Things that you can avoid to enhance the security of your home while on vacation

We all love to take vacations to escape from the hectic lifestyle that most of us lead today. Vacations are a mean to escape from our everyday grind and a way to unwind and relax ourselves. Unfortunately, taking vacations cannot be as easy it might seem because while we are gone a lot of things need to be taken care of. Our home is probably the most important one. This is because one of the times when our homes are most vulnerable are when they are left empty for an extended period of time.

Ways to protect your home while on vacation

Some of the sure tell-tale signs of your absence from your home for an extended period of time are: mail or newspapers that have not been retrieved, closed windows in hot weather, darkened windows, drying plants, etc. All these things literally advertise the fact that no one has been in the house for a long period of time, to the whole neighborhood. So what can you do to protect your home while you are away on a vacation?

Home security tips for vacation

Well, the best way to protect is your home to have a home security system installed. But here, we will talk about some of the things you can do to protect your home when you are taking a vacation and also, when you do not have a home security system installed.

Arrange to have "house-sitter" for the best home security

Needless to say, if you do not have a home security system installed, the best protection that you can get for your home while you are on a vacation is to have a house-sitter. Ask a friend or a relative who you trust, to stay at your home and take care of your pets and/or plants in addition to making sure the house is inhabited.

Or have a neighbor check on your house on a regular basis

If possible, ask a neighbor to check on your home while you are gone from time to time. Ask him or her to turn on lights, radios or TVs and open and close curtains regularly. Doing all these simple things create the impression that someone is actually living in the house!

If you cannot arrange a "house-sitter" or a neighbor

• In case you do not have a friend, a relative or neighbor to house-sit or check on your house regularly, while you are gone, you should keep a few things on timer. Things that you can have on timer are of course, lights but also, a TV or a radio. Remember, the absence of that bluish light (that emanates from a TV) or the noise of the radio or TV will tell a potential burglar that there might no one actually living in the house.
  
• If you cannot arrange a house-sitter then you must stop your mail and newspapers and if possible, other deliveries, as well. Nothing can advertise that a house is empty any better than a stack of newspapers or an overflowing mailbox. Check with a nearby neighbor if it would be possible for him or her to pick up any packages while you are away on vacation.
  
• If you are a plant lover or if you simply love to have greenery around you and you happen to have a garden or plants on your balcony then it is imperative that you have someone is watering the plants regularly. If that is not possible then put the plants where they can't be seen. Remember, plants slowly dying due to lack of water may indicate that you have been away from your home for an extended period and also, that there is no house-sitter!

Two more things

• If you are fortunate enough to find a house-sitter then give him or her all the emergency numbers or who he or she needs to call in case of an emergency. If you believe that you could be reached somehow while you are on a vacation then let the house-sitter know about it.
  
• And finally, do not forget to check your lease. Some landlords require that tenants notify them if their home is going to be left empty for any period of time.