The holidays are here which means families and friends will gather to celebrate. Things will look different this year for many people due to COVID, but I still expect a lot of families to travel to be with their loved ones. With so many people on the road, its important to protect your home. Its an easy time for someone to target an empty home, so here’s a couple things you can do to protect your belongings while you are away.

1.      Program your outdoor lights to switch on at dusk and off at dawn. Nothing screams ‘we’re not home’ like a totally dark house. Some experts recommend keeping a car parked in the driveway too so it looks like someone is home.

2.      Stop your mail services or have a neighbor grab your mail and packages daily. Again, packages sitting on your porch for over a day or a filled mailbox tend to draw attention that no one is home. If you have someone keeping an eye on your home, ask them to grab the mail and any packages daily until you come home. If no one is checking on your home, set up services with the post office to hold all mail. You can also do the same with Fed Ex and UPS. Or leave special instructions with where to deliver packages if you are not going to be home. In other words, don’t make your home a target.

3.      Install a video doorbell. These are great and I recommend them for pretty much anyone. We have a Ring doorbell and it is able to record our entire porch down to the street. Not only is it good when you are away, but its helps deter mischief throughout the year. You can pick them up for $250 and can be installed easily with an existing doorbell. Check out the link here.

4.      Don’t overshare on social media. As easy as it can be to post everything, maybe save some of the posting for when you get back home. People with bad intentions are just as tech savvy and use these resources to target people. Don’t make it too easy for them.

5.      Check smoke detectors and heating system. It may seem silly because you aren’t going to be home, but most fires happen in the colder months. So double check things prior to leaving to ensure everything is in working order.

6.      Seems like a no brainer, but make sure your doors and windows are locked. And if you have a hidden key, bring it inside. What easier way to get into a home then by using a key. If you have friends or family coming to check on your home, give them a key in person.

7.      Did you know, you can ask Alexa to keep your home safe while away? Alexa has an away mode where she will play pre-recorded conversations that sound real throughout the day to deter anyone who may be near. Just another way Alexa comes in handy.

If you have any more tips for traveling this holiday season leave them in the comments below! Happy holidays!