Planning a holiday can be an exciting time; booking hotels, researching things to do and arranging transport. But in the anticipation of going away, we can often overlook our own homes and some of the things we should do before we leave.
 
Pets
If your pets are going to be staying at home and not in a boarding kennel, have you arranged someone to feed and/or walk or play with them? If neighbours can’t help there are plenty of pet minding providers available.
 
TV
Make sure you’ve set a tape or your digital set-top box to record anything you don’t want to miss out on.
 
Mail/Papers
Mail and newspapers can pile up and quickly alert people to the fact that you may be away. If you can’t get a friend to collect your mail, speak to your local post office and they should be able to hold your mail for you until you return, while your newsagent can stop your papers and may be able to hold onto them for a few days.
 
Garden
Like your pets, your garden may not be able to survive without some TLC. In this case, dripper systems on a timer are a great idea as they will ensure your garden gets watered regularly.
 
Security
You don’t want to have to worry about your possessions while you're away, so before you leave make sure that any insurance policies you have are up to date and that all the locks on your doors and windows work well. Also, make sure you tell some neighbours and friends that you will be away so that they can keep an eye out on your place while you’re gone.
 
Appliances
Make sure that your appliances are all turned off at the wall before you leave. While most of them may not pose a danger to your property, why pay for electricity when you’re not using it?
 
What other tips do you have? Tell us below.
 
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