Ah, the holidays! We’re sure plenty of you are planning on traveling, visiting family, or perhaps going somewhere exotic. We know that you probably already have an insanely long to-do list but one thing you can’t afford to not do is keep your home safe while you are away. Below are some tips on how you can do that.
Hire Someone to Look After the House
This might be the best idea in this list if you’ve got pets or plants that will have to be looked after. Your pets will definitely love staying home as opposed to being sent to a kennel.
Aside from that, a pet sitter or house sitter can pick up your mail, turn lights on and off, and perhaps even water your plants. This will all ensure that everything will be in order when you return home as well as deter bad people because it would look like someone’s home.
Make it Look Like Someone’s Home
Keep up the appearance that someone is home by not letting mail and newspaper pile up outside. Either have someone take them inside or contact your newspaper person to suspend the service and talk to your post office about holding your mail for up to 30 days.
You can also make it look like someone’s home by installing motion sensors and light timers. There are also timers that would allow you to program internal lights as well your TV to turn and off at a set schedule.
Lock Up Good
And we mean really good! Make sure that all latches are in place including the ones for basement and attic windows. Better yet, make sure that you also secure sliding glass windows and doors by cutting a thick dowel or wooden pole to fit to fit in the groves and tracks when the window or door is shut. A really determined thief may just go ahead and shatter the glass but doing this will make your home a less desirable target.
Get Valuables Stored Properly
Don’t place gadgets where they are clearly visible from the window. Some thieves employ the smash-and-grab modus and having valuables near windows will make your home a target.
Speaking of windows, it would be better if you’ve got some shade over or curtains. You don’t have to close everything but an extra layer of privacy will make it more difficult for bad people to watch if someone’s home.
Don’t Stop Lawn or Snow Service
The last thing you want when you’re back is to come home to waist deep snow outside your house so do yourself a favour and have your driveway properly cleared daily to make your return more pleasant as well as make it look like someone’s home.
Speaking of keeping things need, you may want to trim shrubs and trees before going away to make it more difficult for burglars to slip inside your home unnoticed.
Tell A Few (Trusted) People You’ll Be Away
You can tell a neighbour you have a good relationship with, a friend from the same area, or perhaps a relative who lives nearby. The key word in here is that you have to absolutely trust the person(s) who’ll know that you won’t be home for quite a while. Even better if they can come over your home from time to time to run faucets and flush toilets if you live in a very cold area.
Mind What You Post On The Internet
Last but not the least, you may also want to refrain from posting in social media that no one will be home. Although you may trust your friends and contacts, it will still be better to be safe than sorry.
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