How to Keep Your Home Safe During Holiday Travel

This post was provided by Jensen Group, specializing in Ames, Iowa apartments.
For most, the holidays are the time for vacationing, visiting family and attending parties. Unfortunately, it is also "Christmas time" for burglars who reap the rewards of vacant homes and unguarded valuables. Don't be the victim of a holiday home invasion. Follow these simple tips for preparing your home for the holidays to ensure a safe and secure home this season.
1. Create the Illusion That You Are Home Although leaving a couple lights on while you're out might sound like the oldest trick in the book, the reasoning behind it makes sense -- burglars look for signs of inactivity when deciding which homes to rob. So take the extra steps of investing in a timer for lights, asking a neighbor to collect your mail and newspaper, and paying someone to maintain your yard when you're away. The idea is to create the appearance of activity.
2. Inform Your Local Police Department of Your Departure In many small to medium cities, police will keep an eye on your home if you provide them with your travel dates. Call the police station a couple of weeks beforehand to let them know when you will be out of town so they can assign someone to patrol your area.
3. Don't Broadcast Your Whereabouts We live in an age of over sharing and it is only natural to want to update your Facebook status, Twitter feed, and other social media channels with exciting news of your Christmas vacation. Resist the urge, if possible. The fewer people that know your home is empty, the less likely that it will be burglarized.
4. Keep Valuables Out of Sight Who doesn't want to show off a beautiful Christmas tree? Window displays are a great idea for those who are home for the holidays -- but otherwise, they just attract unnecessary attention. Where there are Christmas trees there are usually gifts, so keep your trees and wrapped gifts out of sight if you plan to be away.
5. Destroy the Evidence Some of us may be fortunate enough to receive fancy electronics, appliances, and other high-dollar items as gifts this year. Just be sure to keep the "evidence" under wraps. Break down and conceal product packaging in the trash. Even better, dispose of these items in a public dumpster, away from your home. Don't give the crooks a reason to break in to your home!
Taking just a few precautionary measures can help you ensure your home is not a target for burglars this Christmas. Follow these tips each time you leave your home unoccupied and you'll remain a step ahead of the thieves.