There are a million things to remember when you’re traveling for the holidays. What do you need to pack? What are you allowed to bring on the plane? What time are your flights? In remembering all of this, you may forget to also take a few extra precautions to keep your house safe while you’re away.
How to Safeguard your House for the Holidays
Here are some easy ways to keep your home safe, so you can enjoy all the eggnog you want without the worry.
Make sure all of your doors and windows are locked
This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised. It’s worth the extra couple of minutes to double check. For added protection, try these sliding window locks, or window jams, which add security if a thief cuts through your screen. For doors, add a deadbolt, or, if you have a garage you can secure shut, add a door security bar to your front door in case a potential thief picks your lock.
Keep your Cars Locked
If you’re taking a car service to get to the airport, and you think your house will be safe because there are cars in the driveway, think again. Cars are often a popular spot for thieves. As you’re jumping into that airport shuttle, just take a second and click the lock button on your car keys. There are ways to add security to your cars, too. If you’re worried about a thief smashing your windows, try this safety window film. If you lock your car, but someone still manages to break in, there is always The Club, a steering wheel lock that will prevent anyone from stealing your car.
Install Light Timers/Smart Lights
Something as simple as having lights on at night will be enough to deter any possible burgling. Of course, you won’t want to have your lights on all day while you’re gone, so a timer or smart light will do just the trick. Try this digital programmable timer, available for both indoor and outdoor lights, or this simple mechanical timer. Even easier, it may be time to bring your house into the 21st century with smart light bulbs. Download an app, and you can control your lights from wherever you are! There are loads to choose from, but our favorites are:
Philips Hue (you can get the starter pack, which comes with light bulbs and the hub needed to control the lights) - starting at $24.95 on Amazon
Sengled Element, - Starting at $9.99 on Amazon
Install a Security System
Security systems used to be only for the well off, but they are increasingly easy to install, and more affordable. With most systems, you can pay a monthly fee for monitoring, so when the alarm is triggered, it alerts the company, who will immediately call to see if you need the police. You can also opt to not have the monitoring service. The alarm going off should be enough to deter any intruder. If you don’t want an entire system, try just putting up a security sign for only $9.99 - the sign alone may scare off a potential robber.
- SimpliSafe - Starting at $249.99 on Amazon/Monitoring starting at $14.99/Month
- Ring Alarm - Starting at $188.98 on Amazon Black Friday Deal/Monitoring starting at $10/Month
- Blink - Starting at $129.99 on Amazon
Make it Look Like You are Home
Hold your Mail
Another one that seems like a no-brainer that many people overlook. USPS makes it easy for you, too. You can go to their website and place a hold on your mail here. If you’d rather not put a hold on your mail, just make sure you arrange for a friend or neighbor to regularly collect any mail and packages you get, over-loaded mailboxes are a sure sign no one is home.
Arrange for Snow Removal
If a burglar sees no one has shoveled, he or she will take it as a sign no one is home. Make sure you either hire someone to shovel, or find a helpful neighbor to do it for you.
