It’s needless to say that we travel quite a bit throughout the year.  And so some of the things we do to keep our home safe while on vacation have become routine.

MetLife Auto & Home offers a list of “dos and don’ts” for preparing to go on vacation or leave the house unattended for a period of time. Unfortunately, I have to do a lot of the “don’ts,” such as posting to social media when I’m traveling as it’s part of my job, but there are a lot of other precautions I take that have become second nature to me.

Here are some of the best tips I’ve practiced over the years to keep our home safe when we travel.

Credit: Peter Wallace

Keep Home Safe While On Vacation

1 – KEYS:  Leave a spare key with a trusted friend or neighbor in case of emergencies.  If you have a key rack by the door, remove those keys and hide them in a secure place that you’ll remember.  Just in case a criminal does break in, you don’t want them driving away with your belongings in your own car.

2 – MAIL:  If you’re going to be gone for an extended period of time, have the post office hold your mail and other deliveries.  There is a simple form you can fill out to request this at the post office, or you can do it online at Holdmail.usps.com.  If you forget, send a message to a trusted friend and ask them to collect your mail and look for any packages or deliveries that might be left at your door.

3 – JEWELRY:  One big travel tip I always give is to never wear your fine jewelry while on vacation as it could get lost, stolen, accidentally left behind, or draw unnecessary attention.  I also don’t recommend leaving them at home out in the open on table tops and dressers while you’re away as it will make it too easy for a burglar to see them, grab them, and run.  Instead, store your valuables in a locked safe in your home.  If you don’t have a safe, definitely hide your precious jewelry and family heirlooms in a secure and inconspicuous place.

4 – ELECTRONICS:  I typically travel with my laptop and camera, but I always have spare equipment that I leave behind. Rather than keeping smaller electronic items out on a desk or in plain view, I recommend also storing these in a safe or closet.  When it comes to bigger electronics, such as your television, I unplug these in case of lightning or power surges while we’re away.  We do normally keep them plugged into surge protectors, but you can never be too safe.

5 – LIGHTS:  Set your interior lights on timers to give the appearance that you’re home.  There are many hi-tech apps available now to control this from your phone, but a simple light timer from your local hardware store will also do the trick.

BONUS TIP:  This one is less about safety and more about coming back to a pleasant smelling home, but as simple as it sounds, remember to take out the garbage and clean your kitchen sink and garbage disposal.

What extra things do you do to make your home safe before traveling?

For more helpful tips from MetLife, take a look at Protecting Your Home During Vacation and take these precautions before you leave and while you’re out of the house.

Disclosure:  “I am currently a member of the MetLife Auto & Home Insurance Blogger Program and this post is part of my involvement. While MetLife has provided me with materials and necessary resources to complete various activities, all statements and sentiment in The Travel Bite are my own.”