How to Prepare For The Holidays and Keep Your Home Safe and Secure
As always, the holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. As we decorate our southern homes, host festive gatherings, and exchange gifts, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and overlook potential security risks.
With increased activity around, more foot traffic and valuable possessions in our homes, it’s crucial to take proactive measures to safeguard our property and loved ones.
Strand Security, your local home security experts, is here to help you enjoy a safe and stress-free holiday season.
Here are five tips to keep you safe and secure for the next few months during the holiday season.
1. As You Prepare For The Holidays, Secure Your Holiday Decorations
Are you someone who decorates before or after Thanksgiving? It doens’t really matter, however, what does matter is to remember to prioritize safety at all times. When decorating your Christmas tree, it needs to be securely anchored to prevent tipping over when a young child or pet walks by or touches it.
Use cool LED lights, which are less prone to overheating and causing fires.
Use powerstrips, and specifically designed extension cords to avoid overloading outlets. Always unplug lights when you leave home or go to bed. Use timers for added security.
For outdoor decorations, use weather-resistant materials and secure them firmly to prevent theft or damage.
2. Be Mindful of Social Media While You Prepare For The Holidays
While social media is a great way to share holiday cheer and reconnect with friends and family, it’s important to remember to delay posting when out of town. You do not want to advertise that your home is unoccupied during the holiday season; that is an invitation to any would-be burglar!
In addition to avoiding oversharing details about your travel plans, don’t publicly share party invitations or show images of expensive gifts.
This information can attract unwanted attention from criminals. Instead, if you must post, use privacy settings on social media to limit who can see your posts.
3. Safeguard Your Home During Travel
When you’re away on vacation during teh holiday season, it’s crucial to take steps to protect your home.
Use timers to turn lights on and off at different times, giving the impression that someone is home. If you have a smart home, all of this ca be automated!
Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to keep an eye on your property and collect any deliveries, including boxes with holiday gifts.
If you have a home security system, always activate and monitor it while you’re away.
4. Prepare for the Holidays By Protecting Your Holiday Gifts
With the arrival of the holiday season, comes an increase in online shopping and home deliveries.
To protect your valuable holiday gifts and decorations, use a secure delivery service that requires a signature upon delivery. You can also choose to have your packages sent to an alternate address, such as your business or place of work if they allow deliveries.
Alternatively, if you’re not home to receive a package, have it delivered to a trusted neighbor or a secure location such as a lock box on your porch.
Be cautious about sharing details of your purchases on social media, as this could attract unwanted attention.
5. Be Cautious of Online Purchasing and Delivery Scams
During the holiday season, scammers often take advantage of increased online shopping and home deliveries.
Don’t ever click on links sent to you via text or email that you do not recognize. Delete. Delete. Delete!
Be wary of unsolicited emails, phone calls, or text messages claiming to be from delivery companies such as the USPS, UPS or FedEx!
Verify the sender’s identity before providing any personal information or making payments. If you’re unsure about a delivery, contact the company directly to confirm the details.
Wishing You A Wonderful Season as You Prepare For The Holidays
By following these safety tips, and using the security system and smart system you have in place, you can enjoy a peaceful and secure holiday season.
Remember, a little extra caution can go a long way in protecting your home and loved ones.
Strand Security is here to help you safeguard your property and provide peace of mind. If you need an upgrade, new cameras, a smart system or want a home theater install, give us a call at 843-318-6392 to discuss the possibilities!
