Locking up and leaving your home for a few weeks can be a daunting prospect for those who are heading overseas for a holiday. As you won't be returning soon, it is crucial to ensure that your belongings and your home is safe and secure from any internal or external threats. This is why it is necessary to put certain safety measures in place before your travel date and create a checklist for the day of departure. Here's a step by step by guide to enjoying peace of mind while away on vacation.

Dubai residents with pets must first make sure that they have a pet sitter for the duration of their holiday or find a temporary refuge for their furry friends while they are away. If you are choosing to have a pet sitter come and go on a daily basis, it is necessary to leave a key in a safe location or entrust it to the sitter and create some rules and guidelines on what their responsibilities are beyond feeding and caring for the pets. Since the sitter will have access to your home or apartment, it is important not to leave any valuables lying around and lock the rooms that are not used so that the sitter only has access to the public areas of your residence.

Holidaymakers based at Avani Deira Dubai Hotel and other resorts will note that leaving the A/C on in your room even while you are away is one of the best things to do in Deira Dubai in order to avoid your room getting warmer while you are away, especially if it is during the sultry summer season. Homeowners and apartment dwellers should also follow suit as heat and mould can build up inside your home if your air-conditioning is switched off for too long. Experts recommend leaving the A/C on at 26 degrees as it is sufficient to keep the air inside the house moving and to avoid dampness from setting in. It is prudent to use air-conditioners with timers so that you can programme for the A/C to be on several hours a day but not 24/7.

Image via Avani Deira Dubai Hotel

Dubai residents who are fortunate enough to have gardens and potted plants outside or on the balconies at home must make sure there is a watering mechanism in place. The harsh rays of the sun can not only damage plants but potentially kill plants if they are not regularly watered. If you use a garden to prim and prune your outdoor space, you can trust him to do the needful while you are on vacation or have a friend or neighbour pop by every day or every few days to water the plants.

It is important to make sure that all of your kitchen appliances and electronics are turned off and plugged off while you are away. This includes the washing machine, microwave and devices such as laptops and televisions as it is easy to damage these sensitive equipment by leaving them on for too long. Check your lamps, light switches and Wi-Fi router before you leave to make sure you are not wasting energy and running up electricity bills while on holiday. The only appliance that should be left on is the refrigerator as you will need it to be ready to work as soon as you come home. Leaving refrigerators off for extended periods can cause issues down the line so it is prudent to leave it on. Your water supply and heater must also be turned off as per the recommendations of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority.