After months or years of planning and preparation, you are finally getting ready to say, “I do” to your beloved and a little time off. While you are understandably excited about your upcoming getaway, it is important to take some home precautions while you are away.
In order to be sure that your home is not broken into while you are gone, heed the following advice:
Stay quiet on social media. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have become virtual travel itineraries for many people; log on at any time and you can see where many of your friends are currently on vacation, and how long they plan to be gone. Unfortunately, this information can fall into the wrong hands and burglars can take advantage of your posts to break into your house. While you are on your vacation, focus on your marvelous spouse and save the social media posts and pics until you get back home.
Install an HD camera system. A security camera system is a great way to help keep your home secure while you are away. The price of cameras have fallen dramatically in recent years; and you can get very affordable, wireless cameras that you access from the other side of the world with an internet connection—yes, even poolside.
Make the home look “lived in.” Homes with tons of sales flyers all over the front gate or door, an overgrown front yard and a pile of newspapers in the driveway figuratively scream, “No one is Home!” Pay a trusted neighbor to remove the ads and papers from your property, and if you are going to be away for some time, arrange for the lawn to be mowed as well. The US Postal Service website also makes it easy to put a temporary hold on your mail. If you have a spare car, keep it parked in the driveway and leave some interior lights on so it looks like someone is at home, or install a timer (or set your smart home lights to change) so the lights go on and off throughout the day and night.
Remove your spare key. If bad guys do manage to figure out that you are away, they will probably start by looking for a hidden key to get in. That seemingly clever-looking fake rock will not fool anyone—burglars know all about the common tricks to hide keys and will find it, or the key that is hidden in your hanging plant—in seconds. Remove the hidden key before leaving for your honeymoon and seriously consider not hiding it again once you return.
Watch your recycling. You might have purchased a few quality items before leaving, and your recycling bin might be full of empty gift boxes. Consider rolling the recycling bin into your garage while you are gone, rather than ask a neighbor to place it at the curb. The last thing you want is for burglars who are cruising the neighborhood to spot your empty boxes in the bin and decide to break in to your home for a five-finger discount.
Alison Stanton
Alison Stanton has been a freelance writer for the past 18 years. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Alison thoroughly enjoys writing about a wide variety of people and topics. When she is not writing, Alison can be found hanging out with her family—which includes three wonderful rescue dogs—and sipping a caffeinated beverage from Starbucks.
