by Jacquie Schmall

Created on: October 05, 2009   Last Updated: October 07, 2009

In addition to carefully choosing the apartment building in which you will live, and taking time to become familiar with neighborhood even before you sign the contract to move in, you will have already established a foundation of information that will make it much easier to feel safe in your new home. The day to day routines, encourage a developing sense of connection to a new apartment home, creating a sense of the familiar, and of safety. A reality check that gives us all a sense of snug and safe is about having safety locks on doors and windows, and of knowing something of your immediate neighbors.

Perhaps there is no perfectly safe neighborhood, house, or apartment house. However there are obvious things to do to establish a home environment that makes you feel safe, even though there may be police sirens in the distance.

The answer is a qualified yes. It is clear there are degrees of safety, each degree supported by actions you take to insure each one is effective in making you feel secure in your own apartment home.

1. Safety in your home begins way before you get there, especially late at night when criminals are in their element, and you are at a disadvantage. When there are fewer people around to interfere with a crime, then your personal safety may be more at risk.

So then, when coming home late at night, your apartment house, should be well lighted. Criminals don't like to be center stage, and will, more than likely, find another place to do their dirty work, than a place that has lots of lights. Signs of burglar alarm systems, or guards in gated communities, will certainly add to your feeling that you are secure on the property of your apartment building.

2. Car parking, and garage safety are paramount on your list of what to look for when renting a new apartment.

If you get around town by bus, then you are beholden to bus schedules, and should be able to walk safely home from the bus stop.

3. Arriving at your apartment building, you should find hallways, stairwells, and elevator lobbies well lit, so you can see if anyone is loitering.

Everyone who lives in your building, or is visiting is anxious to enjoy the same sense of safety. If someone is acting suspiciously, or a bulb is burned out, and familiar areas are dark, then you should recognize that as a red flag , and perhaps you should call a friend to meet you, or turn around and find a police officer to accompany you.

Our sense of safety is strongly supported by the patterns of apartment neighbors, and the general environment, doing whatever they do from day to day. Knowing the apartment management has provided well lit hallways, laundry rooms, and parking garages, also adds to our feelings of being in a safe environment.

4. Being able to lock our windows, especially sliding glass doors to an outside balcony, and good window covering that offers real privacy, also contribute to our sense of feeling secure in our own home.

5. If anything out of the ordinary does happen, it is a good idea to keep a telephone handy along with various emergency numbers clearly listed, so you can phone a friend.

The more casual, and careless we are about our environment, the more easily a criminal can take advantage of us. So if your building management has done their job, to feel safe in your own home, just take a few simple precautions, and make them a habit, and you will feel safe in your own apartment.

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