Three Hours Before...

Adjust shades and blinds. Leave them partially open so your house looks lived-in. You also want to be sure passersby can see that the lights are on at night.

Leave a car in the driveway. If you're taking yours with you, ask a neighbor to park her car there while you're away.

Set the air-conditioner. If you have central air-conditioning, raise your thermostat so that it's set about 10 degrees below the average outside temperature. But don't turn it off. Without the help of air-conditioning, mold and mildew can develop in houses in humid climates.

Unplug appliances. Your toaster, coffeemaker, dryer, radios, televisions, and phones not connected to an answering machine can be unplugged. You'll save electricity and also eliminate the risk of a power surge blowing out a machine.

Turn off water and gas. If you use gas, turn off the pilot light and shut down the water heater. Shut off the water to the dishwasher and the clothes washer, too; pressure surges while you're gone could otherwise burst a hose.

Empty trash cans. You don't want ants and flies feasting while you're away.

Fifteen Minutes Before...

Lock all doors and windows. Believe it or not, people often forget to lock their doors after loading up the car. If you have an attached garage, lock the inside door in addition to the garage door.