Whether you'll be sunning on the seashore, hiking the hills, kayaking with your kids or cruising the Caribbean, the last thing you want to be doing is worrying about something you forgot to do at home. Or return all rested and find a mess on your hands that dispels all your hard earned (or rather ease earned) relaxation. So, before you pack up the car or head to the airport, here's a few tips to make your trip go smoothly (and, no, the iron is not on the list, aren't they all self-shutoff now?):
1. Cancel your newspaper - most publications will allow you to cancel for the period of time you are gone, or simply hold the paper if you'd still like to receive all your copies. Generally a quick call to the paper can take care of this for you.
2. Put your mail on hold - simply drop by your local post office and fill out the card available and leave it with one of the workers at the counter. Or you can visit www.usps.com and do it electronically. Mail can be held from 3 to 30 days. The online service is only available in some zip codes, however, so check early if yours is one of them. That way if it's not, you still have time to swing by the post office.
3. Set your lamp timer - statistics have shown that the implication of residence does deter burglars, taking your home off the 'easy mark' list. Be sure to set your lamp timer to go on and off once a day while you are away. If you don't own one, they are easy to pick up at many stores like Target, OSH, etc for around $10.
4. Turn your hot water heater to an energy saving setting - this will simply save you money, and it's easy to do!
5. Give an emergency key to a friend or neighbor - in case of a random emergency, knowing someone can get in your house or allow rescue workers to do so will give you peace of mind while you're away. Chances are this will never be needed, but it's better to know a small problem can be contained should the need arise.
6. Water your plants - they will thank you.
7. Dump all perishables from the fridge - avoid the green fuzz upon your return.
8. Then be sure to take out the trash - never fun to arrive home to a nasty stench permeating the house.
9. Set your email to send and "out of town" auto response - people know not to expect an immediate reply and frees you up to spend time relaxing and having fun. If you're really brave, do this on your cell phone-answering message, and ignore your phone while away. (Some of you reading just broke out in a cold sweat)
10. Pay any bills that are due, or will come due while you are gone - avoid late fees and marks on your credit score.
11. Set your AC to a higher temperature - save money on your electric bill while helping the environment, it's a win/win.
12. Most importantly, HAVE FUN!!
Karla Droege is co-owner of Temporary Personal Assistants, staffing part-time personal assistants in the Los Angeles area. http://www.my-tpa.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karla_Droege
By Karla Droege
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