Affordable Ways to Keep Your Home Safe Over the Holidays

By a former pest-control professional—straight talk for homeowners, gardeners, landscapers, handymen and the general public.

1. Why the holiday season is a peak time for pests (and budget blow-outs)

When I was out on the job, one of the biggest mistakes I saw homeowners make was assuming the holidays meant “we’ll deal with pests after the break” — unfortunately, pests don’t take a holiday. In fact, the festive period often increases pest risk: more people, more food waste, open windows/doors, travelers returning with luggage, and delays in regular maintenance all combine.

What this means: if you leave prevention until after the holidays and pests sneak in (rodents move in, cockroaches set up shop, ants establish trails), you could end up with emergency treatments that cost a lot more than a little preventative work now.

So the smart play is: spend a little now, stop pests before they take over.

2. Budget-friendly preparation: what you can do yourself

Here’s the kind of checklist I used to walk through before a big holiday break—many tasks you can do yourself and keep costs down.

Clean up food and waste: Empty bins, clean kitchen surfaces, don’t leave open food or drink overnight. When you’re entertaining or out travelling, this invites pests.

Seal entry points: Doors, windows, roof vents, pipe penetrations—look for small gaps or cracks and patch them. Even tiny openings let ants, spiders or rodents in.

Yard/garden maintenance: Trim branches away from the roof, clear leaf litter around the house, raise firewood off the ground. Many pests move from the garden to your home.

Move storage away from walls/floor: Boxes piled against walls or on the floor give hiding spots for pests. Keep things raised, spaced away from walls where possible.

Plan for when you’re away: If you’ll be out for a while, ask a neighbor or friend to check the home, collect mail, keep bins lid-down. Unoccupied homes are prime targets.

Set a simple “pre-holiday” pest budget: Even $50-$150 spent now on sealant, a can of insecticide, and a quick cleanup can save you hundreds later. The key: early, regular, consistent action not reactive panic.

3. Smart, affordable product picks you can use now

Here are three cost-effective products from Pest Wholesale that you can buy and apply yourself (or as part of a hybrid approach) to plug weak spots in your pest defense. These are value-focused and homeowner-friendly.

Coopex Insecticide ‑ 25 g sachet: A very budget-friendly residual insecticide for indoor & outdoor use. Controls a wide range of crawling bugs; great for skirting boards, door frames and general “protect the house” treatment.

Py Matic Bonus Pack Automatic Insect Control: Automatic aerosol dispenser with insect-control canisters. Plug-in, set & forget style protection—especially useful if you’ll be away or want continuous coverage through the holiday period.

How to use them in combination:

• Clean and seal all entry points (see section 2).
• Apply Coopex around internal edges/habitual insect zones.
  
• Install Py Matic dispenser indoors for continuous protection while you’re away or entertaining.
• Monitor and re-apply as needed - especially after heavy rain or high traffic periods.

4. When to call in the pros—and keep it budget-minded

Even with a great DIY kit, sometimes you’ll need a professional. The trick is to use the pro service smartly so it doesn’t blow your budget.

Get multiple quotes. Compare scope, not just price.

Avoid emergency or after-hours call-outs if you can; they often cost significantly more.

Use your DIY prep to reduce the scope the technician has to do. The better your prep, the cheaper the pro job.

Ask about bundled services or annual maintenance plans - they can reduce cost per treatment if planned before peak season.

5. Pre-holiday action plan (checklist you can use)

Here’s a simple timeline I recommend:

4-6 weeks before holiday season / heavy entertaining period:

• Clean yard, perimeter and clear clutter.
• Seal visible gaps around doors/windows.
• Buy and deploy Coopex around internal surfaces.
• Move and clear storage, raise items off floor.

1-2 weeks before:

• Apply external perimeter treatment (CroPro Stealth Miticide and Insecticide).
• Check indoors for signs of pests (droppings, trails) and install Py Matic dispenser.
• Ask a friend/neighbor to watch bins, mail and entrance area if you’ll be away.
• During your absence / entertaining period:
• Keep lids on bins, clean spills immediately, don’t leave food out overnight.
• Especially outdoors: clear fallen fruit or leaf litter near entertaining zones.
• For indoor protection: maintain the plug-in dispenser and keep interior tidy.
• Upon return / after busy period:
• Inspect for any new insect activity.
• If you see evidence (trails, nests, droppings), schedule inspection rather than wait.
• Re-apply surface treatment as ongoing maintenance (Coopex or similar) every few months.

6. Why this approach works & closing thoughts

From my years in the field, the homes I found that had fewer pest emergencies were the ones where the homeowner did a little each year, especially before the busy entertaining/travel season. They weren’t always the ones with the biggest budget—they were the ones with the best discipline.

By combining simple DIY prep + budget-friendly products + smart timing, you set up a protective buffer against pests when you’re most vulnerable (holidays, travel, entertaining) instead of reacting after the fact.

Product Cost Estimates by House Size to keep your house pest free

3-Bedroom House

• Use 1 Coopex sachet (for internal surfaces) → A$9.90
• Use 1 CroPro Stealth Miticide and Insecticide1 L (for external perimeter barrier) → A$150.00
• Use 1 Py Matic dispenser pack (for indoor ongoing protection) → A$85.99
  
• Add a small buffer (say A$30-50) for DIY supplies (sealant, crack-fill, maybe second spray) → Estimated total ≈ A$200-220

4-Bedroom House

• Use 2 Coopex sachets (larger internal area) → 2 × A$9.90 = A$19.80
• Use 1 CroPro Stealth Miticide and Insecticide1 L → A$150.00 (likely sufficient for one external barrier)
• Use 1 Py Matic dispenser pack → A$85.99
  
• Buffer for DIY supplies and maybe extra internal spray → Estimated total ≈ A$230-250

5-Bedroom House

• Use 3 Coopex sachets (for larger internal zone) → 3 × A$9.90 = A$29.70
• Use 2 CroPro Stealth Miticide and Insecticide1 L containers (for more external coverage) → 2 × A$150.00 = A$300.00
• Use 1 Py Matic dispenser pack → A$85.99
  
• Add buffer for more sealant/entry‐point work, perhaps pro assist → Estimated total ≈ A$300-35

🔍 Why this makes sense

The Coopex gives a low-cost residual internal spray for skirting boards, door frames, internal cracks.

The CroPro Stealth Miticide and Insecticide gives external barrier coverage, which is one of the higher risk zones for pests entering the structure.

The Py Matic gives an indoor automatic “set & forget” layer of protection while you’re busy entertaining, travelling or during the holiday period.

The buffer/spares portion covers time, DIY supplies, maybe repeat application or extra internal zones (especially for larger homes).

✅ Tips to keep actual costs down

• Do the sealant/crack-fill work yourself before applying anything: doors, windows, pipe penetrations, etc.
• Buy Coopex when it’s on special (sometimes < A$10) and apply yourself — this keeps labour down.
• Use the Py Matic while you’re away/over holiday period for added peace of mind.
• For the external barrier (Zeus) you might do it yourself if comfortable with the product label; otherwise get a short quote from a local technician (knowing you’ve done prep work reduces the scope).
• Monitor after application — if you see nothing after 3-4 months, you’re doing well. If you do see pest signs, intervene early while costs are lower.