how do you keep your house safe when you’re away?

Last month, I had to leave home for almost four weeks. Before I left, I went through the usual checklist: paused my mail, double-checked the locks, and even asked my neighbor to keep an eye out. But things still went sideways. The post office started delivering my mail again halfway through my trip, so I came back to a pile of letters sticking out of the box—basically a billboard saying, "Nobody’s home!" Then, of course, my internet went down, and the provider refused to send anyone unless I was physically there. I don’t have the budget for a house sitter, and none of my friends or family needed a place to crash. It’s nerve-wracking to be so far away, constantly worrying if something’s going wrong back home. Has anyone found a reliable way to keep things running smoothly when you’re gone for weeks at a time? I’m starting to wonder if I’m missing some obvious tricks, or if this is just the price we pay for trying to travel without a full-time caretaker. I’d love to hear what’s actually worked for others, especially if you’ve had your own share of mishaps. #homesecurity #travelworries #seniorlife #Travel