Before Leaving Home on Vacation...

While you are off enjoying your vacation away from home, your local burglar might be at your home enjoying himself. Here are some vital things to do before leaving your house.

A-Either have a house-sitter or someone check on the house now and then, maybe even changing the times on the timers just a few minutes.

B-Lock it up. Be sure that all of your doors and windows are closed and locked. Don't even forget ones you use less often, such as the door lock between your house and your garage.

C-Stop the presses. Either have someone come over to the house to pick up your mail and newspapers, or put a temporary stop on both of those services.

D-Put Fido away. Arrange ahead of time to have your pet held in the local kennel. I say ahead of time, because kennels are often booked up during the busiest travel times, such as Christmas and the week of July 4th.

E-Help me. First aid kits are always great to pack, but don't forget other medical necessities, just in case. Such as medicines for diarrhea, motion sickness, sunburns, and bug spray too!

F-Leave the light on. Leave a low voltage light on in your house, and put timers on various other lamps. Be sure the timers are set for different times, too.

G-Jump up. Jumper cables, flashlight, flares. All sorts of stranded necessities. Be sure to have them all in the your, ready to be used at a moment's notice!

H-Service please. Make sure to have your automobile serviced in great detail before your trip, especially if you're going to be taking the car!

I-Get a gardener and then some. Have someone come over to your house to collect the mail and newspapers, if you aren't going to stop it, cut the grass, and raise and lower your blinds and shades randomly. This will keep the appearance of someone being home, and in various rooms of the house.

J-Write them up. Write down your credit card numbers, plus their expiration dates, and the phone number for their companies. Keep this separate from your credit cards themselves, of course.

K-Turn it up. Turn on the radio to a talk station, rather than music.

L-Someone you trust may need you. Give a trustworthy friend or relative and extra key, phone numbers, and itineraries with dates. Plus your automobile's license plate number. You never know!

BONUS:

Where are keys most often kept hidden?

Under the doormat, in a flowerpot, or on a window ledge! Thieves know to look all of those places!