Going on a trip requires some vigorous preparations – there’s simply no other way around it. However, during this period of turmoil, people are so preoccupied with the things they need to take with them, that they completely forget about the things they are leaving behind. And you have to admit it – no matter how big your bags are, your home and belongings are much more valuable than what you can put inside them. Here are a couple of security tips that should help you to keep your home safe while you’re on vacation.
Get Rid of All Spare Keys
People often come up with some pretty inventive solutions for hiding their spare keys. But, no matter how smart you think you are, experienced crooks have seen it all and they will have all the time in the world to scour your backyard for the supposed “safe hiding places.” So, collect all the spare keys you’ve scattered around the yard and give them to your friend for safekeeping until you’re back.
Put All Delivery Services on Hold
There’s no better signal that a house is temporarily empty than the sight of piled up milk, newspapers, mail, and similar delivery items at the front door. And if you don’t put all these services on hold pile they will. Alternatively, you can ask your friends or neighbors to pick them up. Just don’t let the items sit on the porch for too long.
Maintain Radio Silence
Or to put it more precisely, maintain social network silence. Checking in, bragging about the things you’ve seen while traveling and publishing fresh photos is fine, but you have to be aware that by doing that, you are literally advertising that your house is empty. If you can’t resist your social media itch, at least enter the privacy settings and make your posts visible only to your friends.
Keep an Eye on the House
The best way to be sure that everything’s ok. Fortunately, these days, home security cameras are very affordable and easy to install. And no matter what part of the globe you are on, you’ll get a decent Wi-Fi so you’ll be able to check out what’s going on back home.
Think About Energy Efficiency
Thieves are not the only threat you need to worry about – your bills can rob you as well. But, simply pulling all the plugs won’t do the job either. Some energy consumers like, for example, pool pumps, cameras, alarms, and refrigerator need, for the obvious reasons, to remain powered. Also, make sure that nothing’s leaking before you leave the house.
Don’t Let Your House Look Empty
Leave some curtains open, set your TV and sound system to turn on and off every couple of hours or simply find someone to spend some time in your house while you’re not there. You can ask your friends and family to do that, but if they’re busy, house sitting in Sydney, Melbourne and other big cities is a service that’s growing increasingly popular, so you can give this option a try as well. Just don’t let your house look empty.
Be Prepared for Any Weather
Weather is a tricky devil and it seems that it obeys Murphy’s law as often as possible. So, be prepared for anything ranging from extensive heat to a blizzard. Check your roof, doors and windows, insulate the house, move all the sensitive items away from windows and make sure everything is tightly sealed before you close the door. As for the backyard installations, the best thing you can do is to ensure that they can endure a hefty amount of wind.
Going on a vacation is great, but only if you remember that you are leaving a lot of valuable things behind, so make sure everything’s ok and ready for your absence. You don’t want your journey to be ruined by some slight oversight, don’t you?
What do you think?
Advertisement
