Picture this scenario: you arrive at your vacation cottage after a long car journey; the kids are excited, the dog has caught on to the mood and is leaping around the back of the car, you are tired after the long drive and in desperate need of a long cold drink. You open the back of the car and the dog disappears; the children jump out and as they race to the water, one of them trips on a rock and is now crying and bleeding from a scraped knee. And then you realize you’ve left the code for the cottage lock box at home. Not a good start to a long planned vacation.

Preventing this situation happening means doing a little forward planning with the family so that everyone has a task on arrival at the cottage.

Give one person responsibility for the key, or access details to the cottage and make sure he or she also has any other important cottage information close to hand once they’re seated in the car before you leave.

Don’t let it jump free from the car without it being fully under control. Cottage country smells; the local animal population, and the lure of the water are usually enough to get Rover pretty excited, so it’s worth taking a moment or two to get him acclimatized.

Walk the property as a family and check out the terrain and waterfront, noting any potential danger areas, such as slippery or submerged rocks in the water, and tree stumps around the cottage. Look at the dock and deck and, depending on the children’s ages, remind them of any safety points they should be aware of.

Read the Cottage Guide; it’s the user’s manual for the property the owner has carefully prepared to make your stay trouble free. Pick it up and scan it for essential information as soon as you arrive, then once you have unpacked, poured that cold drink and feel a bit more relaxed, read the guide cover to cover. Then pass it on and make sure every member of the group reads it too. It will contain important information on cottage systems, property boundaries, instructions on using appliances and watercraft etc.

Check all appliances are functioning and note any damaged items. You will probably have lodged a damage deposit with the owner, so let them know within the first 24 hours if there is any appliance not working or if there are substantial stains or marks on furniture or carpets.

Check the property boundaries and remind the children about respecting the neighbour’s privacy and boundaries.

Taking 10 minutes on arrival to get your bearings and familiarize your group with the layout and terrain of the property may save you hours of stress and potential disaster recovery.