by Melissa Nykorchuk

Created on: April 16, 2010

When you are off on vacation, the last thing that you want to worry about is the safety of your home.  There are a number of ways to protect your home while you are away.  A few preparations before you leave on vacation will help protect your home and give you peace of mind while you are having fun.

Let Trusted Neighbors Know You'll Be Away

Although you don't want to broadcast to everyone that you will be away on vacation, letting one or two neighbors that you trust know you'll be away for a few days is a smart move.  By letting your neighbors know how long you will be gone they will watch for suspicious activity and pay closer attention to who comes to your house.  Neighbors that watch out for one another can start their own neighborhood watch and help deter crime in general throughout the neighborhood.

Hire a  House Sitter

With a house sitter in your home, the house will not be empty and you can relax knowing that at the very least your house is being watched.  A house sitter can serve other purposes as well such as walking pets who need exercise, watering plants and taking in the mail.

Use Timers on a Few Lights

Timers are a simple solution to make it appear as if someone is home and a well timed light may stop an impulsive thief.  Unfortunately, if a thief cases your home for several days, they are likely to notice that the lights turn on at the same time every day.  Timers are only a part of the protection you should consider if you are leaving on vacation.

Have Your Mail Stopped

Piled up mail in the mailbox is a sure sign to any thief that no one is home.  If you are going to be gone for more than a couple of days, have your mail held at the post office.  There is no charge to have your mail stopped and it won't build up in your mailbox, alerting potential thieves.

It can be very stressful to leave your home for any length of time.  If you have a large number of valuables, especially small items such as collectibles and jewelry, consider leaving them with a trusted friend or family member just in case.  If your house is broken into, at least your most valuable assets will not be on the premises.  Remember to use timers, have your mail stopped and consider hiring a house sitter if you are worried about leaving your house empty.

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