There’s always a lot to do to prepare for going on a trip! Planning what to bring, packing etc take time and effort. If you’re a traveling healthcare professional, construction worker or other frequent traveler, though, planning steps up to another level. In this post, we’ll help you think about what needs to happen at your “real home” before you head out on an assignment and stay at your temporary travel nurse housing solution!
How to get your home ready
Photo by Maria Ziegler on Unsplash
- One important tip that has a big impact is to turn off the heat / air conditioning while gone. Of course, if you have someone else living in your home, this won’t apply. However, if you’re leaving an empty house for 13 or so weeks, you can save some cash by turning it off. If you’re leaving town during winter, don’t forget to winterize your sprinklers AND home so the pipes don’t freeze up and break.
- It’s easy to forget, but a fridge full of leftover food won’t last for 3 months. Do yourself a favor and clean out the refrigerator and pare down the freezer to eliminate stinky, moldy appliances when returning home.
- This is an obvious one, but if you have any pets, plan to bring the pet(s) along. Or, send Fido to daycare / have a friend take care of him while you’re gone. Similar rules apply to houseplants as well.
- Invest in security cameras, timed lights inside / outside your house etc. You can also have a friend or family member check on things once in a while.
- Consider renting out your place while gone. Be very careful with this, though, because receiving income for renting will have tax implications. Check out this article or these two articles for more information…GypsyNurse.com and Nurse1stTravel.com.
- Talk to the USPS and get your mail held. If you’re going to be gone for 13 weeks, however, you’ll want to have a friend occasionally pick up your mail or set up mail forwarding. That’s because the USPS usually only holds mail for a month.
- Set up bill pay online and medications so you can refill them while out of town.
- Clean and set your home in order so you can come home to a clean place.
- Take care of any family / friend obligations before going and communicate with them about your plans.
Relax in your “new” travel nurse housing pad
Whew! Now that you’ve moved away temporarily, it’s time to settle into your fully furnished travel nurse housing rental. Our superior furnished short term rentals are ideal for nurses working in the Shreveport area hospitals, such as Willis-Knighton Medical Center, Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport or Brentwood. Our rentals are pet-friendly, include utilities and feature an equipped kitchen area for your cooking dreams. Not only that, but we also give a discount to nurses!
Call Debi (our owner) at 318-548-6156 or send a message via our Contact form to ask about current availability. We look forward to hearing from you!
