How to Secure Your Home Before Vacation

Quick steps

1. One week out: arrange the helpers. USPS mail hold, pause subscription deliveries, tell one trusted neighbor your dates, trim shrubs near windows and doors.
2. Set varying-time light timers and smart bulbs. A schedule that fires at the same minute every night reads as automated. Vary by 20-40 min/day.
3. 2-3 days out: prep the systems. Charge camera batteries, restart router and modem, enable 2FA on your security app, move valuables to a safe.
4. Day of departure: structured walk-through. Lock every door and window (including basement and garage), unplug non-essential electronics, set thermostat, arm the alarm.
5. Shut off main water for trips longer than a weekend. A burst pipe while you're away is the most expensive non-burglary loss for vacationing homes.
6. While away: don't post locations in real time. Save the trip photos for when you return. Vary occupancy cues with smart bulbs and have the neighbor park in the drive occasionally.

1. One week before: arrange the helpers and signals

The most effective vacation security work happens before you start packing. Half of it depends on other people, and the other half depends on equipment that needs time to set up correctly.

• Hold mail and packages: Submit a USPS hold mail request 7 to 14 days in advance. Pause Amazon, meal kits, and any subscription deliveries. Piled-up packages on the porch are the single most visible signal of an empty house.
• Tell one trusted neighbor: Share the dates, your contact number, and one emergency contact. Ask them to grab any unexpected packages, watch for unusual activity, and park in your driveway occasionally if possible.
• Skip the social media announcement: Do not post the trip dates publicly. Save the photos for when you return.
• Confirm light timers and smart bulbs: Test the schedule once before you leave. A timer that fires at 6 PM sharp and turns off at 11 PM sharp every night is recognizable as automated. Vary the schedule by 20 to 40 minutes per day. See the guide on making a house look occupied.
• Trim shrubs near windows and doors: Anything over 3 feet tall against a window is cover. A trim job a week before vacation buys you a year of better visibility.
• Test the alarm and cameras: Trigger one alarm with the test code, confirm the monitoring center receives it, and check every camera feed. Replace any low batteries.
• Update emergency contacts: Make sure the alarm company has current numbers for you, your spouse, and a local responder. Update the verbal passcode if it has been a while.

2. Two to three days before: prep the systems

• Charge the camera batteries: Battery cameras and doorbells should leave the trip at 100 percent. Cold weather can cut runtime in half.
• Confirm Wi-Fi is stable: Restart the router and modem, install firmware updates, and confirm the camera and alarm app reach the cloud. A failing router during your trip kills self-monitoring.
• Set up two-factor on the security app: If you have not already, enable 2FA on the app the household uses to monitor cameras and alarms. Trips are a high-risk window for credential theft.
• Move valuables to the safe or off-site: Passports of household members staying behind, spare keys, jewelry, firearms, and cash should be in a bolted safe or a bank deposit box.
• Stop the newspaper: Even an occasional Sunday paper, accumulating on the porch, signals an empty house.
• Talk to anyone with access: Cleaners, dog walkers, and lawn services should be told the dates. Confirm they have the alarm passcode if needed.
• Take a photo of every room: Useful for insurance claims if anything is damaged or stolen, and for confirming you locked the safe before leaving.

3. The day of departure: a structured walk-through

A vacation departure is a stressful, distracted morning. Use the same routine every trip so the important steps are not left to memory.

• Lock every door and window: Walk every room. Confirm deadbolts are thrown, sliding doors have a security bar in the track, and ground-floor windows are latched.
• Unplug non-essential electronics: TVs, computers, chargers, and small appliances. Saves energy and reduces fire and surge risk during a storm.
• Adjust the thermostat: In summer, set 4 to 6 degrees warmer than usual but never above 85°F if there are pets at home or fragile finishes. In winter, set 4 to 6 degrees cooler but never below 55°F to avoid frozen pipes. Smart thermostats can hold these and revert the day you return.
• Shut off the main water valve: For trips longer than a weekend, this is the single best plumbing-disaster prevention. Drain the lines if the trip is longer than two weeks. Leave one toilet bowl with a thin layer of plastic wrap to prevent evaporation odor.
• Turn off the water heater or set to "vacation": Most modern heaters have a vacation mode. For older heaters, set to the lowest temperature.
• Empty trash and refrigerator perishables: Anything that will rot in your absence. The smell is unpleasant, and a full bin attracts pests.
• Run the dishwasher and start a clean kitchen: Reduces pest attraction and gives the home a cleaner feel on return.
• Set the alarm: Arm the system in "Away" mode, not "Home" or "Stay." Confirm you receive the armed-state notification on your phone before leaving.
• Park a car in the driveway if possible: A visible vehicle signals occupancy. If the household is leaving every car at home, ask the trusted neighbor to park theirs occasionally.
• Lock the garage and disable the keypad: Most modern garage door openers have a "vacation lock" or "lock mode" that disables the wireless remote. Use it.

4. Pet, plant, and live-occupant logistics

• Pet sitter or boarding: Confirm pickup and drop-off windows. Leave detailed instructions: feeding schedule, vet info, and the alarm passcode if the sitter enters the home.
• Plant care: Cluster plants in the bathroom or kitchen near filtered light to reduce watering frequency. A self-watering bulb or cotton-wick system handles trips up to 2 weeks for most houseplants.
• Aquariums: Confirm auto-feeders are loaded, lighting is on a timer, and a neighbor has emergency access if the heater fails. Reduce feeding the week before to lower waste production.
• House sitter: If using one, give them the alarm passcode, the trusted-neighbor contact, your travel itinerary, and explicit permission to use lights, music, and the driveway. House sitters who behave like residents are the strongest occupancy signal available.
• Dependents staying behind: Adult children, elderly parents, or roommates should know the alarm code, your contact path, and have a household emergency plan. Confirm they have any prescription medications and the household's primary care contacts.

5. Plumbing, electrical, and fire safety

More vacations are ruined by burst pipes and tripped breakers than by burglars. The numbers favor focusing here.

• Main water shutoff: Know where it is and that it actually works. Many household shutoffs seize over years of disuse. Test it now, before the trip, not when something is leaking.
• Outdoor hose bibs: Disconnect hoses in cold weather to prevent freeze damage. Drain and shut off the bib if the wall valve allows it.
• Sump pump and battery backup: If the basement relies on a sump pump, confirm the pump runs on demand and the battery backup is charged. Pour a bucket of water in the pit to test.
• HVAC filter: Replace before leaving. A clogged filter during a heat wave can freeze the coil or cause the system to shut off and overheat the house.
• Smoke and CO detectors: Test each one. Replace any battery that beeps. A fire alarm that no one hears in an empty house is much worse than one that catches a small problem on day one.
• Surge protection: Whole-house surge protectors are cheap insurance against summer thunderstorms. At minimum, unplug expensive electronics.
• Fridge and freezer: A small temperature alarm in the fridge can text you if it warms above 45°F, useful for catching a power outage early.

6. While you are away

• Check camera feeds at predictable intervals, not constantly: Every couple of days, not every hour. Endless checking creates anxiety without improving outcomes.
• Respond to neighbor messages quickly: If your trusted neighbor reports something unusual, treat it seriously. They are your verified eyes on the property.
• Vary the smart-light schedule: Most smart bulb apps include a "randomize" or "away mode." Confirm it is on. Manual schedule changes mid-trip are a nice extra layer.
• Avoid real-time location posts: Save the beach photo for when you get home. Geotagged real-time posts are visible to a wider audience than most people realize.
• Forward important mail digitally: Most banks, utilities, and insurance providers offer email or app delivery. Switch on for the trip duration.
• Keep one phone reachable: Even on a beach vacation, one household phone should remain reachable for the alarm company and the trusted neighbor. Time-zone differences should not silence both household phones at the same time.
• Watch the weather at home: Severe storms, heat waves, or cold snaps may need an emergency response. A weather alert app set to your home zip code is a low-effort safety net.

7. The day you return

• Check the alarm log on the way home: A long trip should show only the expected arming and disarming events plus a few motion alerts from the cleaner or sitter.
• Walk the exterior first: Look for damaged screens, scuffed door frames, garden disturbances, or footprints. Nothing is usually wrong, but a quick look is worth two minutes.
• Disarm and enter: Walk the interior. Confirm everything is as left, then turn the water back on slowly while watching for drips at major fixtures.
• Restore the thermostat: Smart thermostats handle this on schedule. Manual thermostats need a moment of attention.
• Restart the deliveries: Cancel the mail hold, restart subscriptions, and ask the neighbor for any held items.
• Note anything that did not work: Dead batteries, missed alerts, or unclear instructions. Update the checklist for next time.

8. The vacation length scaling

A weekend trip needs less preparation than a three-week trip. Adjust by duration.

• Weekend (2 to 3 days): Lock up, set the alarm, hold the mail if your delivery is daily, and tell one neighbor. Skip the water shutoff and the deep prep.
• Week-long trip: The full day-of checklist plus the week-before mail and prep work. Shut off the main water unless leaving someone in the home.
• Two to three weeks: Add a house sitter or weekly check-in by a trusted person. Drain the water lines if winter freeze risk applies. Pre-stage forwarded mail.
• One month or more: Treat as a relocation. Consider full house sitting, professional check-ins, and ensure homeowners insurance vacancy clauses do not affect coverage. Many policies treat unoccupied homes differently after 30 to 60 days.
• Snowbird seasonal absence: Schedule plumbing winterization, switch to long-term monitoring service, and arrange recurring property checks every 7 to 14 days.

9. Frequently asked questions

Should I leave lights on when I go on vacation?

Use timers or smart bulbs that vary the schedule, rather than leaving a single bulb on continuously. A light that burns 24/7 is as obvious as a dark house. The goal is to mimic real household patterns, with lights coming on after sunset, going off near bedtime, and varying by room.

Should I shut off the water before going on vacation?

Yes, for any trip longer than a weekend. The main shutoff is your single best protection against burst pipes, leaking supply lines, and water heater failures. The fix takes ten seconds when you return and prevents a four-figure repair if anything goes wrong.

How do I tell the post office I am going on vacation?

Submit a USPS hold mail request online at usps.com or in person at your local post office. Submit it 7 to 14 days before you leave, and choose whether mail is delivered all at once or held for pickup on your return.

Should I tell the police I am going on vacation?

Some local police departments offer a free "vacation house check" program where officers drive past your home periodically. Call the non-emergency line and ask. It is not a full security service, but the patrol presence is a useful extra layer.

Is it safe to post vacation photos while away?

No. Posting in real time reveals an empty home to a much wider audience than your private circle. Save the photos for when you are back. Even private accounts are not as private as most users assume.

What is the most common mistake people make before vacation?

Forgetting to stop daily deliveries (mail, packages, newspapers, meal kits). Accumulated items on a porch are the most visible empty-house signal there is. Pause every recurring delivery a week before leaving.

Should I leave the heat or AC running while on vacation?

Yes, just at adjusted temperatures. In summer, 4 to 6 degrees warmer than normal. In winter, 4 to 6 degrees cooler than normal but never below 55°F to avoid frozen pipes. Turning the system fully off can cause humidity, pest, or freeze damage that costs far more than the saved energy.

Bottom line

Vacation security comes down to four steps: arrange helpers and stop the deliveries a week ahead, prep systems and valuables 2 to 3 days out, run a structured walk-through the day of departure, and behave online and on camera like a household that may return at any moment. Pair this guide with the Vacation Home Security Checklist printable so nothing on the list gets skipped in the rush to leave.