Some people simply cannot relax and enjoy themselves while on vacation because they're too worried about the security of their home. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because you should always ensure your home is completely secure when you leave for a vacation. However, once you finally make it to your destination, that's the time to leave your worries behind and enjoy yourself!
Whether your trip is set to last just a weekend or an entire month, you need to take additional precautions to make sure your home will be safe while you're away.
1. Get a friend to look after the home
If it's to pick up your mail, tidy up the front porch, check inside the home or just to be a pair of eyes, it never hurts to have a friend look after your home. If anything is suspicious, you have someone who can immediately contact you or resolve the problem on his or her own. It always helps to have a friend look after your place - just don't forget to bring him or her back something nice.
2. Limit your social media
It's always smart to limit how much you tell your friends about your vacation trip on social media. Remember, other people can see your status updates if you don't have security preferences set up. Additionally, if you post the exact date and time you're leaving and for how long, it just gives strangers who see your status a timetable of when you're gone.
3. Make sure your grass is cut
If you have a lawn, trim it before you leave. Nothing says "nobody is home" more than an unattended lawn. Ask a trusted friend to water your lawn or flower beds to keep everything tidy.
4. Invest in home automation lights
The No. 1 way to deter criminals from your home is to make your house look lived-in. The best way to give the appearance that someone is home is by keeping the lights on. Instead of wasting a ton of money on your electric bill by leaving lights on for the entire trip, a better idea is to invest in a GE SunSmart™ self adjusting digital timer for your lights. With this, you can program when you want your lights on and off each day, so you save energy and constantly give the appearance that your home is lived-in.
5. Install motion sensor lights
To protect areas around your home or garage, wireless motion sensing LED spotlights are a great investment. You can install these indoors or outdoors and the adjustable mounting options are perfect for lighting areas around garages, backyards, workshops and sheds or for the front entrance of your home. When unwanted guests come to your home, a bright LED light will automatically turn on when motion is detected. This is just another way to give your home added security while away as well as energy-efficient outdoor path lighting.
"Hide expensive jewelry or personal belongings in your kid's dresser."
6. Get creative with hiding your valuables
In the instance your home does get burglarized, there are ways to help prevent them from stealing you most prized possessions. Most burglars skip right past children's rooms, so you might want to hide expensive jewelry or personal belongings in your kid's dresser. Don't make it easy for thieves who immediately go to your closet and dresser drawers to find valuables.
7. Use digital timer power strip
Another great way to give the appearance that your home is lived-in is to use a GE branded digital power strip to plug in things like the radio or your television. You an set the timer to come on a few times a day and have both your television and radio playing loudly to prevent burglars from taking the chance on you being home.
8. Lock up your entire house
It's never a bad idea to make a few rounds in your home to ensure every single door, window or gate is completely locked and secured. There's no reason to leave anything unlocked when you're gone.
9. Don't leave spare keys out
If you have a friend looking after your home, don't leave a spare key under rock or your welcome mat. Make sure your friend keeps your keys on them at all times. Criminals know what "rock" to look for and it will only take them a few seconds to search the most common places you would hide your keys.
10. Notify police for extended trips
If you're taking the trip of a lifetime and plan to be gone for a month or more, it's not a bad idea to alert the police. While they may never make anything of it, in smaller towns, you might get an officer to drive past your home, which is just another way to safeguard your home. If you don't think the police will come, try to get a friend to drive by on his or her way to work.
Now that we've covered all of the smart precautions to take for your home security during vacation, check out these 8 Must-Haves for Traveling with Your Gear.