The holidays are one of the busiest times of the year for onsite teams. Between increased resident questions, shifting office hours, and wrapping up year-end reporting, it’s easy for things to fall through the cracks, especially when everyone is preparing for time off.

This checklist keeps your community running smoothly while you’re away and sets your team up for an easier, more productive start to the new year.

1. Communicate Holiday Hours Clearly

Residents shouldn’t have to guess when the office is open (or why no one answered the phone). Before you head out:

• Update your Google Business Profile
• Update hours on your website, leasing pages, and resident portal
• Add temporary office signage
• Pre-schedule a quick social post and resident email/portal message

Clear communication = fewer frustrated calls and a smoother experience for everyone.

2. Prep Your Leasing & CRM Workflows

Leads will still come in while you’re out, so make sure they’re not sitting in limbo.

• Set up or adjust auto-responders for tours and inquiries
• Double-check your lead routing
• Make sure your follow-up sequences are active
• Schedule any January marketing campaigns now

A little prep prevents a slow re-start in January.

3. Make Sure Residents Know What’s Changing

Your residents are juggling travel, guests, and holiday plans too. Help them stay informed:

• Holiday or guest parking instructions
• Package guidelines (especially if volume increases)
• Who to contact for after-hours help
• Any weather-related reminders

One clear message can reduce dozens of repeat questions.

4. Review Your Tech & Tools

A few quick checks can prevent surprises while you’re out:

• Confirm your lead attribution is correct
• Make sure integrations are syncing properly
• Review analytics one last time before the year ends

It’s a good moment to catch anything that may affect year-end reporting.

5. Back Up Key Data & Reports

Before you log off, export the documents you know you’ll need in January:

• Year-end marketing performance
• Lead-to-lease reports
• CRM pipeline snapshots
• Any budget or operational data you want to review next year

Future-you will thank current-you.

6. Give Your Team a Clear Handoff

If someone is covering while others are out, make their job easy:

• Who’s on-call (and when)
• What counts as an emergency
• Where important documents are stored
• Quick access to passwords or vendor contacts, if applicable

Clarity removes stress, especially when staffing is light.

7. Create a “Return from Holiday” Plan

The first week back can feel chaotic. A simple plan keeps things calm:

• Top priorities for day one
• Which leads need attention first
• Any marketing tasks queued for January
• Internal updates or check-ins to schedule

A smoother re-entry = a more productive January.

Start the New Year With Less Friction

A little preparation goes a long way. With the right communication, workflows, and tools in place, your team can enjoy time off and return to a clean, organized start.

If you want 2026 to feel lighter, more efficient, and easier on your team, tools like our website platform, CRM integrations, and marketing automation can help you get there. Click here to get in touch.