Crazy Life!

[MorelCabin]

How exciting! If I were you I would call your home insurance company and find out what thier requirements are...how often your inlaws have to visit to keep your insurance valid, ect. If you have no one checking on the house in thier alotted time frame your insurance will not pay out in the case of damages etc. they might also have more tips for you. good luck and have fun!

 

[roosmom]

My father has to put anti freeze in the toilet and a little down each drain after he drains the water.
Unplug all appliances
Lock all windows and doors
Put a 2 x 2 in each sliding glass door frame so it cant be jiggled open
If you shut the fridge and freezer off make sure you put a rag in the door to keep it open, they have a nasty habit of stinking if left to long with the doors shut.

If I think of anything else......

 

[miss_thenorth]

Sorry--how long will you be gone??

Instead of shutting off/cancelling utilities, call them up and tell them you just want them suspended, or else you will have to pay connection fees when you do get back home.

I wouldn't worry about flushing the toilet. I would winterize (antifreeze) and shut off the water. (if you are in an area that freezes) Keep your heat to the bare minimum. Put lights on timers. Cancel all paper deliveries. Also possibly alert police that you are leaving you house vacant-so that they might do drive-bys every now and again. Hide all valuable possessions from line of sight. (tv's stereos etc).


Clean and empty fridge, freezer, unplug and leave door open. Drain hot water tank. Any house plants--rehome. Unplug all appliances except timed lighting. Get a family member to park a car in your driveway once in a while.

That's all I can think of right now.

 

[enjoy the ride]

If you have your place now in an area that freezes EVER you need to drain your pipes so that you don't come home to an indoor swimming pool. A lot of home insurance won't cover water damage if you go and leave no heat running becasue this is so common.
Get a PO box locally and put in change of addresses to that PO box now- then let your post office know where to forward your mail whereever you are. Leaving a hold or forwarding from your home address lets people know that the home is vacant for an extended time. You can even remove your mail box if it is on the road so that the PO will not have a place to put misc. junk.
Do you have people to check your house periodically? They need to remove anything that ends up on your front area to show that no ones there to clean up.
I would put lights on a timer inside the house to- at least two different lights in different rooms at different times.
Clean the firdge and leave it cracked open a bit before you go.
Bring biug spray to Florida with you.

I'm sure I will think of more- congratulations on the interesting job.

LOL- mis_thenorth- I was typing while you posted.

 

[pioneergirl]

You all are great, thanx!! We'll be gone for 6 months, home (here) for 2 weeks, then out again til Christmas (again, 2 weeks)

My homeowner's insurance is carried through my FIL, and since he comes by here nearly everyday, I think that part will be covered. We are planning on turning the heat down as low as possible, and draining the water to the north bathroom....the other pipes are well inside, so no problems there.

I didn't think of 'suspending' utilities....that is defenitely a thought.

As for 'crime'....well, I know this sounds crazy but there isn't any. Plus, again, my BIL and FIL drive by daily, and my one neighbor will also be 'watching' for anything out of the ordinary. My in-laws also park in the driveway when they are checking cattle, and my MIL has agreed to mow the grass, so she will be here, too. I will for sure get the lights on a timer, though. Deadbolt on the front door, with the FIL, and BIL only having the key. All curtains will be closed, windows locked, etc. Also, the water and electric companies will be given my FIL's phone #'s in case of a spike....water main break or weird elec spike.

Wow, you all are great!

Farmerchick.....I am so excited I can't hardly stand myself! I have lists for lists, time lines for things to get done, and am still pacing the house!! We don't start til January, and with the holidays and things we are doing for those here, I think I only really have about 3 weeks to get things done. But it seems none of it can really be done until before Christmas!! LOL Ah well, I'll get it handled...and what I can't get done, the family will be glad to take care of. I AM locking up all important papers in a fire box as well, and taking the key with ME!! lol

 

[big bertha]

Congrats on the exciting (and WARM) job!! Where in IL are you? I would LOVE to add to our flock of chickens!!

 

[pioneergirl]

I am in west-central IL....between Burlington, IA and Macomb, IL...one hour north of Quincy, IL...does that help? You could mapquest La Harpe, IL ...that is 7 miles from my house.

 

[big bertha]

AH-- I'm very East-central. I doubt DH would give the stamp of approval. I haven't convinced him we NEED more chickens, so I doubt he'd drive that far!! But I'm sure you won't have any problem finding new homes for them. Wow--all I can think of is how wonderfully warm you'll be...
I love warm....

 

[pioneergirl]

I love warm....

Girlfriend, you don't know how long I've been wishing to move there! I HATE the cold, and it seems to get worse every year. We kept saying "when the boys are old enough to fly"...but it just seemed to drag on and on. I lived in FL for 2 years, my DS was born at Eglin AFB in 99, so I have been wanting to get back down there ever since!

I LOVE WARM!!!!

So far I've sold 5 hens, and possibly the other 17 (10 for sure) this afternoon. Lots of people want them, but are all too far away. The one girl is driving an hour and a half to get the 10 today!

 

[big bertha]

I knew you would be able to re-home the chickens no problem!! I google mapped it---4.5 hours for me. Won't even ask DH!!
Our whole family (including 3 kids, and my mom) flew to FL for Thanksgiving last year. It was 88 the whole time. Flew back into O'hare and it was 38!!! I could have stayed. I would like to be there again this Thanksgiving. I grew up here. We moved to KY for 5 years. I swore I would never move farther north than that....But here I am again. Just saw some snow flurries. :/ Although my personal thoughts are if it's going to be this cold, it might as well snow and be pretty. (Ask me again next month if that's how I still feel .
Remember all of us IL popsicles while you are soaking up that warm sunshine!!