Are you headed over the hills and through the woods for your holiday gathering? If so, you have a lot you're trying to remember to pack - presents,
cookies, hostess gifts, etc. With your mental list long, we've one thing easier. A go-to checklist to help you remember what to do to prepare your house before you leave and the one thing to pack to ensure you're prepared for wherever your travels take you. 'Tis the season!Security- Light timers - Set a lamp or two to turn on and off at different times so the casual observer will not suspect you're out of town- Close & lock windows & doors - Seems obvious but take a second and check all the doors and windows. You don't want to be hours or days into your trip and wonder if the back door ever got locked- Hold mail & newspaper - No need to signal that you're away with a pile of mail and newspapers out front. Both can be put on vacation hold with just a few simple clicks online- Garbage cans - Make sure you bring garbage cans in from the curb before you leave or ask a neighbor to do it for you. Again it's just one less signal that you're awaySaving $s- Hot water tank - Save some dollars for your trip and turn down the thermostat on the hot water tank so you're not heating water you're not using- Adjust thermostat - Turn down the thermostat while you're gone as well. Again a good dollar saverCleaning & Maintaining- Clean refrigerator - Not a necessity but nice to not come home to a few science experiments. Take a minute and dump out all the old leftovers- Run dishwasher - Also not a necessity but always nice to not wonder if the dishes are clean or dirty. However, if you forget to do this the odor will often tell you!- Take out trash - Once of the last things before closing and locking the door is to take out the trash and recyclables to minimize odor- Water plants & the Christmas tree - This one is time dependent but give your plants and the Christmas tree a good soak before you leave and consider asking someone to help if you're going to be gone awhileOne More Thing...- Pack a carry-on bag - Whether you're traveling by air or not, you want / need some essentials always within arms reach. So pack a bag that stays with you no matter what your journey throws at you! And make sure your Style Rx pill box case makes it into that bag.Safe travels!Want to discover more ways to Live Life Inspired with a focus on style, health and simplicity? Sign up to receive Inspired by Dawn's email newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.