Living alone can be really fun, as it gives you an extra feeling of independence that you just don’t get when living with family, friends or your significant other. It also has many advantages – no fighting over the TV, no one telling you to pick up your wet towels or no one annoyingly using up the last bit of milk.
However, living alone also poses safety risks that need to be addressed. Whether you’re a woman or a man, you need to spend time securing your property. With a few extra precautions, living by yourself doesn’t have to be any more dangerous than living in a house full of people. Here are some of our best safety tips for keeping yourself safe when living alone.
Get to Know Your Neighbours
We’re not suggesting that you need to be best friends with your neighbours, but getting to know them provides you with an easy and brilliant security system. If your neighbours are aware that you are living alone then they will be more alert when seeing extra people around your house – especially those looking shifty when it’s dark. If they hear or see something suspicious, they are more likely to call for help or check on you if they know that it is out of the ordinary. So go introduce yourself and say hello!
Install Good Quality Security
A good security system is important for any house, but it’s extremely crucial for those who live alone – this could save your life. If you already have security, make sure it’s all up to date and in working order.
Abacus Shutters specialise in residential roller shutters in London, which can help protect your house against burglary. We also suggest a good alarm system, motion sensors that detect anyone lurking outside and a good CCTV system.
Get Yourself a Pet
Ever considered getting a dog? Now would be the ideal time to do so. Not only can having a pet make you feel less lonely, they can also give you some extra security. It’s a proven fact that burglars are less likely to break into a house if they know that the owners have a dog.
It can also make you feel a lot more comfortable living alone, whilst providing you with someone to listen to how your day has been!
Keep Your Keys Safe & Always Lock Up
The good thing about being the only person to live in a house is the fact that you probably only have one set of keys. However, this might mean that you sometimes have to give them to someone else if you are away for the day and need friends to pop in and feed your dog/cat or water your plants. Don’t be tempted to leave them in the garden somewhere; this will be the first place that an opportunist looks. Only leave them with people you trust, and always give them to the person yourself.
It’s also important that you remember to always lock your doors – when you go out and when you’re in the house (especially at night). You don’t have to worry about someone not being able to get in, so lock up whenever you are home.
Close Your Curtains
Closing your curtains has several advantages. The first is the fact that no one can see the expensive items that you have and be tempted to break in. The second is so that they can’t see that you are alone. Criminals are likely to target a house with only one person, than a house with a full family. Don’t let them target you – keep the curtains closed when home alone.
If you’re living alone and want to update your security, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Abacus Shutters. Just give us a call on 0845 644 1225 and a member of our team will be happy to help you.
