Basic Home Safety Tips

5 min readSep 4, 2022

I’ve posted several articles about Home Safety. Specifically about home invasion, decreasing the risk of burglary, keeping your home safe while on vacation, and bad advice for home safety.

This one is pretty much just the left over information I had that didn’t really fit into any other article. It’s very basic but very helpful information to help keep you safer in your home.

Lock your doors

So… this advice has been in most of my “safe at home” articles. But it’s really, really important. Most thieves, finding a door locked, will move on looking for easier targets.

But I live in a nice neighborhood!

“I live in a nice neighborhood. It’s quiet. It’s not weird to leave your garage door open or to forget to lock your car or leave back doors unlocked. It’s not odd” ~Anthony Smith, in an interview with Ariel Helwani about being attacked by an intruder in his home.

Anthony left his garage door open. He and his family were sleeping when a crazy man invaded his house in the middle of the night.

Lock your doors. No matter where you live.

Just moved into a new home or apartment?

Besides getting all the locks changed, also check for hidden cameras. Your landlord, the previous tenant or the previous owner could be spying on you. (i.e. light switch plates, carbon monoxide/fire alarms, well outlets, wall/heater vents, cable/fuse boxes).

I know this sounds paranoid, but it has happened in the past and will continue to happen. So be aware.

Live with roommates and/or in a dorm?

If you share an apartment or house, buy yourself a good lock for your bedroom door and keep it locked. Lock it when you’re in the room and lock it when you aren’t.

Your roommate/s may be trustworthy, but you don’t what their friends/guests might do.

You also have no control over whether or not your roommate/s will lock the front door. Your locked bedroom door may help deter burglars. I mean… It can’t hurt. Burglars are looking for a quick in and out. If your door is locked, they may just leave it alone.

Keep the key on you when you’re out, just like you would your house or apartment key.

If you live in a dorm, keep your door closed and locked, especially when you’re sleeping. Keep your key with you at all times. Don’t make copies for friends or lend the key to someone.

If you lose the key, report it at once. Get the lock changed (even if you have to pay for it).

Live Alone?

Make it look as if you don’t. Get a dog if your lifestyle allows. (As long as the dog is not solely used as a “guard dog.” Dogs should be companions first, protectors second.)

If you can’t have or don’t want a dog, make it look as if you do. Put a “beware of dog” sign on your fence, gate and/or door. Put a used dish on the porch and fill it with water. Get a used dog house for the back yard.

If you are a woman, make it look as if a man lives there with you. I’m not saying you can’t take care of yourself. Or that a man can take any better care of you. It’s just something that might make a predator decide not to target your home. Check out this quote:

“If I saw a pair of construction boots, for example, out on the porch or on the landing, I’d walk right on by. In fact, I think if women who live alone would put a pair of old construction boots — or something that makes it look like a physically fit manly-type of guy lives with them — out in front of their door, most rapists or even burglars wouldn’t even think about trying to get into their home.” A convicted rapist quoted in Predators: Who They Are and How to Stop Them, by Cooper, King and McHoes.

Having a party?

It’s tempting and easier to just leave the front door unlocked/open. But unless you want strangers joining your party (which you may or may not be fine with), you should keep the door locked.

It’s OK to make party goers ring the doorbell and wait to be let in.

It’s usually apparent from the street or from hallways in apartment buildings to hear that there’s a party going on. And it’s easy for strangers to walk in. And that’s when things could go bad.

Workers in your home

If you need to hire contractors, ask for references and then check them. Look for customer reviews online.

Most workers are trustworthy. But there’s no way to be completely sure. So…

Don’t give them access to the entire house unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Don’t give them a key to your house or your security code. Make arrangements for someone to be there (you, a family member or a friend) when they are there.
Don’t answer any personal questions about you, your family or your schedule.
As soon as the workers leave, check all windows and doors to be sure they are still closed and locked. One of them may have unlocked a door or left a window open a bit so they can gain entry later.

Follow this same advice if you have large items delivered inside your home.

Consider joining or starting a Neighborhood Watch

A neighborhood watch group can be an effective crime deterrent. It’s a good way to get to know your neighbors and it encourages neighbors to watch out for one another.

You can share information about any crime going on in your neighborhood. And you can share home security information and tips.

Get in touch with local law enforcement. They may be able to tell you if there is one in your neighborhood. Go online for ideas on how to start one.

~Shereen

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