A Hopkinton Prepare-For-Your-Vacation Checklist

Packing up the family and heading away for vacation can be a chaotic process, leaving moms wondering if going away is worth the effort involved!  To simplify your departure, here is a vacation preparation checklist.

One Week and Counting

1) Suspend your mail and newspaper delivery. Both tasks can be accomplished on-line at www.usps.com, and checking out your newspaper's website. (Nothing says your out of town faster than newspapers piled up on your driveway.)

2) Ask a neighbor or arrange for snow removal before you get home in case of a snowstorm. (Probably a good idea based on our weather this winter.)

3) Look at business calender - cancel or reschedule any appointments and send any RSVP's for social events before you leave.

4) If children are missing any school days, call in absences in advance, obtain any homework if possible.

5) For an extended vacation, ask a neighbor or a friend for trash or recycle bins to be set out for collection, and to be returned to your garage.

6) Arrange for pet care. Ask a friend or trusted relative to come in and take care of fish, turtles, iguanas or cat. She or he can also water your plants.

7) Pick up any prescriptions, dry-cleaning and pay bills.

8) Confirm flight and hotel reservations. (Nothing puts a damper on your vacation like arriving at the hotel to find that your room has been switched to a "parking lot view.")

9) If driving, check tires, brakes, coolant, windshield fluid, and change oil. Make sure you have extra blankets and a shovel in case of bad weather.

Two Days and Counting

1) Begin packing. Place laundry bins outside children's rooms and collect clothes needed for trip. Have kids choose toys, books and electronics they want to bring along. Place in backpacks.

2) Clean out refrigerator and discard any perishables. (Nothing is more unappetizing than arriving home to coagulated milk and furry tomatoes in your refrigerator.)

3) Get cash and charge electronics.

4) Leave a copy of travel itinerary and phone numbers with a neighbor or trusted relative.

One Day and Counting

1) If flying, print out boarding passes. This can be done 24 hours in advance (a great time saver, especially during school vacation week.)

2) Check weather forecast at destination.  You may wish to add extra layers or rain gear.

3) Unplug coffee maker, toaster. Set interior and exterior light timers.

4) Lock all doors and windows.

Enjoy your vacation!

A Few Extra Security Tips

Don't Facebook or blog about your vacation, except in general terms, before you go or while you're gone. You don't want to broadcast that your house is empty.

Lock the garage. Most people have tools in the garage (sledgehammer, pry bar) that make breaking into a house easier.

Don' tell strangers you're going away. For instance, if someone says "Oh, I see you're buying suntan lotion. Are you going away?" just say yes and again be vague. Don't give them a timeline.

Hopkinton Police will check your house while you're gone. Police Chief Rich Flannery says you can make a request at the station for police to check your house; 48 hours ahead of time by phone at 508-497-3401; or 14 days ahead of time online at http://www.hopkintonpd.org/housecheck.htm.