A useful home holiday checklist should take about 20 minutes. Clear food and damp items, switch off or unplug equipment that does not need to run, confirm the essentials that must stay on, lock the home methodically and make a simple plan for plants. Do not switch off the whole electricity supply. Your fridge, freezer, alarms, accessibility equipment and connected security may still need power.
The easiest way to avoid the last-minute question about the hob or back door is to follow the same route every time. Start in the kitchen and finish at the door.
Minutes 0 to 5: leave the kitchen dry and clear
Put perishable food away, empty the food waste caddy and take out rubbish that could smell. Rinse recycling that contains drink or food residue. Check potatoes, onions and fruit for anything that may spoil while you are gone.
Empty the sink and dishwasher, wipe away standing water and leave clean appliance doors slightly open only where the manufacturer's guidance permits it and they cannot create a trip or child safety risk. Our seven-minute kitchen sink reset is a useful version of this first pass.
Warm kitchens can make a small forgotten spill more noticeable. If flies are already gathering near fruit, recycling or the sink, use our guide to find the source of tiny kitchen flies before leaving.
Leave on: the fridge and freezer unless both are completely empty, defrosted, cleaned and left open. Do not switch them off with food inside.
Minutes 5 to 10: sort what needs power
Move through the rooms once and unplug portable, non-essential items that are easy to reach. This may include phone chargers, hair tools, an iron, a portable fan and small kitchen appliances. Check that the hob, oven and any portable heater are off.
The official home fire safety guidance advises turning off and unplugging electrical appliances unless they are designed to be left on, such as a freezer. It also recommends closing internal doors and keeping smoke alarms working.
Some equipment must remain powered. Leave medical or accessibility equipment in its required operating state. Keep alarms, cameras, hubs and the router on if your security setup depends on them. Follow the manufacturer's instructions when a device has a holiday setting or backup battery.
Do not use the consumer unit as a shortcut. Switching off every circuit can disable the fridge, alarms, pumps, connected security and other equipment without you noticing.
Minutes 10 to 15: make the home look securely looked after
Close and lock each accessible window and door, including the shed, garage and side gate. Move keys, wallets, car documents and portable valuables away from windows, letterboxes and cat flaps. Set the alarm only after everyone has left and pets have been considered.
The police pre-holiday security advice recommends locking doors and windows, securing keys, checking alarms and using timer-controlled lamps to make the home appear occupied.
If somebody will visit, give them only the information and access they need. Ask them to collect post, check for an obvious leak and contact you if anything looks wrong. Do not hide a spare key in the garden.
Minutes 15 to 18: check water and plants
Make sure taps are fully closed and look beneath sinks and around toilets for an active drip. Know where the internal stop tap is, but do not force a stiff valve or operate an external stop tap that may belong to the water supplier. Arrange a repair before leaving if a leak is already present.
Water plants according to their actual needs and move suitable pots away from intense window heat. The RHS holiday care advice for houseplants says many will tolerate a few days, while longer absences may need a suitable watering arrangement or help from somebody you trust. More water is not always safer because waterlogged compost can damage roots.
Do not ask a neighbour to keep an established lawn bright green automatically. Our guide to what to do with a brown summer lawn explains which newer plants and containers should receive water first.
Minutes 18 to 20: make the final exit check
Stand at the main door and read one short list in the same order every time:
- food waste and rubbish removed
- hob, oven, taps and portable heaters off
- non-essential chargers and appliances unplugged
- fridge, freezer, alarms and required connected equipment on
- windows, outside doors, shed and garage locked
- plants and any trusted visitor arranged
- alarm set and keys secure
Take one photograph of the completed written checklist or the locked door from inside before you leave. It is not a security record to share online. It is simply a reminder for the person who asks ten minutes later whether the cooker was checked.
Check the rule that is specific to your home
Boilers, water systems, smart alarms, telecare and insurance policies do not all work in the same way. Check their own instructions rather than following a blanket social media tip. Renters should report an existing leak or electrical concern to the landlord or managing agent and avoid altering fixed systems without permission.
The Association of British Insurers' guidance for an unoccupied home explains that policies may contain restrictions or requirements when a property is left empty. Read your own policy wording and contact the insurer if the home will be empty for longer than the period it allows.
Save this checklist near the suitcase rather than the front door, where it is less visible from outside. On departure day, follow the four passes once, photograph the ticked list and leave without starting a second anxious tour of the house.
