Best Home Security Tips before You Leave Town

We learned our best home security tips the hard way: After a robbery. Few years ago, we left our home for few hours! We thought we locked it but when we came back we had a bad surprise: someone broke into the house. Fortunately,  he (or she) did not have the time to steal too many things. Imagine we left for a longer period. Imagine we left for few weeks for our vacation. It would have been a disaster.

Leaving our home for a long period includes preparation! Planning our vacation does not include only the flights, the activities, the stays, the trips. It includes preparing our home and protecting it from robberies. The following are our best home security tips before we leave town.

Best Home Security Tips

  • Organize our mail delivery:

If I we leave for a short period, I usually ask my neighbor to collect my mail. If I go for a long period, I stop by the post office and ask them to keep my mail. I don’t want to flood my neighbors with my mail.

  • Organizing any other daily delivery

I read the newspaper every morning. Before leaving, I  make sure to call my provider and suspend the delivery during my holidays. I don’t want the newspaper to pile up. It will alert any visitor. It is usually a free service and sometimes they need only 24 hours notice.

  • Organize our trash bins

Visitors notice when houses do not have trash bins out on the specific day. I usually ask my neighbor to put my trash bin in front (even if it is empty) and replace it back.

  • Lights:

I have set a timer where my lights go on a certain time (usually in the evening). People will think there is someone inside! Make sure to set it to turn off on daylight too. A light open during the day may alert visitors.

  • Grass:

If you are leaving for a long period, try to organize your lawn. I usually hire a teenager to take care of my lawn during my holidays.

  • Alarm:

I have an alarm that is connected to an alarm company. Before leaving I call the alarm company and tell that I will be away. I provide them with emergency numbers if they cannot reach us. I find that setting an alarm and connecting it to an alarm company is the best home security tip we implemented. I sleep better at night and I am less worried when I leave.

  • Windows and doors:

It may be an obvious as home security tip but it is one of the best. Too many people forget to lock their doors and windows.  Few minutes before leaving, I check all the windows and doors and make sure they are locked. My husband double checks after!

  • Load the car in the garage:

Visitors may notice when you put your luggage in the trunk. If you have a garage, you can load the car in the garage.

  • Cars in the driveway:

If I leave for a long period, I usually ask my neighbor to park his car in my driveway! Potential visitors will be deterred from entering a home when there is a car in the driveway.

Leaving your home for a long period needs a preparation. To have a worry-free vacation, follow these best home security tips and check our other Security tips when traveling. Identity theft during your holidays is a concern too!  Identity Guard® can offer peace of mind and helpful tools to prevent identity theft. For more than a decade, Identity Guard® has been helping to protect people from the threat of identity theft with solid technological solutions that quickly alert you to certain kinds of activity involving your personal information. They provide child’s ID protection services with kID Sure℠. Why wait, Get Identity Guard, and all the details you need to know about identity theft and how to help yourself stay safe from it.

What’s your best home security tip? Share it with us! 

Disclosure: This service was provided to me for review at no charge. In addition I received monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.”

Photo source:iStock

9 thoughts on “Best Home Security Tips before You Leave Town”

  1. sephskerritt.com

    Oh my gosh goodness! an enormous article dude. Thank you Nevertheless I’m experiencing difficulty with ur rss . Don’t know why Not able to join it. Perhaps there is anybody getting an identical rss problem? Anyone who recognizes kindly respond. Thnkx

  2. I would definitely get to know your neighbours and perhaps also ask somebody close to house sit for a few hours a day so that it’s likely they’ll be seen in and around your home.

    1. Candice, Olfa’s tips are timely for all us. I have been the victim of fraud, break in, and stalking over the years. We should do what we can to deter crime. However, remember that if someone wants to get into your home bad enough they will. The most valuable items are you and your family. As long as you aren’t there…whatever they take can be replaced. My tip is be cautious when necessary, take the needed steps to protect your family, but still keep “trusting” your fellow man. My final tip for home security is keep a radio or tv on. It sounds like your home and keeps the pets happy (or not depending on the show?)

Leave a Reply to Danielle Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *