It’s the end of term. You’ve worked hard, learned a few things, like which lectures not to fall asleep in, and you’ve probably had some fun along the way, but you’re probably looking forward to a few weeks rest, being fed by your family and catching up with old friends. That last week of term before the break can be a bit hectic. There’s work to finish and hand in, a fair bit of socialising to do, and a few things to sort out before you leave.
Here are a few reminders of things you can do before leaving your student house. Some of them may seem a bit of a chore, but when you come back in January to a house that doesn’t smell like a badly run landfill site, you will really thank yourself.
Return your library books
You really don’t want to come back in January to overdue charges on library books that are lying about in your digs. Have a look round and take them back if they are not on vacation loan.
Book your travel tickets early
If you are getting home by train or bus, it’s a good idea to book early. Train fares are going to be much cheaper if you buy them in advance. Also, don’t forget to take your railcard with you.
Clean up
It’s the last thing you will feel like doing after the end of term social. The temptation is to leave it all and do it when you get back in the New Year. Bad idea…
Firstly, you won’t want to come back to a smelly house with mess everywhere. Fresh term, fresh start, fresh house. Plus, you really don’t want your landlord to see it like this. Divide the jobs up with housemates, and have a couple of hours intense cleaning. You might even enjoy it.
Plus, if you really can’t face deep cleaning, at least do the fridge. Leave the fridge on, but get rid of pretty much all the food in there before you leave.
Bins
Seriously, don’t leave things rotting in the bin. The smell will be unbearable, and when you come back in January, you might need a hazmat suit. Take the bin bags out, put them in the right place, and rinse your milk bottles before putting them in the recycling.
Lock the doors and windows
Close and lock the windows, and make sure the outside doors are secured. Put locking up the house on your to do list, and make absolutely sure you locked everything before you leave.
Electrical appliances
Make sure electrical appliances are turned off and plugged out. It is not a good idea to leave things on standby, as this uses up more electricity than you might think, and it’s safer to unplug things if you are going away for a while. Remember, don’t leave lights on.
That said, you may want to invest in a timer, so you can set a lamp to come on automatically after dark. It may help to deter potential burglars. On that subject, do be careful about advertising that the house is empty for four weeks, especially when writing social media posts that may be public or read by people you barely know.
Turn down the heating
You don’t want the place heating up like a sauna when there is no one there, but you will need to leave some heating on while you are away. If you don’t, you could get issues with damp and mould. Bills are included in many student lets, so it’s a good idea to leave at least some heat circulating around the house. Opinions vary as to how high to set the thermostat. 12 degrees is often recommended. You could set the heating to come on two hours a day at around 12 degrees, just to maintain a warm dry atmosphere. The house will be much nicer to come back to in January.
Once you return in January, it’ll be good to be back. A lovely, fresh-smelling, clean home is there waiting for you. Glad you did all that cleaning up in December?
At Bed Student Rentals, our aim is to provide quality accommodation for students and young professionals in Chester. However, it is you and your housemates who can turn that house into a real home. Give your house a little loving care, and it will give some back to you!
Have a good break, and have a great New Year!
Written By
Mark