to leave electrical decorations on while away. Neither source says to unplug every device in the house.

Should you turn off your water before a trip?

NC State Extension says to know where your main shut-off valve is, keep the heat on, and have someone check the house daily. It does not say to shut the water off for a short trip. For a long absence, ask your plumber or insurer.

Should you post about your trip on social media?

No. Police departments in Ross Township, Ohio, Leesburg, Virginia, and Westfield, Indiana, all say not to announce your vacation plans online. Westfield also says to turn off location services on mobile devices.

How long do holiday leftovers last before a trip?

Nebraska Extension says leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, and to refrigerate food within 2 hours. Eat or freeze anything that would pass that window while you are away.

The bottom line

Pause the mail, turn things off, protect the pipes, handle leftovers and make the house look lived in. Then lock up and ask someone to check on it.

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