Going on vacation is a special treat for most of us, and we have probably had to save hard for and have also waited all year for our holiday to come round. Worrying about your home should not be something that you have to do when you are about to go off on your well earned holiday. If you plan ahead, you can have a great vacation with no worries about your home!

A Home That Is Watched Discourages Thieves

If you are lucky enough to have a friend or relative that can be a house sitter for you, you are fortunate, as they can provide the security of people coming in and out of the house during the day. The house sitter can also take care of your pets for you. If however, you do not have a relative or friend that can house sit for you find it could be worth looking in local classified ads as people often advertise this service. There are also several companies around that offer this service, and although this may well cost you financially, you will have the extra security of knowing your home and your pets are being well looked after in your absence.

The very least that you need to do is to perhaps ask a trusted neighbor or a friend to call in and pick up your mail, put your trash out on garbage day, and water your plants. Any opportunist thief will be on the look out for an untended garden or plants and an overflowing mailbox, as they are big signs for a thief that your house is ripe for the picking. Security experts recommend that you do not actually stop your mail, because there are some unscrupulous people that may pick up on the fact that your mail delivery person does not stop at your house. Make sure that whoever is picking up your mail, also picks up any newspaper that gets delivered. It is also a good idea to have a car parked in your driveway, as this is a very good deterrent.

If you are not fortunate enough to find a house sitter, then you need to make your house look lived-in. You can do this by setting up Inexpensive timers on your lights, so that they come on automatically around nightfall, and go off a few hours later. These only need to be fitted into a few rooms, so itneed not cost you too much. You can also purchase automatic tracks for curtains that can be set to open and close at specific times. This will help your home look like someone is still living there. Have the person who is checking your house to adjust the blinds also.

If you have lawns in your gardens, try and get someone to mow these for you - a lawn with high grass for a while is a sure sign that no-one is around.

Extra Protection While You're Out of your Home

Whether you are just going down the street, out to dinner, or on vacation for a few weeks, these tips should be followed:-

Always make sure your doors are locked, and that you have given a key to soeone you trust (this obviously applies more for a long absence).

Timers on lights and radios will give the impression that someone is in the house.

Do not leave a spare key under a flowerpot, under the doormat, inside the mail box, or in any other obvious place. A thief will know just where to look. The fake rock key holders are quite effective, but only if they fit in well with your garden.

When you are leaving town, tell your neighbor as they will notice anything amiss much more quickly than someone who may be popping in just once every day or two.

If the Worst Does Happen when you are gone here are some things for you to look for:-

If you see a broken window, or a broken door - DO NOT go into your home. Call the Police from your mobile, or a neighbors. Even if nothing has been stolen, it is far better to have the police escort you just in case the thief is still in your property.

If you think that a crime has been committed, do not touch anything. Try and keep things as preserved as you can, so that the police have a chance to check for fingerprints etc.

If you put all of these tips into practice, it is unlikely that you will become a victim of crime, and your home should be all safe and secure while you are away enjoying your vacation.

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