International Travel: How to Prepare Your Apartment

International travel can present amazing opportunities, but before you get so excited and leave in a hurry, you have to prepare your apartment first. There are a few steps that you must take in order to return to your apartment in the same condition you left it. Not taking these steps can lead to a damaged apartment, and thieves will mark your place as a golden opportunity for robbery.

Notify Your Landlord

It’s a good idea to notify your landlord that you’ll be traveling. You can make arrangements for sending in rental payments, but also your landlord can keep an eye on your apartment for you. It’s not their responsibility to babysit your apartment while you’re gone, but they’ll want to protect their investment. They’ll drive by every once in a while looking for suspicious activity. If you pay utilities to the landlord, then you’ll also need to ask him to shut them off temporarily.

Apartment Security

Securing your apartment is the first step to preparing an apartment for international travel. Living in an apartment community that’s gated, has security cameras and takes other security measures is a great help, but that’s not enough. A determined thief will find a way in, and unfortunately, one may be living in the community already. You have to take your own security measures, such as:

• Lock valuables in a fire and waterproof safe and hide it well in the apartment, or store it elsewhere while you’re gone
• Use a timer to turn on lights during the evening hours
• Install dead bolts if you don’t already have them, and lock them when you leave
• Install window and door alarms, and instruct neighbors to call the police when it the alarm sounds
• Ask neighbors to look for suspicious activities and report them, because no one is supposed to be at your apartment while you’re traveling

That’s why it’s so important to get to know your neighbors, and to establish a rapport with them. They can be your best security plan, when you’re away.

Stop the Mail

Don’t forget to go the post office and ask them to stop delivering the mail. You don’t want an overflowing mailbox, and you don’t want anyone to notice that you’re gone from your apartment. Post offices often accommodate residents who need to postpone mail delivery. They’ll hold it for you until you get back. You should verify how long the post office will hold your mail, and make alternative plans if you’re going to travel longer.

Unplug Everything

Don’t leave anything plugged in, including the refrigerator. If the electricity isn’t shut off, you’ll get billed for energy use, even though you’re not living there. Any appliance that’s shut off still uses power. You have to actually unplug it from the electrical outlet. The easy ones to miss are the heavy appliances, like the washer and dryer. Some electronics could also be an electrical hazard if they are plugged in for too long. You won’t be there to respond to a fire, and by the time the fire department arrives, you may lose your things.

Enjoying your international travel can only happen if you’re not worrying about your apartment. Take these steps and have a worry-free vacation or work experience.