Well, firstly, congratulations on your well-earned break! It’s now less than a week until Armidale (and much of the world) celebrates Christmas. While a lot of people choose to stay in the New England region until work or school begin again, there are plenty who choose to pack up their bags and visit friends or holiday overseas.
Something you may not have planned for is the security of your home; an unfortunate fact is that there tends to be a higher rate of theft over holiday periods (namely December and January), so if you’re going away start out by checking that all locks and entrances on your property are secure. This doesn’t just mean the front door either. Check all doors, windows, sheds, garages, gates and anything else that could leave an easy access point into your home.
Whilst checking your home security, don’t forget to check your smoke alarm. To do this, simply press the button on the detector and listen for a beeping or ringing sound. Don’t worry – you won’t have to listen carefully – if your alarm is working properly the noise will be quite loud! While you’re at it, turn off non-essential appliances off at the wall (making sure you leave the fridge plugged in!).
If you’re going to be away for a few weeks, a quick way to make it look like your house is occupied is to use a light or TV on a timer. It will create the illusion that someone is home in the evenings, and deter intruders.
Before leaving your home you might also like to ask your neighbours or a friend if they can take your bins out and collect your mail for you. It doesn’t hurt to check your insurance before you head away too, to make sure that your home is covered in case the worst happens. Leave your insurance details with a friend or family member nearby just in case.
Another thing to be weary of is what is posted on your Facebook profile. If you have a public profile in particular make sure that you don’t make posts that let on to others that you are holidaying away from home, and don’t “check in” at your holiday location. If you still want to let your friends know that you’re going away then check the privacy settings of your Facebook page and make sure it is only your friends who can see that you are going away.
If you do everything you can to make sure your home is left safe and secure over your holidays then you will be able to rest easy and enjoy your holiday away to its fullest!
