Packing for a summer trip often begins weeks before you
leave. In your excitement about the trip, you may have started a “Countdown
until Spain” online, sharing with friends your plans for the summer. We spend
lots of time getting clothing, travel plans, car rentals and tickets in order,
but often forget about the home we are leaving behind. Police and insurance
companies have tips to keep your home safe while you travel. Additional tips
will keep your apartment home safe, too.
Safety first
- Give your manager
or landlord notice of your plans. Some communities let the maintenance team
know so they can be on the lookout. If you have a house-sitter, let your
manager know there’s a new face in your apartment while you’re gone.
- Ask the postal
service to hold your mail. A sure sign of a vacant apartment is an
overflowing mailbox or newspapers outside your door.
- Buy a light
switch/dimmer. Automatic lights that turn on and off for a couple of hours
a day/night can ward off thieves. They are inexpensive and easy to install.
Close curtains and lock windows.
- Grab your spare
hidden key. Don’t leave the hidden key in the rock out front or on top of
the door frame. Put it away while on vacation.
- Don’t share plans
online. Criminals track social-media updates on travel and then break into
homes during vacations. Share highlights of your trip after you return.