When you head out on your timeshare vacation to celebrate the holidays this month, you’ll want to keep your home safe while you’re gone.
Here are 4 simple tips:
1. Don’t look empty. There are several easy things to do to keep a lived-in look. Put a hold on your mail and your newspaper delivery. Nothing announces “vacant” more than piled up newspapers in front of the door, and a bulging mail box.
Put lights in various rooms in the house on timers to go on and off at appropriate times. You can also put a radio or the television on a timer, too, so your house sounds like someone is home, as well.
If you live where it snows, make arrangements for someone to clear the sidewalks in front of your house, the walkway to the front door, and the driveway.
2. Don’t advertise. In other words, don’t announce to the world “I’m spending Christmas in Cancun and will return after New Year’s.“
This goes for the answering machine on your home phone, and Twitter and Facebook as well. This time of year criminals are trolling. And be sure that you set your answering machine to pick up on the second or third ring so a phone ringing numerous times doesn’t also announce an empty house.
3. Don’t Display Christmas Gifts. Just a peak in the window can get a criminal interested if they can easily see Christmas presents under the tree. The same goes for electronics such as flat screen televisions, and computers.
If at all possible, place those items in closets, or hallways away from prying eyes. You can also discourage peeping by partially drawing the curtains or blinds. Fully closing them is another indicator of vacancy, so compromise by keeping them partly open, but closed enough that much of the interior cannot be seen .
4. Don’t Do it all Alone. In many cities and towns you can ask the police department to do a periodic drive-by, checking on your home and the neighborhood. Often just the occasional presence of a police vehicle is enough to send criminals scampering.
And, of course, ask your neighbors to keep an eye on your home, too. After all, they’re close by all the time, and they also know who belongs in the neighborhood, and who is a stranger.
Although home burglaries increase during the holidays due to an increase in the numbers of people traveling and thus homes being left vacant, use these suggestions to help keep your home safe when you travel any time of the year.
And now that you know what to do to help keep your house safe, you don’t need to stay home this holiday! Check out the many timeshare rental options that can give you and your family a memorable holiday vacation just about anywhere in the world.