Tips of Keeping Your Home Secure Whilst Moving

By: Richard Armen

Getting ready for a big move? It can be a very stressful time, from figuring out where you're going to live and hiring a moving truck to packing up all of your belongings in cardboard boxes. With so much going on, you probably have a lot on your mind. During the process of moving, just make sure that you don't sacrifice the security of yourself and your property. If you don't keep your safety in mind while moving, your belongings could get lost or stolen, or your personal safety could even be threatened.

Before you start the process of moving, write out a checklist including all of the necessary steps (buying boxes and packing material, renting the moving truck, etc), particularly those that are necessary for your security. Do not put this off until the last minute!

If you are moving out of a home that you still own, don't forget to make plans for it, even though you'll no longer be living there. If you don't have adequate home security, install it now. Also hire someone to watch over the home and keep the yard trimmed so that your vacant home doesn't become a target for criminals and squatters.

While you are in the middle of the move, you probably have belongings located as both homes. You can't just leave these unprotected – always make sure that all of the doors and windows are locked when you leave one home to drive to the other. Otherwise, a burglar could take advantage of the move to break in and take whatever is still there.

As soon as you have access to you new home, your first three steps should be turning on the electricity and water services and changing the locks. These should be done prior to moving day if possible. Even if you know the previous occupants and think they are trustworthy, always change the locks when moving into a new place. You simply never know how many copies of the key are out there, and it's better to be safe than sorry. The same goes for changing the codes for alarms and home security systems.

Once the boxes are unpacked, you still have a few crucial home security tasks ahead of you. As you settle in, consider ways you can make your new residence safer. Take a survey of the home to inspect all of the door and window locks. Check to see if there are any broken windows or old ones that could be forced open. Consider replacing the front door with one that's thicker and less likely to get kicked in by an intruder.

Home security goes beyond checking the condition of existing security features. Are there any bushes that need to be cut down to remove potential hiding spaces, or dark places in need of extra security lighting? Are there any outdoor security lights at all? What about security alarms on the doors and windows? Moving in is the perfect time to install these critical home security features. Don't wait until you've settled in and become complacent before considering potential security upgrades. In fact, many families prefer to have all of these devices in place before ever spending a night in their new home, to help them feel comfortable while getting used to sleeping in an unfamiliar room.