The Home Work Journal · By Alyson Rice
You’ve packed your bags! Vacation is about to begin! But…does your home have a plan?
The suitcase is packed. You’ve checked your passport three times, remembered the chargers, and hopefully found your sunglasses. If you’re anything like me, there are probably a few extra things in there you won’t wear. It’s good to be prepared.
Now you’re sitting at the gate waiting to board, settling into your seat on the plane, or an hour into your road trip. You haven’t even arrived, and suddenly your brain decides it’s the perfect time to review everything you left behind.
Did I lock the front door?
Did I unplug my hair straightener?
Did I leave a window open?
And then there’s the question that can really come back to haunt you…
Did I remember to move that last load of laundry from the washer to the dryer?
Congratulations. You’ve been on vacation for approximately 47 minutes, or maybe you haven’t even reached your destination yet, and your house is already living rent-free in your head. Sounds relaxing…
A forgotten load of laundry might mean coming home to an unpleasant surprise. You know the one: you wash everything three more times and somehow that horrid smell still won’t leave. Don’t you hate that? Other things, unfortunately, can have more serious consequences.
A leaking pipe. A heating system that stops working. Water where water really shouldn’t be.
Your home hasn’t got the memo that you’re on vacation. It’s still sitting there with its pipes, heating, doors and windows, and all the little things that have a knack for needing attention at the least convenient moment.
Which brings us to an important question:
Who’s keeping an eye on your home while you’re away?
And I don’t mean driving past to make sure it’s still standing.
A drive-by and a home check aren’t quite the same thing.
A quick glance from the driveway can tell you whether the house is still standing. Useful information, certainly. It won’t necessarily tell you whether a pipe is leaking under a sink, the heating has stopped working, or there’s water where water really shouldn’t be.
Little problems don’t always stay little. When no one’s home to notice them, they can have an impressive amount of time to make themselves comfortable.
That’s why scheduled, purposeful checks matter. Not because we expect something to go wrong, but because we’d rather spot a concern early than return to an unpleasant surprise.
What about making your home look a little less empty?
Think about the everyday signs that someone’s been around. Lights going on and off, flyers being collected, and even fresh tire marks in the driveway can help your home look less obviously unattended. Sometimes those little signs of activity may discourage unwanted attention.
But they’re not a security system, and no home check can guarantee that someone won’t break in. I’m not offering security patrols, confronting intruders, or busting out karate moves. My role is to follow an agreed schedule, make visual observations, document what I see, and communicate concerns. Leave the crime-fighting to the professionals.
And then there’s Poppy, my Doberman and unofficial appointment co-pilot. She’ll often be riding along with me in the car when I’m heading to appointments. I might joke about my own little “Doberman Patrol Service,” but it’s exactly that: a joke, not a real service. Poppy’s along for the ride, not to guard your property!
And yes, your insurance policy may have some home work for you.
Here’s the part that’s less exciting than choosing a vacation outfit, but considerably more important: your home insurance may include conditions for periods when your property is unoccupied. Heating-season precautions, water damage, extended absences, and truly vacant properties can all raise different questions.
There isn’t one check-in schedule that applies to every home or every policy. The requirements depend on your insurer, your coverage, the property, the season, and how long you’ll be away.
Before you travel, ask your insurance representative what your specific policy requires. Find out whether someone must check the property, how often, what the visit should include, and whether you need a record of those visits. If you’re planning a longer trip or the property is seasonal, mention that too. Getting the answer in writing is a smart idea.
For useful background, the Insurance Bureau of Canada explains what to ask about home insurance while travelling:
Helpful resourceInsurance Bureau of Canada: Home Insurance While TravellingRead the guide ↗
Your own insurer or broker is the right source for your policy’s requirements.
Your friends and neighbours are lovely. They’re also busy.
I’m a big believer in good neighbours. I’m also a big believer in the fact that everyone has a life.
The friend who promised to pop over gets called into work. A family member stops by but doesn’t know what to look for. Someone assumes someone else has checked. Nobody’s being careless on purpose. They’re just doing you a favour in between their own to-do lists.
If you’re relying on someone, make the assignment clear: agree on the dates, the areas to look at, what they should do if something seems off, and how they’ll let you know they’ve visited.
And if you’d rather not add “checking my house” to your neighbour’s job description, that’s understandable too.
A little planning goes a long way.
Before you head out, consider having a simple home-check plan that covers:
A schedule
visits arranged around the needs of your property and any requirements confirmed with your insurer.
An agreed, customized checklist
we start with sensible standard visual checks for potential concerns such as water, heating, and security, then tailor the list to your property, your priorities, and any inspection conditions you’ve confirmed with your insurer. No two homes are exactly alike, and neither are the things their owners worry about.
Documentation
a record of when the visit happened and what was noticed.
A next-step plan
who to contact if something needs attention, and what requires your approval.
Through Home Work OKGN, I offer scheduled visual Home Watch & Home Checks using a checklist we agree on together before you leave. We cover the standard observations that matter for sensible home oversight and include any specific checks your insurer has told you are required, where they fall within the agreed service. Then we add what matters to you, whether that’s particular rooms, seasonal concerns, or a detail that would otherwise have you wondering about it from the beach. Each visit is documented, and if something needs attention, I’ll communicate what I observe and can help coordinate authorized next steps.
The checklist is tailored to the property and your instructions; it isn’t a substitute for reviewing your insurance policy with your insurer, and I can’t independently certify that a checklist satisfies every policy condition. Home Watch is thoughtful visual oversight, not repairs, emergency response, or an insurance guarantee.
Home checks can give you better information while you’re away, but no service can guarantee that a problem will be discovered or that an insurance claim will be covered.
Your suitcase has a plan. Your home deserves one too.
So go enjoy the vacation. Your home work? We can talk about that before you leave.
