Auf Wiedersehen!

Tomorrow I will be leaving Laramie to go to Germany for my final Spring Break. Although I will only be gone nine days, there are still some small preparations for my apartment that I’m going to make. I've collected these tips from years of traveling, so if you are leaving town, you may want to try them as well.

1. Unplug everything
This may be three years of dorm living talking, but whenever I leave my house for more than a weekend, I always unplug all of my electronics. Not only does this protect against accidentally leaving your alarm clock on while you are gone, but it is also an easy precaution to take against power surges or electrical problems that could possibly spark a fire. Yes, the likelihood is very small, but when everything is unplugged, it’s something you never have to think about.

2. Tell your neighbors you are leaving
Don’t announce it to the whole neighborhood, but make sure that someone you trust who lives close, such as a neighbor or landlord, knows when you are leaving and when you will be back. Also make sure that person knows how to get a hold of you, so when they see a moving van in your driveway and strange men moving out all of your furniture, they can alert you—after they call the police, that is.

3. Where are my keys?
Unless you are going to be driving your car, it’s rarely a good idea to take your keys with along with you on your trip. You don’t need them and you run the risk of losing them permanently. Save yourself a headache when you get home and leave them with a reliable friend or family member.

4. Don’t forget about your plants
If you are only leaving for about a week, your plants will probably be fine, but any longer and they may start to get thirsty. If you don’t want to make arrangements for someone to come in a water your plants while you are gone, but you think they’ll probably dry up before you get back, consider putting them in your sink, or if you have a lot, in the bathtub. Fill the sink with a few inches of water and simply put your plants in (of course this only works for potters with drain holes).

Now you can save your worrying for things like passports, airport security and jet lag. Bon voyage!