| Thousands of Americans escape from the area | | | | programmed intervals. Lights create the illusion of |
| every day to explore the open road. In today's | | | | having an occupied residence. |
| travel planning, taking the extra steps to protect | | | | 9- Leave your car in the driveway, but make |
| yourself and your home is an essential part of | | | | sure to not leave a garage door opener in your |
| your departure plans. | | | | car. |
| There are many common things that can go | | | | 10- Lock your garage door externally and |
| wrong while you are away, so make sure to | | | | internally. Garage doors are created with a |
| cover all the basics and leave a secure home | | | | mechanism that can be forced open from the |
| before leaving it unattended. | | | | outside. |
| Here are 16 Ways to Secure Your Home: | | | | 11- Leave a key with a friend or neighbor (in |
| 1- Secure important papers and valuables. Use a | | | | addition to having a housesitter) so that they can |
| personal safe or lock box, or invest in renting a | | | | double-check your property or be available in case |
| security box from a local company to safeguard | | | | of an emergency. |
| any essential valuables that cannot be replaced. | | | | 12- Document your valuables.The easiest way to |
| 2- Check insurance policies for home, auto, and | | | | do this is by photographing or taking video of |
| life. Keep a copy of your insurance papers with | | | | each room, with a quick shot of any specific |
| your important papers. | | | | high-value items. Store the information |
| 3- Alert your trusted neighbors to your vacation. | | | | somewhere else (security box at the bank, family |
| Aware community members are the easiest way | | | | members house, etc). In the event of loss, this |
| to help protect your home if they know that you | | | | will help you file an insurance claim and make sure |
| will be gone. | | | | you didn't forget anything. |
| 4- Make sure that windows are closed properly | | | | 13- Mark your valuables with an Operation |
| and that valuables are not visible from the outside | | | | Identification number. Your local police department |
| of your home. | | | | probably has a pamphlet on this process. You can |
| 5- Hire a housesitter. This can be a personal friend | | | | engrave or etch your drivers license number on |
| or a professional. Maintaining your home (plants, | | | | to valuables, if stolen and later recovered, police |
| animals, etc) and protecting it by giving the | | | | can track you down through the department of |
| appearance of being occupied is easily | | | | motor vehicles. |
| accomplished by hiring a local responsible teenager | | | | 14- Start a community watch and look out for |
| or contacting a service. | | | | your neighbors. Everyone goes on vacation, and |
| 6- Do not advertise your vacation with people | | | | this is an easy opportunity to establish a |
| you are not personal friends with. One of the | | | | good-faith relationship with your community and |
| biggest mistakes of going on vacation is bragging | | | | enhance your overall safety. |
| to the wrong people at the wrong time: which is | | | | 15- Turn off all appliances (and even unplug them). |
| generally before you leave. Keep your vacation | | | | Your can minimize the risk of an electrical fire by |
| stories for after you have returned. | | | | unplugging any unnecessary appliances. |
| 7- Put mail on hold or get a secure locking | | | | 16- Forward your home phone number to your |
| mailbox. The post office will hold you mail for a | | | | cell phone (or a family member) to answer calls |
| specific time with a simple request, however | | | | while you are away. |
| locking mailboxes with enough storage can simplify | | | | Finally: create a departure checklist for each family |
| the process if you are consistently traveling. | | | | member traveling. Include items on this list, but |
| 8- Install automatic timers for your lights. Most | | | | also include important conversations with children |
| home improvement stores carry a variety of | | | | and teenagers to make sure that they are not |
| digital timers that can turn on at random or | | | | advertising your absence with the wrong people. |