Your bags are packed and you’re about to head out the door to visit family for the holidays, but you can’t help but feel like you’re forgetting something. If you’re planning to travel this holiday season, you’ll want to make sure your home is safe and secure while you’re out of town. Here’s a checklist to keep your mind at ease and avoid that sinking feeling in your stomach when you’re not sure you remembered to lock the deadbolt.
- Lock doors and windows. There’s nothing worse than wondering if you remembered to lock the door or close that first–floor window. Unlocked doors and windows are easy points of entry for intruders. This is also a good time to replace any broken locks and make sure all of your locks are working properly.
- Make the residence look occupied. Try to make things look as normal as possible while you’re gone. Keep your blinds in their normal position, leave the air conditioning/heat on while you’re gone, hire someone to mow your lawn, ask neighbors to park in your driveway and place a hold on mail or deliveries.
- Use timers. Putting lights and TVs on timers to turn on and off at regular times is an easy way to make it seem like someone is home.
- Beware of social media. Be careful of what you post and share online. By sharing your vacation pictures and travel plans online, you’re advertising that your residence is unattended. If you have a landline, leave a standard message on your answering machine, and don’t share that you’re out of town.
- Tell select people that you’ll be away. Ask neighbors to keep an eye on your property and give them a phone number to reach you in case of an emergency. If you’ll be gone longer than a week, consider asking a friend or neighbor to check in on things while you’re away.
- Remove your spare key. If you keep a spare key hidden outside your residence, take it with you or leave it with a neighbor.
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Last modified: November 12, 2024
