5 easy ways to protect your home these holidays
The Christmas holidays are a great opportunity to catch up and reconnect with family and friends. For many of us, that means leaving our homes empty and vulnerable to break-ins. Whether you’re heading away to visit family or just spending a day at the beach, here are a few tips to help you keep your home safe these holidays.
1. Light up your home
To reduce the risk of thieves entering your property, it’s a good idea to install security lighting. Motion sensor lights are ideal as they are triggered by movement, leaving any unwanted visitors in the spotlight. For the lights inside your home, use timers so that your lamps go on and off at the usual time, making it look as though someone is at home.
2. Keep valuables out of sight
To deter would-be thieves, keep your valuables out of sight whenever you leave your home. Keep things like laptops and jewellery hidden away, and if you store anything valuable such as sports equipment in your garage, make sure that it’s covered with old sheets or tarps to keep it away from prying eyes.
3. Keep holiday snaps off social media
Although it’s fun to share photos of our travels on social media, it’s important to remember that these posts give away the fact that you are out of town. Make sure that your social media profile is set to private so only your close friends can see what you post. If you want to be extra safe, try not to post details about where you’re going and how long you plan to be away.
4. Mind your mail
One of the first signs that someone isn’t home is an overflowing mailbox. If you’re heading away for a little while, ask one of your friends or neighbours to check your mailbox regularly. If you know you will be receiving courier parcels, have them delivered to someone who will be home to avoid them sitting around and enticing thieves.
5. Keep your insurance up to date
It’s also a good idea to make sure that your home and contents insurance policy is up to date before you go away. If you want to make sure you have the right cover in place or you need to get cover for new high value items these holidays, get in touch with our friendly team today and we can help!