The holidays are coming! You can’t wait for the parties, to see your friends and family back home, and, hey, to take a break from school!
Of course, going home for the holidays means you’ll also be gone from your off-campus apartment too. Here are some quick things you can do to make sure you come back to a safe and appealing student housing space.
Appliances
First, even if you’re in a hurry to catch a plane, train, or automobile, make SURE that the appliances are off. We mean stove, lights, water faucets, alarm clocks, and anything else that it’s easy to overlook in a rush. The last thing you want is to come back and find that the bathroom faucet has been running the entire time or that a bedroom light was left on. That could cost you big bucks for water or electricity. Even more importantly, it’s potentially dangerous—think floods and fires.
Windows
Second, pull the blinds or drapes. You don’t want people peering in while you’re gone. Plus, closing blinds can help keep your energy bills low.
Plugs
Third, if you have a bit more time before jumping in whatever jitney is taking you home, unplug all appliances that don’t need to be plugged in. Lights and computers, for example, don’t have to be plugged in if you’re not using them. The decrease in electricity costs can be significant, depending on the time you’ll be gone. Keep things like refrigerators plugged in if there’s food in them, of course. But if you and your roommates have cleaned it out, the refrigerator can be unplugged too.
Think of anything we missed? Tell us in the comments!
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