Protecting Your Home While You’re Away On Holidays: Part I

The summer holidays are meant to be one of the most relaxing times of the year. You may be getting some well-earned time off work to relax with your family or friends and just not stress about anything for a little while. 

And one of the perks of this time off – is that you might be able to get away for a break. 

But before you head off for that well-deserved R & R, securing your home before leaving is a must if you want to have a relaxing, worry-free time while you’re away. 

Here’s part 1 of our two-part series featuring five top tips to protect your home while you’re away on holiday.

 

1. Get Your Mail Sorted

One of the biggest giveaways that a family has left for a holiday is the overflowing mailbox or packages sitting on the doorstep. This is very easy to remedy by a quick phone call or trip to your local post office.

You just need to inform them when you’ll be away and they will make sure your mail stays safely at the dispatch centre and doesn’t fill up your mailbox.

And while you’re at the post office, grab a “no junk mail” sign to prevent your mailbox from overflowing with Holiday Sale catalogues!

 

2. Let Your Neighbours Know

If you see your neighbour out in the yard one day, just let them know you’re going away for a couple of weeks. If they know you’re not home and see someone in or around you’re property, they’re far more likely to keep an eye on that person or report something. 

And if you see a neighbour packing up their car with suitcases, don’t be afraid to pop over and let them know you’ll be keeping an eye out for their property too!

 

3. Be wary of posting holiday information on Social Media

Homes have a far higher risk of being burgled when you are away on holiday. One way for burglars to know whether a family has gone away or not is to first collect a piece of your mail from your mailbox, and then stalk you on social media. 

It isn’t hard these days to collect personal information like travel plans, especially if the plans have been spoken about or ‘counted down to’ prior to you going or posting status/location updates once you’re away all across your social media. 

Put your social media account on private so that only your friends and family will see your holiday snaps and updates.

 

4. Make sure your valuables are safe

Taking your most expensive jewellery or technology on holidays with you is something most people won’t do. It’s less likely to be lost or stolen if you leave it at home, right? 

If you’re leaving your valuables at home, make sure they’re kept away from your windows – you don’t want your place to be open for some burglar window shopping! 

Break-ins are most often unplanned and simply carried out when an opportunity presents itself – so if you can’t see anything valuable from your windows, a burglar is more likely to move to the next house. 

Jewellery and cash are the easiest ‘smash and grab’ objects for a burglar to steal – so make it as difficult as possible to find. If you can lock them up, that’s even better!

 

5. Install Crimsafe Security Screens

Crimsafe Security Screens have been proven to deter criminals from attempting to break in and withstand a huge amount of force. Crimsafe security screens have a tamper-proof design that will have you feeling safe and secure while you enjoy your holiday. 

So, our advice to you…