Nothing can be worse than coming home from a family holiday to find that your home has been broken into and your possessions have been stolen can it? But how do we ensure that our homes are safe and protected whilst we are away on our travel or on holiday?
The below five simple steps below will help to keep your home safe and your mind at ease..
1. Make sure you've got a good lock and that all windows are closed and lockedIt sounds simple but if you've got an old lock that could do with being updated, then just before you go away is probably the most important time to get this done. There are some fantactic modern locks available these days that are ideal for giving your home that extra security.
And don't forget to check that your windows are all closed and locked up too before you go.
2. Keep items out of reachEnsure that keys etc are all placed away from letter boxes and cat flaps so that people won't be tempted to reach in and try to get them! Don't forget that people will go to great lengths and that means using things like long sticks to try and hook spare keys so to be safe keep things like that away and safe!
3. Set timers on your interior lightsIf you're able to - set a couple of your interior lights to come on in the evening time whilst you are away so it looks like someone is home. We use Hive for this and we can turn our lights on at home with one tap via an app on our phone.
4. Ask a neighbor to take your bin back up your driveway
If you've put your bins out to be emptied before you've gone away, ask a neighbor to kindly bring it back up your driveway for you whilst you're away so it doesn't sit out all week making it obvious that you're not home. 5. Invest in good home security If you haven't already, then it's so worthwhile investing in a good home alarm system to deter potential burglars and to give you a sound peace of mind that you're home and precious possessions are being kept safe whilst you're on your travels and away from your house.6. Be mindful when broadcasting your travels on social media You never know who's looking at you online, even if you think it's just your friends, so to be extra safe consider being careful when sharing your location and travels on facebook, twitter and instagram.
7. Have somebody that checks in regularly with the houseEven if that's a kind neighbor who keeps a watchful eye on your home whilst you're away, or if you have a pet sitter come to the house daily, it's always good to know that someone is keeping an eye for you!
8. Ask for mail to be delivered to a neighbourIf you've got parcels, newspapers or other mail due to be delivered organize for it to be stopped or for it to be delivered elsewhere as you don't want those sorts of things mounting up on your doorstep making it obvious to others that no one is home.
9. Get some outdoor lightingBurglars don't want to get caught and so light is not their friend, investing in some good outdoor lighting that comes on when someone approaches the house will be a great way to deter any thieves.
10. Invest in camera securityHaving a camera visible on your home is a great way to deter people from trying to break in. If you can't afford a camera then you can purchase dummy cameras from Amazon that will also serve as a deterrent.
I hope these steps have been useful and that after following them you will have greater peace of mind next time you go away with your family. What would you add to this list? Thank you for reading. Alex xo
*This is a collaborative post
