It’s officially time for my Ho Ho Holiday Home Safety Tips! (okay, that’s a bad one) I often feel like the ultimate Debbie Downer, sprinkling hefty doses of depressing reality checks everywhere I go. Excited to go on vacation? Beware the thieves. Congrats on going to college! Make sure you educate yourself about sexual assault. Headed out for a run? Here’s what you should wear so you’re less likely to be targeted as a victim of a crime. The holidays are no different; from Halloween to Valentine’s Day, I always have a fresh set of warnings, tips, and recommendations to rain on any joyous occasion.
The truth though, is that my videos, articles, and social media posts don’t even come close to ruining what’s supposed to be a wonderful experience as much as becoming a victim does. I’ve worked with enough survivors over the years who often repeat the words, “If only I would have…” to know that while a little extra vigilance can’t guarantee safety, it should be as much a no-brainer as putting your seatbelt on in the car.
The most prevalent crime during the holiday season is home burglary, rates of which are significantly increased from Thanksgiving to New Years, for a myriad of reasons: it’s a time when many people travel and leave empty homes, expensive gifts such as electronics and jewelry are left in easy to access areas such as the living room instead of hidden in closets or safes, the joyous and celebratory holiday atmosphere can lead to complacency and a lack of typical common sense safety practices, like locking your doors and paying attention to your surroundings, and lastly, the holidays can be a time of increased desperation for some and feelings of injustice for others.
Whatever the reasons, the uptick in incidences of home robbery over the holidays is worth a few extra minutes of safety attention. Here are just a few of my top tips:
If you’re traveling…
*Wait to post photos from your travels on social media until after you get home
*Keep your house well lit inside and out at night while you’re gone
*Ask a trusted neighbor to keep an eye on your property for you if you don’t have a house/pet sitter
*Put a hold on your mail and newspapers while you’re gone (if you’re in the US go to www.usps.com)
*Pets are a great deterrent to home invasion, consider hiring a pet sitter and leaving them at home
If you’re staying home…
*Make sure outside doors and windows remain locked at all times
*Watch garage doors and driveway gates close completely
*Keep wrapped presents hidden from view from the outside by closing blinds
*Make sure the outside of your home is well lit
*Consider keeping photos of expensive gifts off of social media accounts
Best safety practices don’t require a huge amount of time or effort on your part, but the pay off is enormous. From my Train with Jarrett family to yours, we wish you happy, healthy, and safe holidays!
Photo Credit: Teresa Boardman, Happy House
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