If your vacation home has been closed for the winter season, it's time to grab your garden tools, your rubber gloves, and your shopping carts to get ready for the summer. We've compiled 10 dos (and the equally important don'ts) as an easy reference for you to get your vacation home ramped up for the busy season.
1. Do: Open the windows to air out your home and
schedule a visit with your housekeeper
for a heavy duty spring cleaning.
Don't: Make your guests feel like they've just
opened up a sarcophagus.
2. Do: Turn on the air conditioning, check your air filters, and perhaps schedule a visit from
your HVAC service to give your a/c unit its annual checkup.
Don't: Give your renters whooping cough.
3. Do: Grab a squeegee and some white vinegar to wash away the winter build-up on all
windows and sliding glass doors.
Don't: Compel your guests to write “Wash Me” in the grime with their fingertips.
4. Do: Check your roof for any damage from snow, hail or wildlife.
Don't: Wait for your roof to cave in while your guests are in the middle of a rousing
game of Scrabble.
5. Do: Pull out your towels and sheets and wash all linens prior to your first summer
check-in.
Don't: Don't send your guests on a wild goose chase through your closets to find all
their linens.
6. Do: Restock coffee, filters, creamer and any other spices or condiments that you supply
in the pantry of your vacation home, in addition to paper goods like paper towels and
toilet paper.
Don't: Make your guests run out in their skivvies to pick up the essentials.
7. Do: Clean up your yard, bag your leaves, and plant some new flowers.
Don't: Make your guests go on a bushwhacking expedition to get to your front door.
8. Do: Check the wells and septic tanks to make sure they're in working order before your
guests put them to use.
Don't: Wait for a plumbing problem to occur — enough said.
9. Do: Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
Don't: Risk waking your guests at 2am with the inevitable low-battery chirping that's
right up there with nails on a chalkboard.
10. Do: Sweep off the deck, clean the grill and pull out your patio furniture, along with any
other outdoor amenities you've stored over the winter.
Don't: Leave your guests to find a colony of critters hibernating inside your barbecue
grill.
If your vacation home has been closed for a few months, it's definitely wise to pay it a visit or schedule an appointment with your housekeeper to make sure everything is in the proper condition for your guests. It may not be your favorite time of year, but getting your summer prep chores out of the way will be worthwhile when your guests arrive to a well-maintained and well-stocked home.
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