While the period leading up to a vacation can feel chaotic as you wrap up work assignments and ensure everyone’s bags are packed, it’s important to also spend some time prepping your home for the days (or weeks) that you will not be around.

Here, three experts share five different categories of items that you will want to make sure to put away before leaving. Taking these proactive steps will help to ward off thieves and also ensure that your home is looking (and smelling!) nice and pleasant when you and your family return home from your well-deserved time away.

Gear in the Entryway or Mudroom

The less cluttered an entryway or mudroom is when you return, the better. This way, you have space to drop your bags without stepping over last week’s chaos, Lisa Malone, the founder of InHome Boutique Spaces, says.

This means tidying the area of school bags, shoes, and other items that may be piling up in the space. Doing so will make it easier to wheel suitcases in and out of your home, and will create a more streamlined look. No one wants to return to a home that feels chaotic right from the get-go.

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Dishes and Other Kitchen Messes

Cleaning up the kitchen isn’t everyone’s favorite chore, but it’s one that majorly pays off and can make your entire space feel a bit more put together. Be sure to wash and put away all of your dirty dishes before leaving the house, even if it’s just for a couple of days.

Doing so, Malone says, will prevent odors, deter bugs, and make these rooms feel less stressful. She also advises emptying your kitchen trash cans and wiping down countertops for an even better result.

Valuables

No one wants to encourage thieves to set foot inside their home while they’re gone. Of course, investing in a security system is always practical, but you can also take other, smaller steps that will make your home less of a target.

Keep your valuables, including electronics, jewelry, and other important items, tucked away within your home so that they’re not visible from the street or window, Lisa Zaslow, the founder of Gotham Organizers, suggests.

This may mean storing them inside of a safe or a locked cabinet or closet, she explains.

“If you’re particularly concerned about something, consider having a friend or relative hold onto it,” the organizer says.

Outdoor Gear and Decor

You can’t predict what the weather will be like while you’re away, so it’s always wise to be proactive in tidying up your yard before you go. Zaslow recommends storing anything that might either blow away or get damaged due to harsh wind and rain, citing furniture cushions, outdoor toys, and gardening tools as examples.

It’s smart to protect these items from the elements, but you’re also being a good neighbor by making sure that they do not blow into your neighbor’s yard or cause other issues for those living nearby.

Mail

Even in this digital day and age, most of us still receive plenty of physical mail on a weekly basis. Empty your mailbox before you leave for your vacation and make sure to pause the delivery of any upcoming letters and packages, pros instruct. A buildup will indicate that no one is home and can be a green flag to thieves looking to explore your property.

“It’s a small step that adds a layer of security,” Lia Brady, the founder of Organize With Lia, says.

She notes that even if you can’t or do not wish to pause your delivery service, it’s a good idea to ask a neighbor to do a daily check-in to collect anything that has arrived.