Life & home
What to do at home before leaving for a holiday
Leave your home ready for a holiday. Check food, waste and appliances, arrange care for plants or pets, and make the return easier.
The checklist
- Waste bags
- Freezer containers or bags
- Labels and a pen
+ 35 more explained items
Prepare the home alongside the luggage. A full fridge, an expected parcel or a pet sitter without a working key can become a problem after departure. Start with decisions that involve someone else, then leave the physical closing checks for the moment when everyone and every bag is ready to go.
Walk through your rooms and remove tasks that do not apply. Buy contains only missing supplies; reuse containers, cleaning materials and timers you already own. Take along keeps your home keys and contact information accessible. To do moves from advance arrangements to the final check and your return. Assign each task to a named person, especially in a shared home, so a tick means the work is complete.
Leave enough time for washing to dry, food to be used and a helper to practise access. Write the actual return date in the shared list, including the possibility of a delay. Before changing water, heating or electricity settings, consult equipment instructions and building rules. Check local waste and postal arrangements rather than assuming that a service described by an overseas source exists where you live.
Who this list is for
Households leaving an apartment or house empty for a holiday, from a short break to a longer trip, with optional arrangements for plants and pets. Adapt the checklist to your building, weather, equipment and insurance conditions. If someone stays at home, agree which tasks still apply and who will handle them.
Tips
Plan the last meals before the last shop
Check opened packs and use-by dates before buying fresh food. Use suitable food while it is safe, or freeze it by its use-by date following the label. Best-before dates concern quality; use-by dates concern safety. Make a small meal plan for the remaining days and label anything you freeze, so the return meal is identifiable rather than a mystery container.
Separate unused appliances from essential systems
Unplug unused small appliances and seasonal decorative lights where safe and consistent with their instructions. Make a separate note of systems that must remain powered: refrigeration, alarms, necessary medical devices and any required heating or ventilation. Work from a written device list rather than switching off the whole home at the consumer unit.
Make a water and weather plan for this home
Know where your own water shut-off is and show the trusted contact. Resolve leaks before leaving. Cold weather can freeze pipes, and Water UK advises keeping heating low during an absence. Choose settings using the heating manufacturer, building manager and local guidance. A shared valve or unfamiliar system needs advice; do not improvise a shutdown or drainage procedure at the door.
Use a repeatable route for locking up
Police advice includes locking doors and windows, setting an alarm and keeping keys and valuables out of sight. Turn that into a route through your own home, finishing at the exit. Check less-used openings, balcony access and outdoor storage as applicable. Keep travel bags ready before starting, because returning for a forgotten charger can interrupt the routine and leave a door unchecked.
Match plant care to the plant and the season
The RHS describes different watering approaches and warns that both dry reservoirs and waterlogging can cause problems. Avoid treating every pot alike. Mark which plants need attention and test any watering arrangement before departure. Give the helper clear instructions for each group rather than a request to water everything.
Arrange a responsible pet carer before departure
The RSPCA advises leaving pets with a responsible person who understands their needs, with care instructions and veterinary contacts. Confirm the arrangement and meet a new carer in advance. Prepare the normal supplies, explain access, and agree how you will receive updates. For an animal with medical needs, follow the existing veterinary instructions and ensure the carer can carry them out; this checklist does not provide treatment advice.
Give the home contact a practical handover
Police Scotland recommends trusted help with home checks, post and bins during an absence. Agree the tasks directly and confirm the person is available. Create a short private handover covering access, return date, agreed visits and who to call if something looks wrong. Arrange backup coverage if the helper becomes unavailable or your journey home is delayed.
The checklist
38 items, grouped like in the Cartdock app.
Print this page to tick items off on paper: the printout keeps only the checklist, with a box before every item.
Buy
Missing household supplies
- Waste bags — Replace only what is missing for clearing household bins.
- Freezer containers or bags — Use food-safe containers suitable for freezing any remaining food.
- Labels and a pen — Mark frozen food and leave clear care instructions.
- Compatible light timer — Optional; check the lamp and timer instructions before using it.
A simple return meal
- Shelf-stable meal ingredients — Choose food you can prepare on return without a fresh-food shop.
- The pet’s usual food — Only if needed; leave enough for the agreed care period and a delay.
Take along
Keep accessible while away
- Home keys — Carry the working set somewhere accessible, separate from checked luggage.
- Trusted contact details — Save the agreed contact and backup details for offline access.
- Building and emergency repair contacts — Keep the relevant numbers with your home information.
- A copy of the home handover — Keep your own private copy so you can answer the helper’s questions.
To do
Before the tripAgree arrangements early
- Confirm pet care — Agree a responsible carer, routine, veterinary contacts and access.
- Confirm plant care — List plants needing attention and explain each watering arrangement.
- Choose a trusted home contact — Agree availability, tasks and a backup for delays.
- Hand over and test the spare key — Test access together; do not hide a key outside.
- Arrange mail and parcels — Check local holding options or agree collection by your contact.
- Pause regular deliveries — Check restart dates for newspapers, food and other subscriptions.
- Check absence requirements — Read relevant insurance, tenancy and building conditions for your trip.
The day beforeThe day before leaving
- Use or freeze suitable fresh food — Follow use-by dates and storage instructions; label frozen portions.
- Check the fridge and freezer — Confirm normal cooling and door closure for contents that remain.
- Wash dishes and clear food scraps — Leave the sink and worktops free of leftover food.
- Empty indoor waste and recycling — Follow local collection and storage rules for outdoor bins.
- Finish laundry and let it dry — Empty the machine and avoid leaving damp washing piled up.
- Water plants according to their needs — Prepare the tested setup without leaving pots waterlogged.
- Set out pet supplies and instructions — Show the carer normal food, equipment and existing care guidance.
- Send the agreed handover privately — Include return date, visits and essential contact details.
Just before departureThe final walk-through
- Check the hob and oven are off — Check their controls after the final meal.
- Unplug unused small appliances — Follow device instructions and preserve the written essential-systems list.
- Set heating and ventilation appropriately — Use manufacturer, building and local weather guidance.
- Check taps and the agreed water plan — Use only the authorised settings for your own system.
- Check alarms and required power — Keep smoke, security and essential equipment operational as instructed.
- Check timers and security connections — Verify the planned lighting and any required router connection.
- Close and lock windows and outdoor access — Include balcony doors, gates, garage and shed where applicable.
- Secure valuables and lock the final door — Keep keys out of view; confirm you carry the return key.
On returnWhen you return
- Tell the contact you are home — End the agreed visits and confirm spare-key return.
- Check rooms for leaks or other changes — Inspect before restarting appliances or using unfamiliar system settings.
- Check stored food before using it — Follow labels and local food-safety guidance if storage was interrupted.
- Resume deliveries and normal settings — Use the instructions and restart dates recorded before departure.
- Review the list for next time — Keep useful changes and remove tasks that did not apply.
Questions and answers
Should I turn off the fridge before a holiday?
Keep it running if food or another item needs refrigeration, and check that its doors close properly. FSA guidance explains why chilled food must stay cold. A holiday mode may affect compartments differently; read the model instructions. Switch off only after removing all contents that need cooling and completing the manufacturer’s cleaning and storage procedure.
Should I shut off the water and heating?
There is no single setting for every home. Check your system instructions, building requirements and expected weather. In freezing conditions, maintaining suitable heating helps protect pipes. Ask a qualified professional or building manager about water isolation and system dependencies if you are unsure; never operate a shared valve on assumption.
What should happen to mail and deliveries?
Pause deliveries that you do not need, rearrange parcels, and ask the trusted contact to collect post where agreed. Check whether your local postal operator offers a holding service and what it covers. Police Scotland names a UK service; that does not establish availability in another country.
How do we avoid worrying about the lock after leaving?
Give the final check to one person and follow the same room route each time. Tick doors, windows and the alarm only after checking them. Keep the house key accessible for the return. If someone re-enters after the check, repeat the affected steps before locking the final door.
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