When you have a holiday home, all you can really think of are all the perks of owning it, right? As you think about the relaxation, being on the coast, relaxing day in and day out, you get the idea here. But yet, at the same time, though, talking into a coastal holiday home after a few months away can be a bit humbling. The view is still lovely- yeah, the sea air is still doing its thing- but then the door opens, and there are a few issues.
Maybe it’s dead bugs around the window sills (which does happen), maybe sand somehow got inside, there are potential water stains, an odor, maybe gnats coming from the drains, there are just things that shouldn’t be happening, especially when you’re trying to relax at your house on your holiday. Like it makes no sense. But this can happen if a holiday house is just sitting there stagnant for months at a time; well, it’s basically fending for itself at this point.
It’s Time to Air it Out
But why do that? Well, those first ten minutes inside can set the whole mood. Typically here, the air feels heavy, damp, or musty; the house instantly feels less like a getaway and more like a place that needs jobs doing before anyone can sit down. But unlike your average house, if you have a coastal home, you can pretty much expect that it’s going to retain a lot of the moisture.
Hopefully, it’s only stale air you’re dealing with, because it’s as simple as just opening windows, running fans, checking vents, and giving soft furnishings a proper refresh to make the place feel lived-in again. But of course, if you can, it’s also worth washing throws, cushion covers, and spare bedding regularly, even if they technically look clean, because closed-up fabric has a way of smelling older than it should.
Don’t Assume the Kitchen is Fine
Which sounds like a bold statement to make, right? But a clean-looking kitchen can still have plenty going on behind cupboard doors. Be it crumbs in the back of a pantry, open packets, sticky bottles, old tea towels, and forgotten snacks can all become a problem when no one is around to notice. But you get the point here. These, unfortunately, cause some uninvited guests such as rodents and bugs. So if you see any pests, then you absolutely need to call pest control right now and get this whole situation taken care of immediately before it potentially gets worse.
Have Someone Check in When You Can’t
Is something like this even possible? How often do you go to your holiday home? Is your holiday home in a holiday park or in a gated community? In that case, you could always reach out to management and ask them to check up on your house from time to time. If not, do you have a neighbour who could check if they live in their house regularly? It helps to have someone check your holiday home periodically so you don’t have any bad surprises when you get there.
