Why prepping for a vacation can feel like a full-time job

Going on vacation is a job in itself, according to a new study.

A recent survey of 2,000 American homeowners found that the average person has at least six tasks on their to-do list to get ready for vacation.

And near the top of the list were items like doing last-minute shopping (70%), cleaning the house (54%), making sure friends and family have a key to the house in case of an emergency (50%), unplugging appliances (38%) and setting the lights on a timer (28%).

Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by Schlage , the survey looked at homeowners' pre-vacation checklists to see which home safety measures are top of mind and which fall through the cracks before jetting off.

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Respondents will generally check at least twice, on average, if they’ve locked the front door before embarking.

And needing extra peace of mind, vacationers will do two “last looks” around the house, on average, to make sure nothing has been forgotten and everything looks good before they depart.

Yet despite all this, nearly a quarter (22%) will typically turn the car around and go back home, before proceeding on the trip, because they forgot something or need to do one final “last look.”

One of the top reasons for these pre-trip delays was simply needing to re-check if they’ve actually locked the front door (40%).

Even still, nearly one in ten respondents (8%) have returned home post-vacation only to find that the door was unlocked.

However, security worries aren’t reserved for pre and post-vacation: They seep into homeowners’ travels too, according to the study.

Respondents reported it takes at least half a day (31%) — or even a full day for some (18%) — to fully relax, unwind and enjoy themselves on a trip.

According to the results, some of the top reasons for stress while on vacation included worrying about the state of things back at home (33%), missing a pet (30%) and mail and packages being stolen (19%).

Respondents estimated they spend 19 minutes, on average, texting neighbors to come check on things and rolling the tapes on security camera footage, while 13% will spend over an hour doing so.

“A secure home means a worry-free vacation,” said Tim Eskew, director of product management for Allegion, maker of Schlage Locks. “With advanced security technologies, you can enjoy peace of mind by remotely monitoring your home’s status and receiving real-time notifications of any activity. This enhanced visibility lets you fully immerse yourself in your travels, knowing your home is well-protected.”

Of the homeowners polled, the majority (65%) have at least one person visit their home while they’re away, whether that’s a house sitter or neighbor checking on the home.

And the going rate for a house sitter or someone who checks on the house is $28 per day, on average, according to respondents.

But regardless of whether homeowners hire a sitter, ask friends or family to come over, or neither, more than one in ten (14%) have come home from vacation to an unhappy surprise.

Common disasters respondents found when arriving home were theft or burglary, water leaks and flooding, and lights left on, racking up the electricity bill. Some even discovered doors hanging wide open when rolling in.

“It’s always a smart move to have friends, family, or professionals keep an eye on your home while you’re away,” said Eskew. “It ensures any issues can be quickly addressed, so you can return to your home just as you left it — safe and sound. And with reliable security measures and remote monitoring in place, you can relax knowing your home is secure and only accessible to those you trust.”

AMERICA’S PRE-VACATION CHECKLIST

Pack - 83%Do last-minute shopping for things to take on the trip - 70%Clean the house - 54%Make sure neighbors or family have a key to the house in case of an emergency - 50%Arrange for someone to care for the pet - 47%Clean out the refrigerator - 46%Arrange transportation - 45%Unplug appliances - 38%Pause regular deliveries (e.g. groceries, newspapers, etc.) - 31%Set the lights on a timer - 28%Download travel apps - 20%Program the home alarm - 19%Arranging for a house sitter - 12%Pick up dry cleaning - 7%

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American homeowners; the survey was commissioned by Schlage and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Aug. 2 and Aug. 6, 2024.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentiveProgrammatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speedersOpen ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant textBots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify botsDuplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.