What Should I Do Before I Leave?
It is that time of the year again! Sadly, many of our clients will be returning to their other homes before the real heat sets in. We will miss you but give you our assurance that we will be here to look after your home while you are away. We have put together a quick checklist that may help you think of some things you will want to take care of before you leave. As always, let us know how we can be of help.

• Let Carlson Concierge know of your scheduled dates of departure
• Move patio furniture indoors.
• Bring in anything located outdoors that may blow around in a heavy monsoon storm.
• Empty and store outdoor flowerpots and water hoses.
• Clean outdoor grill, so you don’t attract rodents.
• Lock patio doors. Install wood dowel in tracks to restrain sliding doors and windows.
• Properly dispose of any bags of garbage. Spray wastebaskets and garbage cans with Lysol or other disinfectant spray.
• Stop mail or have it forwarded. Cancel newspaper subscriptions.
• Remove the vacuum cleaner bag and replace with a fresh one. Replace any water filters with clean ones.
• Notify your neighbors and local law enforcement if you have a security alarm and who your emergency contact will be TIP: Carlson Concierge includes alarm contact service for most Home Watch Programs
• Inspect or have inspected your roof for damage or leaks.
• Make sure your HVAC system is working properly and in good condition set the thermostat at 86 degrees.
• Some residents like to have a professional pest-control firm spray around the house before they leave.
• Make sure the stove is off.
• Make sure any food items that could rot or draw bugs or mice are thrown away.
• Clean your dishwasher thoroughly, paying attention to the edges of the door. Blot up any residual water in the bottom after you run your last load.
• Thoroughly clean all appliances. This means everything. Don’t forget the toaster, blender, mixer, microwave oven, toaster oven, and range (including oven and broiler, as well as burners and drip pans). Any food particles or residue can attract pests.
• Remove all perishable food from refrigerator and disconnect the ice cube maker. TIP: Put a bag of ice cubes in the freezer, if you come back to a bag of cubes great, if not then somewhere along the line the power was out too long and frozen foods should now be thrown out.
• There are two philosophies on what to do with the refrigerator. One is to leave it empty, unplugged, making sure the icemaker water supply is off, and prop the door open. The second idea is to turn the dial to the warmest temperature setting and turn off the icemaker. Some who use this method recommend placing a dish of either activated charcoal or baking soda inside to absorb odors.
• If leaving a car behind prepare it for long-term storage or arrange with Carlson Concierge to start and run it on our visits.
• Make sure the washing machine is fully drained so mold will not grow.
• Make sure all curtains and blinds are closed to prevent anyone from seeing inside, and to keep out as much heat as possible.
• Unplug TV’s, any small kitchen appliances, stereo, DVD player, computer, power strips, or anything that has a “Sleep” mode.
• Put a timer on at least one light, set to come on and off to make the home appear occupied. Make sure all windows are closed and locked.
• We recommend leaving ceiling fans on at the lowest setting, to promote air circulation.
• Clean all floor coverings and all surfaces to ensure that no food particles or stains attract bugs or cause mildew.
• Unplug TV and Internet cables.
• Cover furniture with dust covers.
• Turn on security system
• Have potentially destructive tree branches cut back and trees thinned
• Bring a list of important phone numbers local to your summer home, such as the management company, utility companies, and neighbors’ phone numbers.
• Leave a list of any home repairs like painting, garage epoxied floors, power washing etc.…We will take care of it for you and it will be ready when you return in the fall!
• Consider leaving extra batteries, air filters and salt in case we need to replace them while you are away.