Summer vacation is here, and many people are heading to their second homes. After three consecutive years of growth, demand for second homes in Spain fell in 2024 compared to 2023, representing 10% of total housing demand, according to a report by Fotocasa Research. These homes have often been empty for one or more months. If this is your situation, upon arriving home, it’s advisable to carry out several checks to ensure everything is in order.
Check stored sheets and towels
Check not only those left on, but also those stored away. It’s possible that some dampness may have developed during your absence. If this is the case, it’s recommended to take them out, air them out, and wash them again if necessary. Additionally, it’s advisable to clean the area where they were stored and prepare it to prevent this from happening again.
Check the pantry contents
When we leave our second home, it’s common to empty the refrigerator of fresh produce, but especially if several months have passed, it’s also advisable to check the food items stored in the pantry and their expiration dates. This way, we can clear out excess stock or prioritize consuming items that might expire before our next visit to the second home.
Organize the clothes you have at your second home
When this second home is in the countryside or at the beach, it’s normal to store older or less frequently used clothes there. At least once a year, it’s a good idea to do a clean-out to give a second life to clothes that haven’t been worn there for years.
Air out all the rooms of the closed-up house
In fact, this should be the first task we do while unpacking and preparing the second home. It will eliminate unpleasant odors, keep humidity at bay, and refresh the air. Ideally, if the room has been closed for a long time, ventilate it for at least an hour during the coolest part of the day, and do this every day first thing in the morning or at night. It’s also advisable to air out the refrigerator and freezer before turning them on to prevent unpleasant odors.
Check pipes and drains
Open all the taps and check that the water flows freely, without any strange smells or colors. Also, check that the water level is normal, meaning that the water doesn’t take longer than usual to drain. Bad smells and slow water flow are usually signs of clogged drains.
Replace kitchen cloths and sponges
This applies to both kitchen cloths that come into contact with food and cleaning cloths. As a general rule, it’s recommended to change cloths and sponges every 15 days, so if you didn’t throw them away when you left last time, it’s time to replace them with new ones.
It’s also advisable to buy extra supplies to have them ready for your next stay.
Pay attention to signs of pests in your home
An empty house can be a perfect environment for insects and other pests. Check the entire house, paying special attention to areas like the bathroom and kitchen, or outdoor areas, for signs of a possible infestation.
Be careful with weather damage
Sun, humidity, salt, rain, snow… Especially for outdoor furniture such as chairs, sun loungers, awnings, etc., it’s advisable to check them before you start using them to make sure they haven’t suffered significant weather damage.
Ask about community updates
If your second home is in an apartment building, then it’s also a good idea to check what’s new with the residents’ association if you can’t attend the meetings. Inquire about new regulations, community meetings during your stay, or any renovations or new features. We can also ask a neighbor to fill us in.
Check all appliances
Disuse can also contribute to appliance malfunctions. It’s advisable to check at the beginning of our stay that everything is working correctly: dishwasher, fans, air conditioning filters, television… any electrical appliance (even if we won’t be using it during our stay) should be turned on to verify that it’s functioning properly.
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