How To Make It Appear That You’re At Home When You’re Traveling

While spending your time traveling is a great way to experience parts of the world that you otherwise wouldn’t be privy to, it can also make your home a bit of a target for those looking to take advantage of a vacant property. And because this is the last thing you want to have to deal with upon returning home from your travels, it may be a good idea for you to take some measures that will help your home stay safe while you’re not there to protect it. To show you how to do this, here are three things you can do to make it appear that you’re at home while you’re traveling.

Watch Your Windows

Many people feel that the best way to keep their home safe from peeping eyes is to have the blinds on their windows closed for the entire time they’re gone. And while this may make sense on some level, Caroline Costello, a contributor to Smarter Travel, shares that it’s generally safer to just leave your blinds how you would normally have them during the day. This means that if you generally have your blinds open, keep them open. The reasoning behind this is that the more normal your home looks, the less vulnerable it will appear. Additionally, if your neighbors or friends are able to see inside your home, they’ll be able to tell if something inside is amiss.

Take Advantage of Timers

Once the sun goes down, you may wonder what you can do to make your home look like someone is there without someone being physically at the location. Luckily, technology has made this easier than even through the use of timers. According to Laura Gaskill, a contributor to Houzz.com, putting your lights or even some appliances, like your TV, on a timer can make your home appear like there’s someone living there even when no one is physically turning these things on. With some timers, you can control them from your smartphone so you know exactly when they’re on and when they’re off. With other controls, you simply set the timer and have the lights or appliances go on or off at different times throughout the day.

Keep Up Your Routine Appearances

Even with the two strategies mentioned above, if you’re going to be gone from your home for an extended period of time, you might need to get some outside help for your home to keep up its appearances. According to Jill Leviticus, a contributor to USA Today, some things you should plan to have done at your home are to have someone keep up with your landscaping or ask a friend to move your car from the garage to the driveway every few days. By doing these things, there will be physical movement and improvement at your home, which will further help to make your home less of a target.

If you’re worried about how to keep your home safe while you’re away, use the tips mentioned above to make your home look lived in even though it’s not.