Want to travel the world with your family without worrying about what’s happening at home?
As many as 24% of American digital nomads travel with their children.
Families are increasingly hitting the road together, and the trend is only gaining momentum as work-life integration becomes the new normal.
But taking off into the world doesn’t mean leaving home life behind. Not when you have an entire family.
Managing a home while travelling with family is more than just a remote work setup, though the digital lifestyle may be a catalyst.
After all, it’s a nomadic life with roots… and those roots need tending.
What You’ll Discover:
- Why Home Management Matters When Travelling
- The Best Strategies for Managing Your Home Remotely
- Handling Mail and Important Documents
- Security Tips for Families Travelling Long-Term
Why Home Management Matters When Travelling
Maintaining your home when you are absent for extended periods of time is more important than ever.
Mail piling up, utilities going unattended, and boxes unopened is a clear sign to opportunistic thieves that nobody is home. The statistics don’t lie, though.
Package theft was a particular problem with the surge in online shopping, with 119 million thefts in 2023, alone.
Government documents, bank statements, utility bills, and other official mail will still make their way to your address even when you are not home to receive it.
Your dream family vacation can easily become a stressful nightmare back home if key elements of home management are left up in the air.
The Best Strategies for Managing Your Home Remotely
If you are travelling the world with your family, a few tried and tested strategies will go a long way to ensuring your home management systems run smoothly without you.
Here are a few key tactics to get started:
Get a Virtual Mailbox
This is by far the number one essential element of home management for families on the move.
With a virtual mailbox, families have a fixed address where they can receive and store mail, packages, and important documents, all while on the road. Services like ipostal1.com will scan and store incoming mail until the family wants to access it.
The benefit? Important items will never be overlooked when travelling long-term.
Mail redirection services offered by the post office are no longer enough to handle the demands of extended family travel in the digital age.
Set Up Automatic Bill Payments
Nothing is more frustrating than coming home to a disconnected internet service or utility shutoff with unpaid bills.
Before heading out, set all recurring payments to autopay for utilities, services, internet, insurance, mortgage or rent payments, and other regular monthly expenses.
It is also a good idea to have a separate account with a few extra dollars just for these payments. You don’t want any chance of an autopay failing due to insufficient funds when you are halfway around the world.
Hire a Property Manager or House Sitter
Physical check-ins by a neighbor, friend, or paid property manager or house sitter are an important added layer of home management.
House sitters typically stay in the home for free while taking care of basic maintenance tasks like watering plants and bringing in the mail.
For families taking off for a year or more, having a regular person checking in on the property helps ensure there aren’t any missed issues like burst pipes or other urgent repairs while away.
Handling Mail and Important Documents While Travelling With Family
Mail and official documents are more than just collecting letters from friends and loved ones in the post.
There are four critical document types that travelling families need to manage with care:
- Legal documents: Legal correspondence, court notices, and government forms with deadlines can all create serious problems if missed.
- Medical: Insurance benefit explanations, prescription renewals, and appointment reminders can still arrive by snail mail.
- Financial: While most banks now send digital statements, some will still send official mailed documents which need reviewing.
- Time-sensitive offers: This can include important renewal notices such as home insurance, car insurance, and refinance offers.
A virtual mailbox service with real-time push notifications is an ideal solution for scanning, storing, and accessing everything in one place no matter where your family might be in the world.
Security Tips for Families Travelling Long-Term
A family travel plan that doesn’t factor in security elements of home management is a recipe for disaster.
Empty homes are a target for burglars, and with most break-ins occurring over summer holidays and peak travel months, it is clearly not a coincidence.
Install Smart Home Technology
Smart security systems with motion-activated cameras, doorbell cameras, and connected home alarm systems all deliver real-time alerts to mobile devices.
If there is an attempted break-in or other suspicious activity, you will be notified immediately… even if you are on the other side of the world.
Use Smart Lighting and Timers
Homes that look unoccupied are targets.
Dark windows at night screams “nobody home” to would-be burglars. Set up smart bulbs connected to home automation systems to turn on and off at random intervals throughout the day and night.
Arrange Regular Property Checks
On-site visits to the property every week or two are another important layer of home management.
If you have a trusted friend or neighbor who lives nearby, it doesn’t hurt to ask if they can swing by every now and again. They can collect any physical mail, water the plants, and ensure nothing is amiss from the outside.
Secure All Entry Points
Physical security of entryways is the bedrock of a comprehensive home management strategy.
Double-check all door and window locks before leaving, and consider using extra locks or security bars. Glass doors are especially vulnerable, and security bars in the sliding door track can help prevent forced entry.
Build a Fool-Proof Home Management System
The ideal home management system is a series of interlocking pieces all working together.
Start with the digital infrastructure: virtual mailbox, automatic payments, smart home technology, and home alarm system. Then factor in people to support this: neighbors, friends, family members, and property managers.
A good home management system will have at least these elements:
- Virtual mailbox for receiving and storing mail
- Automatic payments for all recurring bills and services
- Smart security system with remote monitoring
- Trusted local contacts for emergency home checks
- Comprehensive home insurance in the event of theft or damage
With all of the above in place, families can enjoy traveling the world with children and not worry about their home base falling apart while they are away.
Final Thoughts
Home management for digital nomads with kids is more common these days than ever before. So, don’t despair.
If you have the right strategies and tools in place, you can manage a home with children while also travelling the world.
The biggest pieces of the puzzle are in the digital realm: virtual mailbox, automatic payments, smart home technology, and comprehensive home insurance.
Add in some key people to help with emergencies, and you have an excellent set of remote home management systems in place.
With everything squared away at home, you can now focus on your family and creating fun memories together.
The world is your oyster, and your family is the pearl.