If you’ve ever watched Home Alone, you know the holidays are the prime time for burglars and bad guys to start targeting empty houses. Burglars know that many people travel for the holidays, leaving their homes completely unattended for days on end. They also know how stressed and frazzled most people are this time of year, so they bank on unsuspecting homeowners forgetting to lock their doors before heading out to do some last-minute shopping. Here’s what you need to do to keep your home safe during the holidays.
Invest in Home Security
Purchasing a home security system is the number one thing you can do to keep your home safe during the holidays. Systems like the one from DFW Security allow you to monitor your house from an app on your phone. As an added bonus, you won’t have to spend your vacation wondering if you locked the front door. That information is available in most security apps.
Postpone Your Posting
As tempting as it may be to post photos of your holiday trip, it’s safer to wait until you return home. Posting photos of yourself in another state lets burglars know you aren’t going to be home for a while. Instead of posting updates as they occur, enjoy being in the moment and post the final batch to social media once you’ve returned home.
Hire a Home-Sitter
Not everyone travels for the holidays. If you know someone trustworthy who would like to make some extra cash over Christmas break, you can hire them to stay at your home for the duration of your trip. Seeing someone going in and out of the home each day is enough to deter most break-ins.
Slow Down
Even if you aren’t traveling for the holidays, it’s easy to forget little things like locking the door or shutting the garage. Between buying gifts and rushing around to get-togethers, you may forget to do these little things. Slow down and double-check your locks each time you leave the house. It would be a shame to suffer a home invasion just because you were running late to the office party.
Don’t let burglars ruin your holiday season. Use these tips to stay one step ahead of the bad guys and keep your home safe while you’re enjoying time with family or sipping margaritas in Mexico.
