3 Things to Keep in Mind When Leaving Your Home Unattended

(Guest Writer: Kenneth Reaves)

The home is often our safe space. This is where we live, sleep, and spend time doing things we love. Our homes are filled with our most precious possessions, and we treasure the comfort of our own space.

But what happens when you need to travel or be away from home? A change of scenery can be great, but do you worry about leaving your home unattended?

Thankfully, just a bit of planning and preparation can keep your home safe and your mind at ease. Here are three things to keep in mind when leaving your home unattended.

Photo by Rowan Heuvel on Unsplash

1. Keep It Quiet

With the popularity of social media, it can be second nature to let your online network know that you’re leaving home for a while. But putting sensitive information on your social media means that many people are going to know your home is standing empty.

Only Let Important People Know

There’s no need to leave without telling anybody. But it’s advisable to not announce it on your social media platforms, especially if you live alone. You never know who may come across the information and take advantage.

Choose a few close friends or family members to speak to about leaving. It’s important that someone knows where you’re going and how to get hold of you if necessary. It’s also essential that you have someone you can trust to check your home if you need them to.

Don’t Share Your Itinerary Online

It’s tempting to share all your vacation plans with your friends and family online. But putting too much information out there can give would-be thieves or vandals the freedom to take their time around your home, knowing you’re not around.

You don’t need to avoid sharing anything on social media at all. But if you’re only going to be gone for a short while, it may be safer to post your pictures and experiences once you’re back in your own home.

Have an Emergency Contact

If you’re going to be away and you’re worried about your home, ask a close friend or family member to check in and let you know that things are okay.

This could be a neighbour who lives close by. They may be able to keep an eye on the outside of your home and make sure there’s nothing strange going on around your house.

Choose someone you can trust and ask them to stay quiet about you being away from home.

2. Keep Your Property Safe

Even if nobody knows that you're away, you need to take steps to make sure that nothing happens to your home while you’re not there. Anything can happen while you’re not there, so taking these precautions can help keep your property as safe as possible.

Leave It As Normal As Possible

Try not to make your home look like there’s nobody there. Leave it looking as normal as possible. For example, don’t close all your curtains when you leave or leave your lights on. Closed curtains during the day look unnatural and lights staying on all night isn’t normal either.

Leave your curtains open and your lights off. If you want to, you can set a light on a timer so it looks like it’s been switched off by somebody in the home. You can always ask a trusted friend or neighbour to take in your mail or other small things like that, so it doesn’t look like the home is deserted.

Store Important Items

There’s no need to pack every valuable item into storage when you leave the house. But make an effort to protect your most precious and pricey items if you aren’t taking them with you.

Things like computers, televisions and other electronics should be placed somewhere they can’t be reached. Even if someone can’t get in, many things can be stolen through a window with the help of a stick or lasso.

Also, remove your spare key from its hiding place. Give it to your trusted friend to safeguard. You shouldn’t risk someone else finding it and using it while you're away.

Unplug

Don’t forget to take care of possible hazards before leaving. Unplug any appliances that aren’t necessary. If they’re left plugged in, they could be a fire hazard. Turn down your thermostat and switch off your geyser to prevent possible accidents and damage to your home.

This will also lower your electricity bill so you won’t be paying for electricity you aren’t using.

3. Consider Smart Security

If you want to be able to keep an eye on things at home even while you’re not there, technology can help. Installing smart security features allows you to monitor your home no matter where you are.

Video Doorbell

This handy device will show you exactly who comes to your door. If someone comes to visit you while you’re not home, you’ll be able to see exactly who it is and when they’re there. It’s as simple as viewing the video feed on your smartphone, no matter where you are.

CCTV Cameras

Your front door isn’t the only place people might be around your home. Installing CCTV cameras can give you an indication of weak spots around your property and where you may need to take extra precautions in the future.

If something does happen while you’re away, CCTV footage could be instrumental in dealing with it later.

Smart Sensors

If you don’t like the idea of leaving your curtains open all the time or leaving your lights off even at night, you can install smart sensors to control these things from afar.

You can either choose lights that come on automatically when it gets dark, or you can install a system that’s controlled on your phone. This allows you to switch lights on and off whenever you wish.

Conclusion

Leaving your home unattended for a few days or weeks doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. You don’t have to miss that conference, fishing trip or family reunion because you’re worried about the safety of your home. All it requires is some preparation, vigilance and a trusted friend or family member nearby.

Implement these tips next time you have to go on vacation. If you put the effort in before leaving home, you’ll find that you’re more relaxed and can enjoy your vacation or event without worrying about what’s going on back home.