Traveling? Don’t forget to do these four things at home

As anyone who has attempted to leave the house traveling, there are about a billion things running through your mind. (Maybe that is just my mind. Now that I am a husband and father, this quantity hasn’t decreased at all. ) Many of these thoughts are pertaining about how to keep my family and myself safe.

There are, however, some key things to remember to ensure that your house and homestead stay safe. These things are quick and easy, and can lead to less overall stress. At least, you know that you’ve done the right things to reduce chances of problems at home while traveling abroad.

1. Have USPS “hold” your mail. One of the biggest indicators of a house that is “not monitored” is a mailbox that is overflowing, or packages sitting out for days. The United States Postal Service has a very good FAQ here. The best part? You can do it online in just a few minutes! Gotta love the W W W!
2. Tell your friends and neighbors (but not via social media). Crazy neighbor stories or situations aside, just let people know you’re going to be away and gone. Luckily I’m in a neighborhood that is pretty safe, but I’m known as the sketchy guy on the block. So, I don’t know that I could count on my neighbors to identify something suspicious going on at my house (because they largely thing everything I do is suspicious). However, I have a couple of close neighbors that I regularly communicate with. I just send them a quick note letting them know when I’ll be gone, and I usually am able to provide some contact info (even if it just email). I also like to tell a buddy who lives nearby to do a quick drive-by a couple of times over the duration of the trip.
3. Consider notifying your local police department of your travel plans. Our local department regularly encourages our city to let them know if/when we’ll be traveling, and they will make sure our house is a part of their regular patrol. Personally, my house is very visible on a block with dozens of other houses, but some might find this a valuable service. The local chief spoke and he indicated that they wished they could be more aware of people’s travel plans, as that helps to focus their efforts. This may not appeal to everyone, but it is something to consider.
4. STRONGLY Consider NOT posting on social media for the duration of your trip. You might be thinking, this guy is crazy. I don’t mind the post office holding my mail, but telling the cops and my neighbors that I am going to be gone seems over the top. Now, he says don’t post on social media!!! What the <doot>…??? Hear me out and answer this question – Which situation has the greater risk to your house? Telling the entire world that you are not at home? Or telling people that you were traveling after you arrive back home? This one is a tough pill to swallow. However, I dare to suggest that you’ll get as many “likes” regardless of the exact date of the post. Think about this from another perspective – You know that your favorite social media influencers and celebrities DO travel. However, do their posts ever give you details about exactly WHEN they travel??

What do you think about these tips to keep your house safe while traveling? Do you have any others you would recommend?