Image the scene; you’ve just come home after an amazing trip. You’ve made hundreds of new memories, and you’ve enjoyed a wonderful time with your partner, your family, your friends, or perhaps on your own discovering more about yourself. Then you open up the door, glad to be back even if you did have an incredible time, only to find that you’ve been burgled. Prized possessions are missing and your house is a mess. And apart from the emotional distress this will cause you, you won’t be able to relax and unwind either since the police and the insurance companies need to be informed and there will be a lot to deal with.

No one wants this hassle after they get back from a great trip away, and of course, it would taint the memories of the trip too. Therefore, it’s a good idea to put some measures in place to protect your home when you’re traveling so you don’t have to worry about it and you know you’ll get back without finding a disaster waiting for you. Read on to find out more about what you can do.

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Speak To Your Neighbors

Possibly the easier option is to speak to your neighbors to ask them to check over your property once in a while when you are away. Assuming you know your neighbors well enough, they would be able to pick up your mail, water your plants, take delivery of anything you order, and even switch lights on or draw curtains to make it seem as though someone is inside.

Even if you don’t know your neighbors well enough to ask them to help out in this way, mentioning that you’re going away and asking them just to keep an eye on things is often just as useful. You might even let them park on your driveway to make it seem as though your home is occupied if that would help. Plus you can return the favor when they need it, making it a fair exchange.

Install Timers

By far the best option is to have someone go into your home every few days to check things over, but if no one can help then installing timers to make your lights come on at certain times, and perhaps even to draw your curtains or put the heating on – anything to make it seem like the house is occupied – would be a worthwhile investment. In many cases, you can control these electronics through your phone, so you’ll be in control even if you’re away from home.

Of course, the only downside to doing this is that your plants won’t get watered, but you could always give them away before you go on your trip so they are safe, and when you get back you can easily order an indoor plant delivery so your home is green once more.

Stop The Mail

Burglars are sometimes opportunists who try their luck when it comes to getting into other people’s homes, but sometimes they do their homework and they check out properties in advance to see if there is anyone there or not. Stopping your mail while you’re away is a good idea; it will prevent your mailbox from getting full – a sure sign that no one is there. This should be an easy thing to arrange with your local mail office, and it will give you peace of mind that your mail isn’t sending out a signal that you’re not home.

Be Careful On Social Media

If you’re a regular user of social media, you’ll more than likely want to post about the fun things you’re doing on your vacation. However, this can be a terrible idea. As tempting as it is to show other people the exciting things you’re doing, it’s best to leave this until you get home and show them when you’ve returned from your trip.

This is because, when you post your location on social media, you are essentially broadcasting to anyone who can see your posts that you aren’t at home. Although we’re sure your friends are trustworthy, what about their friends and family who might see it? And if your post is public, there’s no telling who could be using your vacation snaps as a sign they can go and take all your precious belongings.

Get An Alarm System

If you have an alarm system installed, your home is a much less tempting target for thieves. It’s easier for them to pick a house without a security system installed than to try their luck with one that does, so even by just having it, it can be a great deterrent.

Make sure the system is linked to your phone so that if there is any disturbance you can be alerted right away and call the police if you need to.