How to Secure Your Home Before Vacation: The 15-Point Checklist That Actually Works

July and August see burglary rates 11% higher than winter months - and it's not a coincidence that those are peak vacation months. Extended absences create the exact conditions burglars exploit: dark homes, overflowing mailboxes, uncut lawns, and no one to hear an alarm. Here's how to eliminate every vulnerability before you leave.

Before You Leave: The 15-Point Checklist

Make your home look occupied

1. Set lights on randomized timers. Don't just leave one lamp on - burglars recognize that pattern. Use smart plugs ($10-$15 each) on 3-4 lights throughout the house set to turn on and off at different times that mimic your normal routine. Living room TV area from 7-10 PM, kitchen from 6-8 PM, bedroom from 9:30-11 PM. Smart plugs controlled by Alexa or Google can randomize schedules daily.

2. Leave a car in the driveway. A car signals occupancy. If you're driving to the airport, ask a neighbor to park in your driveway. If both cars are gone, this is one of the most visible signals to a burglar casing your street.

3. Don't stop mail and packages. This is counterintuitive, but a stopped mail hold creates a paper trail that your home is empty. Instead, ask a trusted neighbor to collect mail daily. For packages, either pause deliveries or use Amazon Locker/pickup point alternatives. An overflowing mailbox is a neon sign that nobody's home.

4. Maintain the lawn. For trips longer than a week, arrange for lawn care. Overgrown grass is another clear signal of an empty home. In winter, arrange for snow removal from the driveway and walkways.

5. Leave blinds in their normal position. Don't close every blind and curtain - that's unusual and noticeable. Leave them however they normally are. The exception: close blinds on rooms with visible valuables (electronics, art) so passersby can't window-shop.

Lock down entry points

6. Lock every door and window. Sounds obvious, but 37.8% of burglaries involve unlocked entry points. Check every window, especially second-floor windows people assume are safe (2% of entries, but still). Don't forget the garage - both the main door and the interior door to the house.

7. Secure sliding doors. Sliding glass doors are easy to lift off their tracks. Place a security bar or cut a wooden dowel to fit in the track, preventing the door from sliding open even if the lock is defeated. Cost: about $3 for a dowel from a hardware store.

8. Hide or secure spare keys. Remove any hidden keys from under mats, in fake rocks, above door frames, or in mailboxes. Burglars know every common hiding spot. If someone needs emergency access, give them a code to your smart lock with an expiration date.

Activate your security system

9. Set your system to "away" mode. Away mode activates all sensors including interior motion sensors, which "stay" mode typically disables. Confirm your monitoring service has your current phone number and an emergency contact who's local.

10. Verify camera functionality. Check that all cameras are recording, have clear views (no spider webs, condensation, or shifted angles), and that cloud storage is active. Test live view from your phone to confirm you can monitor remotely. Charge battery cameras to 100% before leaving.

11. Enable all notifications. Turn on push notifications for every sensor and camera. You want to know about every door opening, every motion event, and every camera alert while you're away. You can disable the noise when you're back.

Environmental protection

12. Adjust your thermostat. Don't turn HVAC completely off. In winter, set heat to at least 55°F to prevent frozen pipes. In summer, set AC to 85°F to prevent humidity damage and mold growth. A smart thermostat can send alerts if temperature goes outside safe ranges.

13. Turn off main water supply. For trips longer than 3-4 days, turn off the main water valve. A burst pipe in an empty house can cause $10,000-$50,000+ in damage before anyone notices. If you have water leak sensors, verify they're active and have fresh batteries.

14. Unplug non-essential electronics. Reduces fire risk from electrical faults and saves energy. Leave security system, router, smart home hub, and refrigerator plugged in. Unplug everything else.

Social awareness

15. Don't broadcast your trip on social media. This is increasingly important. Research shows that burglars monitor social media for travel announcements, airport check-ins, and vacation photos. Save the Instagram posts for when you're home. A 2019 study found that 78% of burglars used social media to identify potential targets and determine when homes would be empty.

If You Have a Vacation Home

Properties that sit empty for weeks or months need a different approach. Invest in cameras with cloud storage (battery or solar-powered if no power is available year-round), environmental sensors (water leak, temperature, smoke), cellular-based monitoring since WiFi may be unreliable in remote areas, and a local contact (neighbor, property manager) who can respond to alerts physically. Cove and SimpliSafe's cellular backup systems work particularly well for vacation properties where internet isn't always reliable.