Ten minutes of checks before you leave saves a week of wondering whether you locked the back door.
An empty house is easy to spot: no lights, a full mailbox, the same car in the same place. A few small jobs before you leave make yours look lived in and keep you informed while you are away.
Check the system
Open the app and look at every device. Charge any battery under 40 percent, confirm each sensor shows as closed and run a quick alarm test.
Make it look occupied
Put a lamp or two on a schedule, pause deliveries and ask a neighbor to move the bins. Do not post your travel dates publicly until you are back.
Share access, not keys
Give whoever is watering the plants their own door code and set it to expire when you return. You will see each time it is used.
Set your alerts
Turn on notifications for doors, motion and leaks, and add a second contact in case you are on a flight when something happens.
