Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've seen lots of people who can't handle the basics of life on DCUM, but "How do I leave the house" really takes the cake.

I've lived in a number of houses & apartments during my many years in DC... traveled every Christmas. I went nearly 15 years without an issue and ever since buying my current house, we've had attempted break ins every Christmas (fun calls from ADT to receive as you sit down to Christmas dinner!). All of this to say, even people who have lots of experience appreciate some tips. Burglars are evolving.

Since you have the answers, kindly see your way out!


For the OP, buy a heavy safe and hide it in the house. Keep your nice jewelry, passports, spare car keys and other valuables in it. Obviously my tips on keeping lights on, etc., havent worked so I am looking to others for their advice!

Anonymous wrote:I've seen lots of people who can't handle the basics of life on DCUM, but "How do I leave the house" really takes the cake.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Place a quarter on top of the ice in the freezer. Check it when you return. If the quarter has sunk lower, it means your electricity was off while you were away. One of the best advice on Dcums. We are doing this. We’re visiting Spain now.

What would you do with this information? There's nothing to be done in the aftermath.

Anonymous wrote:I don't get why people leave lights on. isn't this an indication that you're not home? When you turn off all the lights every night except when you aren't there?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to be our first time ever going on vacation bringing dog with us, and therefore leaving the house empty. These are the things we are planning on doing before leaving. Anything I am missing?
-Set outdoor lights to automatic timer
-Turn off water to house and drain faucets
-Put hot water heater in pilot mode
-Set thermostat to 65

I do all of that, and some more. Here is my list (I am type - A personality) -

- Leave the addresses and travel info of where I will be staying and contact info with neighbors and have their info on me. Request them to keep an eye on my property.

- Automatic timer on both Indoor and Outdoors lights.

- Make sure that your outdoors pipes has been winterized also.

- Remove garage openers from all cars that are parked in the driveway. Make sure that cars do not have personal belongings outside.

- Make sure that your house is clean. You do not want to come back to a smelly house. Also empty out the fridge as much as you can.

- Either give indoor plants to other people to take care of. Or make sure that all your disease-free and pest-free indoor plants are in a bathroom tub in a sunny bathroom. Water them very well before leaving. Plug the tub and leave some water in the tub (not soaking the roots) to create a humid micro climate.

- I have been doing the coin in the freezer trick for a very long time to figure out if there was a power outage in my absence.

- A nestcam in your house is a great idea to monitor your house. Same goes for RING.

- Have someone who can come to your house and take care of problems if there is a need. I have water leakage alarm in my basement etc, and that will alert me if there is a leak. But then someone needs to also go in my house to fix the problem.

- Remove all the leaves and debris from your yard and basement stairwell. You do not want the drain going to the sump pump to get blocked. I actually use an old screen door to line the area that leads to the drain, so that the leaves and debris does not block the drain and cause flooding.

- Cover the lids of all the toilets to prevent any critters coming in and the water evaportaing too much.

- Remove every bit of food from the counters. Do not even forget fruits in a fruit bowl. You will get fruit flies and ants. Wipe counters, mop floors.

- Remove all recycling and trash. In fact, if you are missing the trash day, request your neighbors to allow you to combine your trash with them.

- Check the washer and dryer and do not leave damp clothes in them. Open the lids.

- Unplug appliances you will not need (so everything except fridge). Unplug TV, piano, washer-dryer, computers, microwave, hairdryer, lamps, music system etc. In case of an electric outage or surge or a lightening strike, they will remain protected. Make sure that you have not left any plug-in air freshener, clothes iron, heated hair tools, small kitchen appliance plugged in because sometimes they can catch fire.

- Stop all mail and newspaper delivery. Halt the automatic Amazon subscriptions.

- Tell the credit card company that you will be travelling. Pay all your bills before you go.

- I also put a bar on all my sliding french doors to prevent anyone from coming in.

- Stack and store all outdoor furniture so that they don't get blown around in windy event.

- Check the oven when you leave. Check all things that can catch fire.

Anonymous wrote:Place a quarter on top of the ice in the freezer. Check it when you return. If the quarter has sunk lower, it means your electricity was off while you were away. One of the best advice on Dcums. We are doing this. We’re visiting Spain now.

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget Kevin.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to be our first time ever going on vacation bringing dog with us, and therefore leaving the house empty. These are the things we are planning on doing before leaving. Anything I am missing?
-Set outdoor lights to automatic timer
-Turn off water to house and drain faucets
-Put hot water heater in pilot mode
-Set thermostat to 65

I do all of that, and some more. Here is my list (I am type - A personality) -

- Leave the addresses and travel info of where I will be staying and contact info with neighbors and have their info on me. Request them to keep an eye on my property.

- Automatic timer on both Indoor and Outdoors lights.

- Make sure that your outdoors pipes has been winterized also.

- Remove garage openers from all cars that are parked in the driveway. Make sure that cars do not have personal belongings outside.

- Make sure that your house is clean. You do not want to come back to a smelly house. Also empty out the fridge as much as you can.

- Either give indoor plants to other people to take care of. Or make sure that all your disease-free and pest-free indoor plants are in a bathroom tub in a sunny bathroom. Water them very well before leaving. Plug the tub and leave some water in the tub (not soaking the roots) to create a humid micro climate.

- I have been doing the coin in the freezer trick for a very long time to figure out if there was a power outage in my absence.

- A nestcam in your house is a great idea to monitor your house. Same goes for RING.

- Have someone who can come to your house and take care of problems if there is a need. I have water leakage alarm in my basement etc, and that will alert me if there is a leak. But then someone needs to also go in my house to fix the problem.

- Remove all the leaves and debris from your yard and basement stairwell. You do not want the drain going to the sump pump to get blocked. I actually use an old screen door to line the area that leads to the drain, so that the leaves and debris does not block the drain and cause flooding.

- Cover the lids of all the toilets to prevent any critters coming in and the water evaportaing too much.

- Remove every bit of food from the counters. Do not even forget fruits in a fruit bowl. You will get fruit flies and ants. Wipe counters, mop floors.

- Remove all recycling and trash. In fact, if you are missing the trash day, request your neighbors to allow you to combine your trash with them.

- Check the washer and dryer and do not leave damp clothes in them. Open the lids.

- Unplug appliances you will not need (so everything except fridge). Unplug TV, piano, washer-dryer, computers, microwave, hairdryer, lamps, music system etc. In case of an electric outage or surge or a lightening strike, they will remain protected. Make sure that you have not left any plug-in air freshener, clothes iron, heated hair tools, small kitchen appliance plugged in because sometimes they can catch fire.

- Stop all mail and newspaper delivery. Halt the automatic Amazon subscriptions.

- Tell the credit card company that you will be travelling. Pay all your bills before you go.

- I also put a bar on all my sliding french doors to prevent anyone from coming in.

- Stack and store all outdoor furniture so that they don't get blown around in windy event.

- Check the oven when you leave. Check all things that can catch fire.

Anonymous wrote:This is going to be our first time ever going on vacation bringing dog with us, and therefore leaving the house empty. These are the things we are planning on doing before leaving. Anything I am missing?
-Set outdoor lights to automatic timer
-Turn off water to house and drain faucets
-Put hot water heater in pilot mode
-Set thermostat to 65

I do all of that, and some more. Here is my list (I am type - A personality) -

- Leave the addresses and travel info of where I will be staying and contact info with neighbors and have their info on me. Request them to keep an eye on my property.

- Automatic timer on both Indoor and Outdoors lights.

- Make sure that your outdoors pipes has been winterized also.

- Remove garage openers from all cars that are parked in the driveway. Make sure that cars do not have personal belongings outside.

- Make sure that your house is clean. You do not want to come back to a smelly house. Also empty out the fridge as much as you can.

- Either give indoor plants to other people to take care of. Or make sure that all your disease-free and pest-free indoor plants are in a bathroom tub in a sunny bathroom. Water them very well before leaving. Plug the tub and leave some water in the tub (not soaking the roots) to create a humid micro climate.

- I have been doing the coin in the freezer trick for a very long time to figure out if there was a power outage in my absence.

- A nestcam in your house is a great idea to monitor your house. Same goes for RING.

- Have someone who can come to your house and take care of problems if there is a need. I have water leakage alarm in my basement etc, and that will alert me if there is a leak. But then someone needs to also go in my house to fix the problem.

- Remove all the leaves and debris from your yard and basement stairwell. You do not want the drain going to the sump pump to get blocked. I actually use an old screen door to line the area that leads to the drain, so that the leaves and debris does not block the drain and cause flooding.

- Cover the lids of all the toilets to prevent any critters coming in and the water evaportaing too much.

- Remove every bit of food from the counters. Do not even forget fruits in a fruit bowl. You will get fruit flies and ants. Wipe counters, mop floors.

- Remove all recycling and trash. In fact, if you are missing the trash day, request your neighbors to allow you to combine your trash with them.

- Check the washer and dryer and do not leave damp clothes in them. Open the lids.

- Unplug appliances you will not need (so everything except fridge). Unplug TV, piano, washer-dryer, computers, microwave, hairdryer, lamps, music system etc. In case of an electric outage or surge or a lightening strike, they will remain protected. Make sure that you have not left any plug-in air freshener, clothes iron, heated hair tools, small kitchen appliance plugged in because sometimes they can catch fire.

- Stop all mail and newspaper delivery. Halt the automatic Amazon subscriptions.

- Tell the credit card company that you will be travelling. Pay all your bills before you go.

- I also put a bar on all my sliding french doors to prevent anyone from coming in.

- Stack and store all outdoor furniture so that they don't get blown around in windy event.

- Check the oven when you leave. Check all things that can catch fire.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've seen lots of people who can't handle the basics of life on DCUM, but "How do I leave the house" really takes the cake.

Aren't you a doll?! Join the Christmas card meanies on the other thread, Scrooge.

They're not wrong, this is basic adult stuff. How do you ever own a house if you are this clueless?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've seen lots of people who can't handle the basics of life on DCUM, but "How do I leave the house" really takes the cake.

Aren't you a doll?! Join the Christmas card meanies on the other thread, Scrooge.

Anonymous wrote:This is going to be our first time ever going on vacation bringing dog with us, and therefore leaving the house empty. These are the things we are planning on doing before leaving. Anything I am missing?
-Set outdoor lights to automatic timer
-Turn off water to house and drain faucets
-Put hot water heater in pilot mode
-Set thermostat to 65

Anonymous wrote:I've seen lots of people who can't handle the basics of life on DCUM, but "How do I leave the house" really takes the cake.