Before You Leave, After You Return: The Home Checklist

The trip does not start at the trailhead. It starts when the house is parked, and it ends when the house is back in service. Skipping either end is how people come home to a leak or leave with a flooded bathroom.

Before departure — the house

Gas

• Close the indoor gas main valve (and the valve at the hob). If you are unsure where it is, ask the gas company or the building manager.
• Shut down the water heater and boiler per their manuals. Turning off the hob knobs is not the same thing.
• If you smell gas: no light switches, no flames, no unplugging anything. Open windows, close the valve, get out, and call the gas company or emergency services from outside.

Water

• Close the incoming water main. Check taps, toilets and the washing machine inlet for drips.
• Isolate and power down the water heater, filter and washing machine per their manuals. In older homes, check flexible hoses for age.
• In winter or a cold snap: drain exposed pipes and keep windows closed. For long absences, ask a neighbour or the building staff to look in.
• Water the plants deeply, shade them, or set up drip irrigation. Do not flood them on the way out.

Electricity

• Unplug non-essential appliances — television, chargers, lamps, small kitchen devices. Leave the fridge on.
• Power down the water heater, space heaters and electric blankets. Check that no power strip is overloaded.
• Keep the router, camera and leak sensor running if you rely on them. Confirm fridge food safety if the power has been out.

Doors, windows, balcony

• Lock up, including the balcony door. Bring in pots, drying racks and anything the wind can throw.
• Leave a timed light and draw the curtains. Pause deliveries or ask a neighbour to collect them.
• Do not post your travel dates publicly.

Food, rubbish, pets

• Clear out perishables, take out the rubbish, wipe the surfaces. Do not leave opened cooked food in the fridge.
• Board the pets or arrange a sitter, with food, water, medication and the vet's number. A single large bowl of water is not a plan.
• Check the batteries in smoke and leak alarms.

Car and documents

• Park it properly, close the windows, leave nothing visible inside. Check tyre pressures, fuel or charge before a long drive.
• Keep documents, insurance, emergency contacts and a spare key in a fixed place, and give one trusted person your itinerary.

On return — inspect, then restore

1. Ventilate first. Check for gas, burning or damp smells. Anything abnormal: go back out and call for help.
2. Open the water main slowly, then check under every sink, the toilets, the washing machine and the heater connections. Run the taps to clear stale water.
3. Restart gas and the water heater per the manual. If it smells wrong or will not light, call the manufacturer's service — do not disassemble it yourself.
4. Fridge: if the power was out, judge the food conservatively. When in doubt, throw it out, and clean up any thawed blood or liquid.
5. Plants: check for drought, root rot and pests. Do not flood them all at once.
6. Gear: dry the tent, sleeping bag and clothing first; clean bladders, bottles and filters; check batteries and power banks for swelling; restock the first aid kit.
7. Yourself: shower and check for ticks, rashes, blisters and sunburn. Sleep, hydrate, and see a doctor if something is off.
8. The house: restore the heater, filter and washing machine; clear rubbish and post; check windows and cameras.
9. Debrief: write down what you forgot, never used, or broke — and update the packing list before the next trip.

The cheapest safety upgrade available to most people is a house that is correctly parked, and a gear pile that is dry before it goes back in the cupboard.