Prepare Your Home Before a Road Trip
When you are getting ready to go on a long road trip, you have a lot of preparations to make. First, of course, you have to plan out your trip – the stops you’ll be making, your ultimate destination, etc. You also have to prepare yourself, your family, and your car for the long trip. As you surely know if you have attempted it before, a road trip vacation without careful planning can quickly turn into a tedious affair. However, it is also essential to remember other aspects of preparation, in addition to planning your trip. For example, if you are leaving your home for an extended period of time – particularly in your car – it is necessary to set up your home with the best security possible in your absence.
The first step to take when leaving your home, with regard to home security, is to give your home every appearance of being occupied. This is where it becomes a slight concern that you are taking your car with you, as the presence of a car in the garage or driveway gives outsiders the impression that you are at home. If your family does have a second car, try to be sure that it is positioned in a way that outsiders can see it. Additionally, you should leave a light on somewhere in your home – preferably somewhere further inside, so that it gives off light but it is not apparent which rooms are lit. Finally, you should also tell your neighbors to be aware that you are out of town, so that they might report any suspicious activity they notice around your home.
Even more important than disguising your home to give the impression that it is occupied is to have actual security prepared to defend your home. If you have an up to date security system, you can activate it before you leave, setting up an alarm system, and possibly more, to guard your home in your absence. With modern systems, you can actually monitor your security from just about anywhere through your cell phone or wireless smart device, meaning that you can be in control of what’s happening at your home even when you are gone.
The best thing about these preparations is that they are relatively simple! It is easy to become overwhelmed by your to-do list as you prepare to take your road trip, but you can greatly increase the security of your home with just a few easy steps, as described above. This can give you the peace of mind of knowing that your home and possessions are safe, which can in turn allow you to enjoy your vacation more thoroughly, and with a stress-free attitude.
Katie M. is a writer and blog contributor.
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