Editors Note: A guest contribution from Wendy to The Prepper Journal.
You can never be too careful when it comes to the safety and security of your home and family. Remember, your home is sacred and it’s your sanctuary. You always want to feel safe and protected on your property, but if you leave your home under-protected, you could end up a victim of burglary or even worse.
So, just to help you wrap your head around the importance of home security, it’s estimated that more than 2 million burglaries are reported each year in the US. This is nothing to sneeze at.
Are you prepared for the inevitable?
At best, you should have a security system in place that can provide an instant alarm. With this system, you’ll instantly know if someone is breaking in to your house and you can immediately take the appropriate actions to contact the authorities. Other basic measures include securing the doors, locking all of your windows, closing the garage door (so many of us forget this one), and adding sensor lights outside of the house to scare of potential burglars.
But there are other important security guidelines you can also follow that are more creative by thinking outside the box. Want to learn some of these tips and tricks? Stick around to discover some powerful guidelines you’ve never considered before.
Tip #1: Eliminate Potential Hiding Spots for Thieves
Believe it or not, thieves are a lot craftier than they make them out on TV or in the movies. They aren’t all bumbling idiots like Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern’s characters in the Home Alone movie franchise. In fact, some are such skilled professionals that they rarely get caught, if ever. So why make it easy for them to hide?
Quite frankly, you do not want to make it simple for them to go unnoticed on your property. So, if you have bushes or trees going around your house – especially near windows – make sure to keep them trim so it’s not too easy to hide behind them.
Again, if your shrubbery is high enough that it blocks one or more of your windows, make sure you trim them back. Otherwise burglars can hide behind them and break into your house without anyone in the neighborhood knowing because of the obstructed view.
Adding outdoor lighting to your property is also a great idea if you don’t have any already. Do you have areas around your house that get very dark at night? These dark spaces are also potential hiding spots for unscrupulous thieves. So, install motion detecting lights around the property and especially do so in the darkest areas to brighten possible hideouts.
Tip #2: Use Additional Precautions to Protect Your Windows
The average homeowner is obviously concerned about their safety, right? So before leaving they typically go around the house and check to make sure the windows are locked. Or do they really? Most are so busy that they don’t even think about it. They just lock their front, side, or garage door on the way out and think nothing of their windows.
At a minimum, you need to remember to check all your windows before leaving for work, school, or wherever it is you need to go. If a window (or more than one) is unlocked, take a moment to twist the lock closed. And if the window is wide open – it doesn’t matter how nice it is outside – take a moment to shut it tight and lock the darn thing for your protection and the safety of your family.
Now, just know that it’s relatively easy to break into a home via the windows. So, now that you are in the habit of locking your windows tight before leaving, it’s time to take things a step further.
Have you ever heard of shatterproof glass? This glass is designed to resist even the heaviest of blows or thieves tools. It ultimately remains unbreakable.
If a thief ever came to your house in the middle of the night while you were on vacation and attempted to shatter the glass to enter your home, they would be met with serious resistance. Your home would remain safe and protected because of this additional step so consider it.
Tip #3: Keep Your Private Life Private
In this example, you never want to give potential burglars the upper hand by letting them know when you won’t be home. This is foolish to say the least and many a home has been robbed because of it.
So, the next time you plan to go on a family vacation; do not shout it from the mountaintops on all of your social media channels. Too many people love sharing every aspect of their lives online, but they fail to realize just how public social media really is. Just about anybody can read your posts or updates and you never know who is watching.
So please, please, please keep your whereabouts to yourself. Stop checking in at places online because it tips off thieves when you aren’t home. They’ll know exactly which house to hit next because your update post unintentionally gave them permission to steal.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, it’s up to you and your loved ones to keep your property safe and secure. You just don’t know who might attempt to rob you someday. So please follow the advice shared today and you’ll have little trouble keeping your house and stuff safe.
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