We all lead such busy lives, heading out, coming home, running errands, chasing after the kids, heading to the shops, even just doing work in the back garden. How many of us have gone out, come back home and realised we’ve left a window open or a door unlocked? An opportunist thief could strike at any time, or for all your know, could be monitoring your home and keeping an eye on how well you secure it.
But don’t worry, we all work hard and want to keep our homes safe and the good news is, there are plenty of steps you take to ensure that your home won’t be accessed easily. Read on for some helpful advice and simple security tips.
Keep your garden in check
It might sound logical that if you have large, bushy plants in your garden or around your property then a potential thief won’t be able to see inside. Whilst this is true, overgrown shrubbery and evergreen trees –click here for some beautiful additions to your garden – provide the perfect hiding place for thieves to scope out your home for security weaknesses and of course, stay out of sight if suspicion is aroused. Always keep your hedges, trees and large plants trimmed back and low so you’re compromising your security.
Lighting
With the darker nights almost upon us, we can’t see who is lurking outside when we look out of the living room window, so make it difficult for them. Install plenty of outdoor lighting and leave nowhere for a burglar to hide. Security motion lights are popular and will draw attention is anyone is lurking around the house and even simple garden lighting could be enough to scare away any potential thief.
Hide your keys
Just because you’ve locked the door and hung the keys up in their proper place doesn’t mean they are out of reach. Whether it’s car keys, house keys or the key to the garage, ensure that all your keys are out of sight from the window and away from the door – remember, keys can be accessed through the letter box with a hook! Think about having essential tools for unlocking, like simple lockpicking tools, for those unexpected moments.
Keep things hidden
That brand new DSLR camera you’ve treated yourself to – and that gorgeous new LED TV in the window? These are all signs that your home is full of expensive valuables and there might be more things inside. Keep your valuables out of view and when you do go out, close your blinds!
You may want to invest in a safety deposit box to keep some of your valuables safe.
Visible measures
Installing a burglar alarm and having it clearly displayed on the front of your property will certainly work as a deterrent. If you wanted to go a step further you can install CCTV cameras or even mock ones if you’re working on a budget. Even posting signs warning that CCTV cameras are in operation might be enough to scare off any potential thief.
Know our neighbours
Getting to know your neighbours allows everyone to recognise what it normal behaviour around your properties. That shifty looking person that keeps coming and looking through your window might not be a relative….!
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
