The nights having strangely got darker very quick don’t you think? The cold weather is here and the clocks go back soon. It’s time to get your home sorted for winter to keep you and your family safe and sound while waiting for Christmas to whizz on by. A recent study found out that you’re more likely to get burgled in winter (scary stuff) So with that in mind here’s five tips and tricks to getting your home safe and secure for the winter months. You’d check your car before the winter hits, so get working on your home too!

Home Alarm System

Getting yourself a home alarm system is a smart move at any time of year. But even more so when the darker days set in. Even better are remotely monitored alarm systems that are able to receive and respond to signals produced by your alarm system. It means even when you’re not there, your home is protected. It’s the extra level of security and peace of mind that you get from having something like that fitted in your home. It takes the stress away by knowing you’ll be notified at the first sign of anything a little odd happening in your home.

Having monitored alarm systems also means that you can go away for long periods of time knowing that your home is being looked after. No more asking your neighbour to pop in or getting your mum to check on the house. Peace of mind at it’s best. Not only can they detect things but they can resolve them too. There’s a load of different designs you can get these days. It doesn’t have to be a super complex alarm where you need a degree to know how to switch the thing on. It also doesn’t have to be a massive unsightly thing that sticks on the outside of your home. Alarm companies have stepped up their game and are able to offer – dare I say it – but almost trendy alarm systems. Welcome to the 21st century!

Gravel

Another simple safety-related thing you can implement is gravel in your front gardens! Yes! Gravel! It’s a noisy thing to walk over so you’ll hear any unwelcome guests before they even get to the door. It’s a great deterrent. Plus. For lazy folk like me, it’s much easier to maintain than grass – no matter the season! Simple.

PorchLight

This is a simple one but oh so effective. Just being able to see who is on your doorstep can make you feel much safer and also much less likely to open the door to someone you don’t know. Having a porch light (or security light as some people call it) can make a world of difference. You can get automatic ones that pop on with movement or ones that you keep on or put on when you need too.

Beware of things like neighbours cats that can easily flick on the automatic ones. Not so cool when you’re at home alone and the outside light comes on. But with that being said, you’ll learn about these little things an get used to them. It’s still better than opening the door to just darkness though right?

Social Media

Just tagged yourself and your family at your local restaurant for dinner? How about on a winter holiday and you want to show off your tan? Amazing! Everyone can see that you’re having an amazing time. But guess what? Now everyone knows that you’re not at home and it doesn’t take much of a Google nerd to find out what your address is. Especially if you’ve tagged yourself at home before! Always beware of tagging your location because you’re basically telling the world your home is empty. In general, you should check your online safety anyway. When you think of it like that, Not a great idea is it?

Back to Basics

This is a simple one but sometimes going back to basics can make the world of difference. We can all get complacent and lazy. It’s so easy to cut corners when you’re in a rush or tired. So this is a gentle reminder to lock your doors, make sure your windows are secure and keep keys in a safe place – away from the front door. It’s amazing how many people just ‘forget’ to close windows once we quickly move into chillier weather.

A simple whip around before bedtime or before you head off for work could save you a LOT of hassle if the worst were to happen. It’s also worth checking that all your locks work and are in good order. The weather has a funny effect on things and what might have seemed fine in summer could easily not be suitable in winter. It can literally take a minute a day. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

 

All of these suggestions are little (and big) things that you can put into place to help keep your home safe this winter. Get on it now before you regret it.

* This post is in collaboration with Verisure, home alarm systems. All views and opinions are my own.