Your home is your safe-haven, your port in the storm. But what happens when that illusion is shattered? The average burglar spends only 15 minutes roaming your halls, but that tiny amount of time can obliterate your sense of security. One quick and easy way to deter them is to block any valuables in the house via thick shades and blinds from Factory Direct Blinds.
Ready to safeguard your belongings and bolster your home’s security? These eight small tips will help you do exactly that in a snap. Keep reading to boost your peace of mind and your personal safety.
Reboot your habits
There are lots of locales all around the country where locking your doors isn’t a must-do. We get that. However, the best way to protect your home is to keep your exterior doors locked no matter what. Burglars can sneak in and out while you’re cooking dinner without you even noticing! Get in the habit of locking ’em up when you leave and when you enter.
The fix: Tie your new door-locking habit to another habit you have, like opening the garage door, picking up your purse or putting on your coat. You can also try leaving reminder notes where you’re likely to see them, like on the doorframe or stuck to your steering wheel.
Cover your windows at night
Bare windows are a popular feature of modern homes, but ditching window treatments make it easy for people to peer into your house and see everything you own. Big-screen TVs and gaming systems are particularly attractive to burglars, but that’s just the beginning. High on the list of most-stolen items is personal identity documents, like birth certificates, medical information, bills, tax returns, and credit cards.
The fix: Install blinds or shades that don’t detract from the design of your home and let you protect it from potential thieves. Roller shades offer contemporary appeal with a low profile.
Get better at hide-and-seek
We hate to burst your bubble, but the Hide-A-Key fake rock is a bit played out. And before you slip your spare beneath your doormat or on top of your door frame, well, think again. That’s the first place people look—along with strange items decorating your entranceway. Even a combination lockbox can be hacked.
The fix: There are all sorts of sneaky fake items that are built to hide a spare key or two. We’re fans of the fake sprinkler head.
Put lights on a timer
A dark house is a sitting duck for robbers. They’re pretty spooky when you’re coming home alone by yourself, too. To avoid a surprise, keep your home illuminated once the sun sets, regardless of whether you’re out of town for an extended period of time or you’re simply working late into the night.
The fix: You don’t have to run up your utility bill to keep your lights on. A timer or a smart home system will let you easily program a few key interior and exterior lights. Some will even let you turn them on and off from your smartphone.
Add a deadbolt
The first thing you should do when you move into a new home is to change the locks. If your exterior doors—front, back and garage—are missing deadbolts, you should have those installed as well. Why? Because kicking in a door without one is child’s play for a burglar who wants in.
The fix: Call a locksmith ASAP and ask them to install a deadbolt. If they’re coming out to change your keys anyway, this is an easy add-on since you’re already paying for the trip.
Keep valuables out of sight
It’s tempting to drop your keys and empty your pockets as soon as you walk through the door. However, leaving your valuables near an entryway can make you more vulnerable to a break-in, especially if your home has windows near your front or back door or a mail slot people could potentially peek through.
The fix: Stow valuables further inside your home, or inside closets or cabinets located close to your doorways. You can also install custom shades in windows by your entrances to deter would-be peeping Toms.
Stow tools burglars could use
Why make it easier for bad people to bust through a window? There are all sorts of items we leave scattered around our lawns, decks, and porches. From the equipment we don’t feel like putting away to decorations that could become projectiles, there are scores of objects that could be used against us—and we’re just not seeing it.
The fix: Survey the exterior of your home for any objects that could be used to break-in. Put away gardening tools like shovels and rakes as well as sports equipment like baseball bats and tennis racquets.
Eliminate hiding places
Forget about Home Alone-style break-ins. A smart thief isn’t looking to make a splash. They want to stay undercover, to get in and get out without being seen. That’s why overgrown plantings, wooded areas, and unlit niches are a burglar’s best friend.
The fix: A little bit of landscaping can serve you well in terms of curb appeal and home security. Spend an afternoon pruning bushes that surround your house (and could provide cover to robbers) and installing DIY-friendly solar lights along dark walkways and doorways.
Looking for a sleep-better guarantee? You’ve found it. Put these eight easy home security tips to use and you’ll be locked up safely in no time flat. Goodbye, burglars. Hello, fortress!
