Many people believe that helping to protect and secure their home means they must resort to calling a security company and ask them to bring out the most advanced security system that they have in order to ensure that things are safely protected. Which while this is a great idea and sometimes a necessity there are other things that you can do that are much more affordable and will also help protect your home.

Tip 1. No matter what you may think, keeping all of your curtains closed when you leave if they are normally open when your home is a sure sign that someone is gone. If however, you always leave them closed, suddenly opening them is going to be just as sure of a tip off that things in your home are quiet. When you leave your home, leave the curtains as they would normally be if you were home.

Tip 2. Avoid leaving all of the lights off, however also avoid leaving all of the lights on. People simply do not normally sleep with bedroom lights on so investing in timers for your lights, and television to provide your home with a natural appearance even when empty.

Tip 3. Put a hold on your newspaper and mail. Relying on a friend could backfire in the event that they either forget or have an emergency so putting the services on hold ensures that it is not even delivered and will be waiting on you when you return.

Tip 4. Turn down the volume on your answering machine and turn off your telephone. If someone hears a phone continuously ringing that is a sure sign that nobody’s home and makes your home very appealing.

Tip 5. Do not change your answering machine to announce when you are not home. Simply having a message that says you are unavailable is much more appropriate and doesn’t let everyone who has called you know your gone.

Tip 6. If you are going to be gone for a very long time make sure you arrange to have the lawn maintained. Nothing says empty house more than waist high grass in the yard outside.

Tip 7. If you are not taking your car with you, make sure you arrange for someone to move it occasionally, or perhaps consider parking your car somewhere else.

Tip 8. Consider planting either holly bushes, or perhaps rose bushes around all of your first floor windows, this helps discourage people from coming near the window if the plants are literally attacking the intruders for you.

Tip 9. While having some plants that discourage people from being around your windows is great, you need to make sure they are properly pruned. If someone could hide behind them without your knowledge, then it is time for a trim.

Tip 10. Keep the trees in your yard pruned that are close to the home. While the huge tree in the front yard by the road is safe, the trees close to your home should never touch. This can provide easy access to your home for bugs and intruders. Keeping the trees trimmed has huge benefits.

Tip 11. Make people work to get into your home. This means keeping ladders put away locked up, keeping stacks of furniture locked up, and making sure that you are not providing items for people to climb on in order to get into your home.

Tip 12. Motion detector lights are your friend, both when you are home and when you are not. Set them up around each door to your home as well as walkways. Make sure they are not too bright to interfere with your neighbors.

Tip 13. Make sure that you always have your house clearly labeled. In the event of an emergency you do not want crews looking for your home, it should be clearly marked.

Tip 14. Keep your eyes open to your surroundings, both in your home and in your neighborhood.

Tip 15. Always ensure that your doors and windows are locked. This is especially important if you are leaving home, sleeping or even on a different floor.

Tip 16. Make sure you have a peep hold installed in your door and always look to see who is outside before you ever open the door.

Tip 17. Always ask for proper identification before you ever let someone in your home. If the identification seems suspicious then call to confirm with the company before letting them in.

Tip 18. A spare key hidden outside is just asking for trouble. This is never wise and most criminals know the best places to look and have thought of everything.

Tip 19. Do periodic maintenance on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. This means making sure they still work properly and that the batteries are charged. If they do not work 100% then it is time to change them.

Tip 20. Install deadbolts on all outside doors. Make sure that they are installed properly and actually use them. If you have small children, consider putting the deadbolt up high enough they cannot reach it and let a stranger in without your knowledge. In combination to normal door locks, this can help slow down someone trying to get into your home.