With spring break on the horizon, we know you’re ready to go on a little vacation. Even if you’re just going to stay with your parents, you will be leaving your apartment alone. You want to ensure that your apartment will be safe without you there so you do not return to a break-in or similar tragedy. Follow these tips to ensure that your apartment will be as safe as can be while on spring break!
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Tell Your Neighbors
Hopefully, since living in this apartment, you have made an effort to get to know your neighbors, even just a little bit. This is a helpful security measure so you know who to expect walking around your place normally. Now that you are going away for spring break, tell neighbors that are staying home you will be away. They can keep an ear or eye out for suspicious noises and activity and update you if anything happens.
Now that your neighbor knows, you can ask one of them to take in your mail. Mail piling up can indicate your absence and catch the eye of someone unlawful.
Double-Check Your Locks
Right before you leave for spring break, you need to double-check all of your locks. This might sound like it goes without saying, but maybe there’s a window or sliding door you often leave unlocked. A break-in may be unlikely, but you would not want to give anyone a, quite literally, open door to waltz in and take what they want. Go around your apartment, room to room, locking any entrances you have. Naturally, the front door will be saved until last when you leave. If you have a deadbolt that you do not usually use, now is the time!
Unplug Everything
As you double-check your locks, unplug anything that does not need to be plugged in while you’re gone. The next couple of tips do involve keeping something plugged in, but plenty of belongings need not stay in. This includes air fresheners, toasters, and of course your hair curlers. Anything with an open fuse that could start a fire needs to be unplugged while you are gone.
Leave a Light on
Something simple you can do is leave a light on while you are gone. This will give the illusion to others looking in your window that someone is home. If someone notices an apartment is dark night after night for a week, they might put you on a potential list of targets.
However, you cannot just leave any light on for a week! That could put your apartment in danger of a fire. First, you want the bulb to be an LED light bulb. Those are not as hot and are at a much lower risk of starting a fire. Second, you might want to invest in a timer. You can find them for pretty cheap and with different options! They allow for dusk to dawn time, four hours, eight hours, or more. Some also have apps that you can download on your phone so you can monitor it while you’re gone. Having a timer like this lowers the risk of a fire even further. During the day, you do not necessarily need a light on, so then it can turn off in the evening.
Security Cameras
Another thing you might want to invest in is a security camera or two! They can be motion sensitive and again send a notification to your phone when they sense movement. That way, you can check and see what happens while you are gone and get notifications if something happens. Some of them even allow for communication, so that you can speak and an intruder can hear you. Plus, you can always take a peek if you have a gut feeling that something is wrong. Knowing that you can keep an eye on your apartment at any time can really help ease your mind.
Hide Valuables
Never leave your valuables out in the open. This can include anything you deem valuable, even if it does not have a high price tag. For example, do not leave your social security card or any other forms of ID out, sentimental jewelry, and of course technology like gaming consoles, printers, and computers.
There are multiple different ways you can hide these important items. One, you can invest in a safe. You can set the code so that only you can access it. If you decide to get a safe, do not leave it out in the open. This would be a prime target for a robber. Keep it hidden, whether it’s in a locked closet, under the bed, or somewhere else you do not think would be checked. Second, you can place valuables in old food containers, like a tin meant for oats. People will likely not check someplace like that, and your things will be safe!
We know you want to be worry-free while out on spring break. If you follow these tips, your apartment will be safe and secure, giving you peace of mind!
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