The holiday season is upon us, and it’s time to prepare your apartment for travel! Chances are you’ll be leaving the Pittsburgh area this year—especially if you’re a college student headed home for winter break. The holidays are a wonderful opportunity to spend time with family and reflect on what truly matters. While we’re all looking forward to the celebrations, we want to remind you to take a moment before leaving to follow our ten-item checklist below.

Don’t worry—these tips aren’t labor-intensive, and most take only half a minute or less. Follow these ten travel tips to keep your apartment safe and sound while you’re away! As always, if you have any questions about the advice below, feel free to give us a call at 412-441-1400.

1. Take out your trash. This pesky task tends to slip past even the best of us! Be sure to empty all your trash cans right before you leave. Food that has gone bad and left to sit in your trash can quickly create an odor that’s tough to get rid of once it settles in your apartment.
2. Clean out refrigerator. While we’re not suggesting you throw away food that’s still good, keep an eye out for perishable items like milk, eggs, and meat that may expire while you’re gone. These can quickly become another source of unpleasant odors to greet you when you return! Check expiration dates and either toss or take with you any items that won’t last until you’re back
3. Make sure windows are not only closed, but locked, too. Maybe you cracked one while cooking or opened it to let in some fresh air—just be sure it’s fully closed and locked before you leave. This helps maintain a stable temperature in your apartment and keeps it secure while you’re away. You can’t put a price on peace of mind!
4. At minimum, keep your unit at 60°F or on “low.” If you take a look at your lease—we know, it’s not the most exciting read, but it’s important!—you’ll see that you’re required to keep your heat at or above 60°F or on “low” during the winter season. Turning your heat off completely can lead to frozen pipes, and while you might think you’re saving on your heating bill, the cost of repairing frozen pipes is much higher. This is perhaps one of the most important tips to consider when you prepare your apartment for travel.
5. Leave the cabinets to your bathroom and kitchen sink open; that way, heat will access your pipes. Frozen pipes are a major headache—anyone in maintenance or property management can tell you that! Pipes can burst after being exposed to freezing temperatures for as little as one day, and repairs can be quite expensive. Leaving your cabinet doors open allows warm air from your apartment to circulate around the pipes, helping to prevent freezing.
6. Do not leave space heaters, which are used for supplemental heating, running when you aren’t home. Always follow the safety labels that come with your space heater—they typically recommend keeping the unit at least three feet away from anything flammable, placing it on a flat, level surface, and never leaving it unattended. These simple precautions go a long way in keeping your apartment safe and cozy.
7. Report any running toilets or leaks as soon as possible. Before you head out, take a moment to listen—do you hear a running toilet or dripping faucet? If so, report it right away. This is good advice year-round, but especially important in winter. Fixing leaks can save you money and prevent potential damage to your pipes.
8. Turn off any holiday lights. Many of us start decorating right after Halloween—or keep our lights up well into February! Whatever your schedule, make sure to unplug any lights or decorations before you leave, especially if they’re on timers. Holiday spirit is great, but unnecessary energy costs are not.
9. Unplug appliances. Along with your holiday lights, unplugging appliances you won’t be using—like your Crock-Pot, TV, or microwave—can help reduce energy usage. Small changes add up! While you don’t need to do this every day, it’s a smart move before traveling for an extended period.
10. Let us know! Remember, we’re here seven days a week for anything you need. If you’re traveling for an extended time (like a month or more), please let us know. And if you’re unsure whether your heat is set to at least 60°F, we can send someone to check for you. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

These ten travel tips will help you prepare your apartment for travel while you’re away, giving you peace of mind. If you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re pros at winterization and happy to offer any guidance you may need.

Safe travels!