When traveling for extended periods of time or going away to a seasonal home, such as your summer home, for a few weeks or even a few months, you may wonder what to do about special concerns such as mail, other deliveries, maintenance, and security.
When it comes to mail, you can simply put a stop on your mail delivery and rent a box to store your mail if you have someone available to check it for you from time to time. If you don’t have assistance from someone at home, you can rent a mailbox from a service such as Mailboxes, Etc. or Postal Depot and have your mail forwarded temporarily. You can even request that only first class mail be forwarded, to avoid paying extra for the handling of all that junk mail. Just put a stop on any mail you don’t want forwarded. You will generally be required to come to post office, collect your junk mail, and sign a form to resume regular mail service upon your return home.
Contact your local package service to stop other types of deliveries, or give an address such as that of a neighbor (after the neighbor approves of course) where packages can be delivered.
Hire a dependable lawn service to come out and take care of maintenance such as lawn mowing and weeding on a regular basis. Even if you just hire a neighborhood kid, make sure the work is done regularly, and check with neighbors to make sure it is being done. Nothing screams “empty house” louder than an unkempt yard.
Put away items that could blow away, become damaged or cause damage, during storms such as light pieces of patio furniture, yard toys, and trashcans. Ask a neighbor to leave one of his or her trashcans in front of your home each week to avoid another obvious sign that you are not at home.
Check with your local chamber of commerce for tips as well, as some offer programs to assist local residents who travel. Also, inquire as to whether or not your police department has an auxiliary police unit that can be paid a small donation or fee to perform extra patrols of your property. While on the phone, let the police department know what dates you plan to be away, your full address, and give them a way to contact you directly while you’re on vacation.
Before You Leave the House, II