How to Secure Your Home Before Going on a Family Vacation

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When you’re getting ready to take the kids and spouse on a big trip, there’s a lot to account for. You’ve got to make your travel plans, secure your lodgings, make arrangements. More often than not there’s a rental car to reserve — and you’ve got to make sure entertainment, food, and other activities are account for, planned, and centrally-located. Basically, a family vacation is something that has a lot of moving parts, and when you’re in charge of putting it together the pressure can certainly build up. On top of all this is the fact that you’re going to be leaving your home empty for however long you’ll be gone. This is almost always a worrisome fact, as we all hope that we’ll get back from our trip to find our house still locked up tight and with all our possessions sitting right inside, where we left them. We’ll talk about a few of the most effective ways to secure your home before you take off on your next big trip, so you can relax and enjoy your vacation without worrying about whether or not your things are being stolen while you relax on a sandy beach.

The most obvious answer is the alarm system. Especially if you’re going to be gone for an extended period of time, this option gives you the sanctity of mind that comes with knowing the right authorities will be alerted if anyone enters your house without your permission. Thankfully enough, these are pretty affordable. Lots of companies will install them without charging extra, and just allow you to sign up for an affordable monthly fee. These can be installed on doors and windows alike, so you can guarantee that if someone goes into your house while you’re gone, the right people will know about it.

Another great strategy is to leave a few lights on, or have someone stop by and make it look like people are still home every day or so. If you’ve got a pal or family member in the area, entreat them to stop by your home every afternoon and turn on a different combination of lights to give the appearance of activity inside your place. A dark, empty home is pretty inviting to ne’er-do-wells if it stays that way. This can also be achieved with a timer — a great option for a homeowner that finds him- or herself traveling on a pretty regular basis.

Getting a dog is another great way to make sure your home stay secure, although this can be a pretty lifelong investment if all you want it for is security. Whether you hire the best locksmiths in Texas or have a state-of-the-art security system, it can always be something of a worry to leave your house for days on end. With these strategies, however, you can sleep a little easier and know that your things won’t be tampered with while you’re off and enjoying your well-earned vacation.