Obviously, you can’t just disappear when you’re getting ready to go on vacation. There are certain people you have to tell for safety reasons if nothing else.

That being said, there’s a difference between telling a trusted friend you’ll be out of town and making it public knowledge. It might seem like a rudimentary concept but many people forget that there’s a danger to posting about your vacation before you leave or before you get back. It paints quite a target!

We’ve discussed and will continue to discuss how keeping things in obvious or common places can lead to an increased risk of them being stolen. So, where should you put things?

This person who was a victim of their friend-turned-burglar learned this by going through it themselves. If you have your valuables hidden by something burglars won’t want to mess with — for example, dirty laundry — it’s more likely that it won’t be discovered.

This tip doesn’t come from a burglar but someone who realizes they could easily be one if they wanted. While they were legitimate, too many people trusted them on their word alone.

Working as a door-to-door salesperson, this Reddit user found out that no one asked them to prove their credentials or identity before allowing them into the home. If they wanted to do something with malicious intent, this would serve as an easy way to get in even if someone was home.

If there’s one thing that is sure to scare burglars away, it’s the idea of tangling with a guard dog or even a pet protecting their owner – this Reddit user can attest to this.

With that in mind, it isn’t a good idea for everyone to get a dog, especially if they don’t have the means to take care of them. If this is the case, you aren’t completely out of luck. Rather, putting up a “Beware of Dog” sign will have a similar effect.

For a unique tip, you can rely on faking a burglar out to help keep them from getting in. This Reddit user came up with a pretty clever plan when it came to people breaking into their home.

They hid a spare key under their doormat, as many people do, but they glued it down. While they aren’t a burglar themselves, the cameras they had on their porch proved the concept works. They’ve seen people try to grab the key, realize it’s a trick, and run off.

It’s a common setup in many homes for keys to be right by the door. This way, you can just grab them off the hook or out of a bowl as you leave the house.

Unfortunately, this makes them easy for anyone to grab. By having your keys readily available by the door, you increase your risk of not only having a home that’s been broken into by a burglar but having your car stolen as well.

Alongside making your keys less readily available, you need to make sure you don’t make your car readily available to strangers either. If you don’t, you risk your car being stolen or burglarized.

As this person shared, a staggering number of people actually leave their cars unlocked — many with the keys still inside the car! This makes it incredibly easy to get into a car to steal items or cash and even just drive the car away without a problem.

Having a spare key to your house is important and sometimes even necessary. Everyone forgets or loses a key from time to time and can’t always afford to call a locksmith.

Yet, too many people put those keys in obvious places that make them easy for a burglar to find. Some of the most common spots for spare keys include on top of the door frame, under a potted plant, or under a doormat, making them easy for a burglar to find.

When you go to bed or leave the house, you probably make sure that your doors are all locked. For maximum safety, though, you should add a little more to your daily routine.

This person shared that while they were a teenager, they committed a few acts of burglary, mostly in schools. They did learn one important thing — if someone can’t get in through the door and they’re determined to gain access, they’re likely to take advantage of an unlocked window.

There’s nothing that puts you quite as at risk of burglary as having something valuable on display in full view for anyone to see.

This is especially true when it comes to protecting yourself from burglars who are car-hopping. If you have valuables in your car, someone is more likely to try and break into it. As such, it’s a good idea to take anything of value like cash, cards, and your phone with you rather than leaving them behind.

This burglar shared a tip that is crucial to know. When a burglar breaks into your home, one of the first places they’ll look is your closet if they’re able.

While you can’t help that this could happen, you can reduce the risk that you’ll lose something valuable. Closets are a hotspot for theft because it’s where many people keep valuable wearable items such as jewelry. To protect your items as much as possible, don’t keep your valuables in obvious places.

This person wasn’t a burglar themselves but they did get a handy tip about how to avoid the hassle! It’s an especially useful tip when someone is already in your home.

Specifically, if you’ll want to pay attention to this advice if you have a maid service or other cleaner in your home. These workers will see more of your home than the average visitor like a cable installation. Because of this, hiding places such as under your pillow will be easy to find.

While it seems obvious not to leave your garage door open overnight, it’s still an important fact to remember. Really, you should avoid keeping your garage door open at all when you aren’t there.

This burglar shared on Reddit that even when someone is working in their garage but leaves it open to go inside for a moment, this creates a window of opportunity for burglars. With an open garage door, it’s very easy for someone to slip in and take things while you aren’t looking.

While certain safes have their pros and cons, there is one way to use a small safe that could help save your belongings. This Reddit user knows by practice that this is a good idea.

If you purchase a cheap safe that could be easily stolen, try using it as a decoy. Don’t keep anything of value in it but, since it’s a safe, a burglar breaking into your home is likely to assume there’s something valuable inside. They’ll take that before checking.

There are a lot of tips available here and elsewhere to make your home look less like it’s worth a burglar’s time to be robbed. They all usually come down to one concept: security.

As this person shared, if you live in a populated neighborhood, it isn’t always about a specific level of security. Sometimes, as harsh as it may seem, it’s just about being the most secure on the block. If someone robs the area then, your house is less likely to be targeted.

This Reddit user expanded on what they learned from the previous one. While a glued down door key is clever, a fake door key might be the way to go too.

Once again, burglars want to be fast. As such, if they look for a spare and find it, they’ll just unlock the door and go in. Another user added that this is useful with a doorbell camera active to catch a glimpse of the guilty party.

In all reality, a burglar is more likely to break into your home when you aren’t there. This is a tactic that minimizes risk and gives them a little more room to nefariously explore your home.

This means that your home is more vulnerable when you’re out of town if you don’t take the right precautions. It’s helpful to use a smart light that you can turn on and off when you aren’t there too for an added effect of someone actively being in the house.

This Reddit user offered another tip to help out if your home is already being burglarized. Specifically, they have tips that will help keep your electronics in your home.

If you want to make an effort to try and keep your TV in place, it’s a good idea to mount the TV rather than simply set it up on an entertainment stand. A freestanding TV monitor is another thing that is easy to grab and run with but a mounted TV monitor takes time to uninstall.

A slightly more macabre tip comes from this Reddit user. What should you do in order to prevent burglaries of a house that belongs to someone who recently passed?

It’s usually common knowledge when someone has passed away and when the funeral will be. This is, in large part, thanks to the readily available information on social media. Since close friends will be at the funeral, it’s a good idea to find a housesitter during this time.

If a burglar is robbing your house, they usually don’t want to stick around too long. The longer they stay in the house, the higher risk they have of being caught and even apprehended.

This burglar shared that when they broke into a home, they didn’t want to spend more than about 15 minutes inside before making a break for it. This means that they didn’t have time to fight to get into something. In turn, inconvenient hiding and security spots are typically avoided.

While many burglars are likely to do things the easy way, there are plenty out there that take their time as this Reddit user learned from their ex-burglar classmate.

Even though it wasn’t their primary method for getting their hands on people’s valuables, it was effective. They would “borrow” a piece of equipment, leave an apology note, and even buy them tickets to an event. Then, while they were gone, that was the prime time to break into the house.

While it might seem like a good idea, there are distinct disadvantages to keeping valuable items in a small lockbox. Namely, it’s too close to the concept of keeping your valuables in a small safe.

Even if a lockbox is well-disguised, if a burglar does happen to see it, they just have to carry it away. Since it’s locked, they’re likely to assume that there’s something worth stealing inside. It’s better to invest in something like a wall safe that can’t be taken easily.

While items that have an obvious monetary value are definitely an important consideration when thinking about burglars, there’s more to theft than direct cash or expensive jewelry.

You’ll also want to consider your medicine cabinet. As this burglar shares, one of the quickest tricks they had was to scoop everything out of the bathroom medicine cabinet. If you have a medication that you really need and are worried about theft, it’s a good idea to keep it somewhere less obvious.

It often seems that one of the most surefire ways to protect your things is to invest in a safe to lock them in. However, this isn’t as foolproof as you might think.

As this former burglar shared, finding the right safe is key to protecting your belongings. This doesn’t mean a safe that isn’t easy to break into either. Specifically, you’ll want to look for a safe that’s bolted down and a little heavier. Otherwise, it’s easy to carry away to break into later.

It’s long been a point of focus for parents that kids shouldn’t answer the door. After all, you never know what could happen, right?

One of the possibilities lies in the fact that children don’t always have the skills to recognize if someone is suspicious or not. That makes it very easy for them to think they might be helping by grabbing the door but actually let someone into your home that you don’t want inside.

If you’re someone who carries a purse around with you, you probably already know that you have to be careful so it doesn’t get stolen. It can happen quickly, though!

This Reddit user wasn’t a burglar themselves but they did know a few of their friends’ tricks. For one, they used to ride bikes around parking lots. This gave them a little more speed than running when they snatched purses up out of shopping carts. Put your purse in the car first.

Moving into a home usually means that there are certain things that you can’t immediately control, like the windows in your home. However, a little renovation could be necessary.

This is the case if you have windows that you can open from the outside. While broken windows are a major concern during a break-in, you also don’t want windows that can be easily opened from the outside either. That will offer an easier and quieter way to get into your home.

When we think of valuables, we often think of the obvious options. This includes things like cash, jewelry, electronics, and debit or credit cards.

It could be the things that you don’t necessarily think about as valuable that actually pose a high risk, though. For one, college students should be aware that their textbooks are viable targets, particularly when they’re on campus. Not only are these expensive losses but they can be resold for quick cash.

Since burglars have a few tips they rely on, as we’ve discussed throughout this list, it’s often good to think outside the box. The more unique you are, the harder it will be to find your valuables.

There are plenty of niche tips that you can find online to help you out and you can even come up with some of your own. Like this person said in their example, a burglar would have to be around a while to find something like a false outlet.

We already discussed that things like social media aren’t your friend if you’re announcing you’re going on vacation. There are few other safety rules to follow, too.

A big one is that you shouldn’t make posts about expensive purchases that you’ve made. For one, it’s basically an advertisement that there’s something valuable in your home. Even worse, social media gives that information to more people than just seeing evidence directly from the outside of your house.

This Reddit user made the definition between two types of burglars — those that know you and know where to look, and the common burglar just looking to get in and out as quickly as possible.

One of their recommendations included making sure that items that could be valuable aren’t easy to pick up and leave with. However, this person reminded us that some items are more valuable to a burglar than we might think. For example, your toolbox shouldn’t be on full display and easy to take.

This tip didn’t come from a burglar themselves but rather someone who came home one day to find out their apartment had been burglarized. They shared one of the biggest lessons they learned that day.

When they spoke to the police about the incident, they were told that the burglar had worked quickly. As such, they had primarily checked the usual spots. That’s when the police told the victim of the crime that, in the future, it’s better to avoid keeping valuables in the nightstand.

While your home and car are crucial to protect for its high value, you’ll want to make sure that your tool shed or garage is locked up tight as well.

If you don’t, you do more than to open yourself up to having these tools stolen. Those same tools can also be used to help gain access to your home, even if it is locked. This burglar warns homeowners to be careful about what tools they leave out and available to burglars.

If you’re trying to hide things in your home, it’s a good idea to try and get a fresh pair of eyes to see if others find your hiding spots as inventive as you do.

This Reddit user learned from their uncle who covered robberies that a great tip is to have a friend or family member you trust to help you out. They shouldn’t help hide things but after you hide them, you can call on these people to see if they can find it.

There’s plenty in your home that might not seem like you can make it secure without extensive work. For instance, how do you stop your windows from being easily broken?

There’s actually a solution! You can purchase a shatterproof film that’s made to stop your window from being easily broken. This is a transparent solution that won’t take away from the appearance of your windows but it will keep someone from breaking your window to get in.

Hiding your cash and valuables is of paramount importance in the case that a burglar breaks into your home — we’ve already covered this pretty extensively and there are more tips to come!

This ex-burglar had a pretty good tip for the average, middle-class homeowner. One of the best places to hide money is in an attic or basement where it won’t stand out. If you hide it in amongst old boxes, burglars are less likely to recognize anything in that pile as potentially valuable.

While you ideally want to keep a burglar out of your house entirely, sometimes you can’t prepare everything. That’s where this tip comes in handy.

If you have something highly valuable that you’re afraid of getting stolen, the best bet is to keep it somewhere other than in your house. This way, if you experience a break-in, you still won’t lose some of your most precious items. It could be worth paying for a safe deposit box at your bank, for example.

There are plenty of different security measures available on the market and each one has a distinct set of benefits that you can take advantage of. Some are even more helpful than others.

One pretty great tool to invest in is some type of camera system for your home. This will help you keep an eye on your home and have evidence if a burglar were to break in. Yet, it’s helpful to put up a sign announcing the cameras.

There are hiding places in your home that might seem clever but just don’t have the same anonymity that they once did. That’s why it’s a good idea to stray from common choices.

This person learned from their ex, who was a burglar, that hiding places like keeping money and valuables in a book or freezer are particularly unsafe. These are easy-to-find hiding spots that, at this point, are popular enough to be one of the first places that a burglar would work.

There are plenty of different types of doors you can use in your home. However, this ex-burglar on Reddit advises against using sliding glass doors to get in and out of the house.

Their reasoning behind this is that sliding glass doors are one of the easiest types to get into. Even if you invest in a home security system made specifically to protect sliding glass doors, there’s still a good chance that a burglar could get around them.

It’s no surprise that alarm systems help prevent most burglaries. A study on the habits of burglars by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte found that 83% of burglars check for an alarm before trying to enter a home.

More than half of the former burglars surveyed would move on if they knew a home had an alarm. If for some reason you cannot have an alarm system installed, you can always put up similar or fake signs and stickers which can be easily found online.

Open windows can unintentionally offer a revealing peek into your home. A burglar may be scoping out homes in a neighborhood by peering through windows to see who’s home, and what each house has inside.

A simple and inexpensive way to prevent giving away this information is by putting up sheer net curtains or blinds. Net curtains allow some light to filter through but obscure any details such as an expensive television or other electronics that can be seen from a window.

This next tip is especially useful for renters. Typically, renters will receive a set of keys from their new landlord after signing the contract for their new home. In many cases, these keys were the same keys given to the property’s former tenants.

The problem is that there’s no way to know if those former tenants made additional copies of those keys — meaning that there may be additional sets of your house keys floating around. Always replace and change locks and keys after moving into a new place.

This former burglar shared this detailed tip regarding the specific type of movie or show you should be playing. It’s interesting to note that they suggest playing a gory action movie because the viewer of such a film is most likely to be a male and most likely to be armed.

Just hearing the sound of a television is often enough to make a criminal rethink breaking in as they may decide the risk of confrontation is just too much.

Parents of young children are more likely to be home during the prime break-in hours of the day compared to other types of homeowners. Whether it’s stay-at-home parents, parents that are taking care of a sick child, or babysitters, someone is usually home.

Most intruders want to avoid the possibility of breaking in while someone is home, so knowing that a parent might be home during the day could definitely be a deterrent.

One of the most common pieces of advice when discussing preventing burglaries is to get a dog. While dogs definitely can deter burglars, it isn’t always necessary to have the most vicious and ferocious dog in the neighborhood.

Most burglars want to get in and out of a home as quickly as possible without being detected. While most dogs will bark at a home intruder, many smaller breeds are known to bark continuously or yap. This loud and attention-grabbing noise is the last thing a sneaky intruder wants.

Most detached single-family homes feature some sort of fencing or division between houses. While it can be tempting to erect a tall and solid fence or bushes around your home’s perimeter, it can have an unintended effect.

This former burglar shared that these enclosed backyards could sometimes be a bit too private, allowing him to do whatever he wanted without the neighbors being able to see. While no one likes a nosy neighbor, having another set of eyes on your property isn’t always a bad thing.

Burglaries featured in television shows or movies are often shown occurring at night. The truth is that most residential burglaries happen during the day. A report compiled by Arizona State University stated that close to 60% of reported burglaries happened during the day.

The reason is that during the day, most homes are likely to be unoccupied as people are at work or running errands. At night, the possibility of a confrontation with an armed homeowner or renter is just too much of a risk for most home intruders.

Many people believe that leaving a light on is enough to deter a potential burglar, and while this may be true in some cases, you sometimes need to add some variety to make it seem more realistic.

Leaving the same light on for long periods of time can highlight the fact that no one is home. Lights being turned on and off in various parts of the house may give the illusion of someone being home, possibly deterring a burglar.

When taking a long vacation, many people choose to have their mail or newspaper subscription stopped until they return. While doing so can prevent coming home to a massive pile of mail or newspapers, it can also indicate to potential burglars that no one is home.

This former burglar suggests having a friend bring your mail or newspapers in, and turn on various lights while they’re doing so. By doing this, you’re creating the illusion that someone is home at unpredictable times, increasing the risk of confrontation — something most burglars want to avoid.

While windows and doors are the first places people think to fortify in order to prevent a burglary, there are other parts of the home that could serve as potential break-in entry points.

This Reddit user suggests that people look at the crawl spaces below their homes and make sure those entrances are sealed properly. Large openings of central heat and air conditioning ducts can also make surprisingly easy entry points for someone.

Most movies show people hiding cash in carved-out books or even in freezers. Unfortunately, burglars have seen these movies too, that’s why you sometimes need to think outside the box and get creative when it comes to finding a safe spot for valuables.

This person suggests using condiment bottles as a nondescript place to store your treasures. We especially like the tip about using a stuffed animal to hide cash and other valuables. Just make sure you remember which toy you used!

In the chaos of our everyday lives, it can be easy to forget to lock the deadbolt on our door. Deadbolts provide an additional layer of security to your home, yet many people forget to actually lock them.

Many homes feature a traditional spring-bolt lock and a deadbolt as added security. Most people tend to focus on the spring-bolt lock, which can be easily picked or opened. For this reason, these former burglars suggest that people make sure all locks are properly secured.

This next tip is quite interesting and was discovered by chance. It seems that several Reddit users have noticed a correlation between feeling safer, or experiencing less burglaries, when their male partners have left dirty work boots outside of their home.

The reasoning behind this may be that potential burglars may fear whoever owns those large boots, or assume that a confrontation with the boot owners is just too much of a risk. This creative tip is worth trying out.

College students living off-campus tend to rent or live in the same areas. Whether it’s wanting to be around other people their age or the fact that most students have the same budget, where there’s one student, there are probably many.

Unfortunately, it seems that there isn’t always safety in numbers. Burglars know that most students have the newest cell phones, laptops, and other valuable electronic devices. As this former burglar warns — student-friendly areas are burglar-friendly zones too.

This tip was shared on a Reddit thread about home defense, and while it isn’t the most creative tip, it may help deter potential burglaries. The goal of this tip is to make it seem like someone is home at all times.

Not only does carpooling help the environment, but it may actually help keep your home safe. Burglars monitoring your home may stop and rethink their plan if they see a car in the driveway. Very few burglars want or are prepared to engage with another person.

If carpooling is not an option, there’s another thing you can do to support the illusion of someone being at home — simply pretend to wave at someone in the window. Burglars often survey and watch their potential victim’s behavior and patterns before breaking in.

A convincing wave can make it seem like you’re saying goodbye to someone in your house. In many cases, the burglar will choose not to take the risk of breaking in while someone is home.

Thanks to many examples in the media and pop culture, many people assume that burglars will be dressed in black, with a ski mask and gloves. The truth is that many burglars try their hardest not to stand out.

Instead, they will often dress in classic styles or nondescript clothing so as to not draw any attention to themselves. A man in a business suit or formal clothing wouldn’t look out of place in a nice neighborhood, allowing him to go about his business without arousing suspicion.

Most people at the mechanic are typically concerned with the cost or inconvenience of having their car at the shop, and they often forget to remove their house key or garage door opener from the set of car keys.

Considering that the mechanic may have your personal information, having a key would make it even easier for them to commit a burglary. Always remove your house key and garage door opener from your car keys before handing them off, especially when you’re going to be out of town for a while.

Another tip is to always take the garage door opener with you after parking your car. Most people typically clip their garage door opener or remote to the visor above their seat, or in another nearby location for easy access.

While convenient, this can help criminals easily enter your garage and home. All a burglar would have to do is open your car window or door and take the garage door opener. Having an additional layer of protection for your garage door like a deadbolt is also a good idea.

When you own or rent a home, there are often problems that can only be solved by professionals. While these service providers can be very helpful, letting them into your home can also be a risk.

Technicians, repairmen, and even maids are often given wide access to people’s homes in order to perform their services. This access could provide the perfect opportunity to plan future break-ins or scope out any valuables in their client’s home.

Most homeowners or renters tend to focus on the appearance of their home’s landscaping instead of how it can affect their home’s security. Tall or dense bushes can be great places for burglars to hide as they observe a home, or wait to enter.

This Reddit poster suggests putting spiky plants like rose bushes or other painfully spiny plants around windows. The idea is that few people will want to get tangled up in a sharp and thorny bush, or that wrestling with such a spiky plant will draw attention.

Getting a guard dog, or any dog for that matter, is a great way to deter burglars. For many people, however, owning a dog isn’t a realistic option. So, what should you do to protect your home?

According to this Reddit user, it doesn’t hurt to pretend you have a big and aggressive dog. All you need to do is buy a used dog house, add some mangled-up toys, and a large water dish. Burglars will think twice before they mess with a large and potentially dangerous dog.

One of the easiest ways to improve the appearance of your home is to add outdoor furniture, flowers, and other types of decorations. While these may boost your home’s curb appeal, they can also garner attention from burglars.

This former burglar shared that they would often target homes with expensive-looking outdoor decorations because they assumed that the owner of that home had equally expensive items inside. Considering how expensive it is in many parts of the country to maintain a lawn or meticulously kept garden, he’s probably right.

One of the most common ways that burglars see if someone is home is by knocking on the door of their target house and waiting for the homeowner to answer. In the event that someone does answer the door, the burglar would simply use the excuse that they had the wrong house.

Thankfully, this scam is becoming less common thanks to apps like Next Door where neighbors can quickly share information about events occurring in their neighborhood. These apps can allow people to alert their neighbors and hopefully prevent a crime.

This next tip is a bit out there, but still probably efficient when it comes to deterring would-be criminals. This person’s grandfather chose to use his creativity, and electric tools, to scare off any burglars by using a chainsaw connected to a motion sensor.

We can’t imagine how scary it would be to walk into a home and hear the revving of a chainsaw. Considering how many horror movies feature chainsaws, we’re sure that burglars would immediately make a run for it!

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be difficult to find the time to properly meet your neighbors. In many communities, people can go years living next door to one another without interacting — this is a huge mistake when it comes to home defense.

One of the greatest ways to prevent a burglary is by reporting any suspicious activity near a home or neighborhood. Having multiple eyes on the neighborhood, watching for any suspicious people can be a good way to prevent something bad from happening.

Few people would think twice about giving their home address as their pick-up location to a taxi driver or rideshare driver. Unfortunately, taxi or rideshare drivers can record these home addresses and pass them on to burglars.

Any taxi driver taking you to the airport can easily alert burglars to the fact that your home will be empty. It’s suggested to have the driver pick you up in a public place such as in front of a supermarket or at a different address.

In the United States, setting up a trap in order to protect your property is generally considered illegal. If a burglar or other intruder is injured or killed, the homeowner can be held liable. That said, there are still things you can do to scare someone off of your property.

This Reddit user suggests placing a hollow kayak under a fence in order to make a loud noise announcing the presence of an intruder. Other users have suggested empty cans or other loud objects near possible points of entry.

Making it seem like someone is home is one of the most common tactics that people use to prevent burglaries. Most burglars want to enter and exit a home as quickly as possible, without the possibility of a confrontation with a potentially armed person.

This Reddit user suggests reversing schedules with your roommate, or whoever you live with. While this is obviously easier for some people, the important thing is to minimize the amount of time that a house is empty.

Most people are unfamiliar with the specific parts of their home’s doors, such as the door’s lock strike plate. A strike plate is the metal plate on the side of the door with a hole in it where the latch can enter.

Strong strike plates can prevent the door from being kicked in when the door is locked. Security experts suggest using a minimum of four three-inch screws to properly secure the plate. The same goes for the screws holding the deadbolt in place.

Many modern doors can be easily opened by sliding a credit card into the crack or gap between the door and the doorframe. Eventually, the card will be able to push the latch in and open the door.

The best way to prevent this is by using a long piece of metal called an anti-jemmy strip that essentially covers that gap on outward opening doors. These metal strips are becoming increasingly popular in order to prevent someone from using a card or other tool to open a door.

One of the easiest ways to deter a burglar from targeting your home is to reduce the amount of shadowy dark places where they can hide or observe your home. Installing motion-activated lights outside of your home can help illuminate potential entry points.

These lights can also alert you of any presence, giving you some time to prepare or call the police. We especially like the tip about pointing the lights towards the house, which may prevent helpful neighbors from seeing suspicious activity.

When most people enter their homes, they hang their car keys up or put them on a table near the door. This Reddit user suggests taking your keys to your bedroom and keeping them near your bed.

Burglars or someone casing your home to plan a break-in want to do so unseen and discreetly. By turning on the car alarm, you’ll automatically give them an unexpected surprise and may even make them paranoid that they’ve been spotted.

As other tips have suggested, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the parts of your door. This tip suggests replacing the standard hinges of your door with stronger screws sold for heavy doors.

Door hinges like safety security hinges feature a safety stud that prevents a door from being removed, even if the pin holding the door’s hinge is removed. Invisible hinges are also a good option to provide additional protection as they do not feature a pin, and the hinge is built into the door frame itself.

We’ve already discussed that making sure your house looks like it’s occupied is a great way to avoid becoming a potential target. There are a few measures you can take.

One of the most obvious but often overlooked things to keep up with is your lawn. Since most people try to keep their grass trimmed rather than overgrown, a potential burglar will notice if a house that once kept up with their grass suddenly has a jungle of a yard.

While we’ve covered that particular hiding places are more tempting to burglars, you can also use this detail to your advantage. This is useful, in particular, for burglaries already in progress.

This person shared that when their friend was worried about burglars, she managed to come up with a genius plan. By filling a fake jewelry box with costume jewelry that looked valuable with a bit of money on top, she increased the chance that burglars would take that and avoid her real valuables.

Sometimes, the best way to avoid a burglary altogether is to make sure that you don’t look like a worthwhile target. Burglars are taking a risk to commit theft, so they want to know it will be worth it.

As such, there are certain things that you’ll want to be a little less obvious about. This includes breaking down your boxes. You’re much less likely to be targeted with a broken down box in your bin rather than a whole TV box next to it.

When you purchase a fire-proof safe for your home, you probably expect it to protect you not only from fire but from theft as well.

Yet, this oftentimes isn’t the case. If you purchase a fire safe, you can guarantee that your possessions won’t be damaged in the case of a house fire but, as this burglar shared, it doesn’t guarantee that they’ll be safe from theft. Once again, this just proves that carefully choosing a safe will work out better in the long run.

We’ve talked at length at this point about how you need to make sure you lock up certain things. From your house doors and windows to your car, it’s usually a good idea to keep people out.

Seemingly opposite to this concept, you don’t want to lock drawers in your house. These locks aren’t hard to break into once someone is already in your home. In fact, usually, a burglar only needs a single tool — like a crowbar. It only denotes where the valuables are.

It takes a lot of planning and decision-making for one to enjoy their wedding day. It is one of the most significant days of their life. Brides often end up having one regret or the other due to circumstances both in and out of their control. Here are some of those regrets that brides express when they look back on that joyous day.

The choice of wedding dress is just one of the many decisions a bride has to make. However, it is one of the most important decisions. While the ultimate decision falls on the bride, friends and families like to weigh in and give their opinion.

One bride mentioned that she caved into pressure from friends and family. It turned out to be one of those decisions brides regret. The dress was not her type and she didn’t feel comfortable in it. She realized this on the wedding day. A little bit late, some would say.

Through different cultures, there are many practices and customs that many follow before, during and after the wedding day. One of such is the idea of the bride and the groom not seeing each other before the ceremony.

One bride recounted how she followed this tradition but later regretted the decision. Why? A wedding day among other things is a day when one might get nervous and be afraid. This bride had such feelings and needed comfort from the man of her heart. However, she could not get it because she didn’t want to see the groom before the wedding.

Nervousness is one of the common feelings that rules the wedding day. Brides often respond to this by keeping their focus on the occasion ahead. Sometimes, this focus style of approach keeps them eating much before the occasion.

This is to remain sharp and avoid sluggishness. Not eating became one of the things brides regret on this occasion. This bride had to go to a nearby dinner to get food just to eat in her hotel. The hilarious part was that she did all this in her wedding dress. Guess the hunger was much.

The engagement day gives a preview of how the wedding occasion would look like for the couple. It also serves as an avenue to practice one’s role in front of the camera as this bride later found out.

This bride decided with her groom not to take engagement pictures in a bid to save some money. It turned out to be a regrettable wedding decision. She explained that on the wedding day, she and the groom were so uncomfortable in front of the camera. A situation that the engagement picture day would have addressed.

Most brides feel excited about tying the knot and can’t wait to get ready for that day. They want to get what they need in time to avoid disappointments and delay. However, this often leads to rush and regrets.

One bride expressed her regret when overexcitement led her to buying things in a rush. She practically picked the first thing she saw that fits. In the end, she settled for a sleeveless dress when she really wanted a long sleeve dress. Settling for the first thing during shopping is one of the decisions brides regret.

The wedding day is always fun-filled and packed with activities. One of such activities is the popular couple’s dance. Some couples are natural on the dance floor and it is often a matter of who is better at dancing.

However, for some it takes a lot of practice and choreography before the day, just to put on a decent show. One bride regretted the decision not to take dance lessons before the day. Maybe there was no time for such. On the day, both were awkward on the dancing floor.

Weddings are joyous occasions and with that comes the drink. Sometimes in the course of enjoying oneself, things tend to get a bit out of control.

While a bride was recounting her experience, she said she would have done things differently and would have reduced the number of alcoholic drinks at the wedding party. Her maid of Honor was drunk at the party and had to focus on her through the night. A night meant for her and her husband.

The preparations, the dressing, and the grooming are all part of the memories that collectively make the wedding day a special one. Couples often hire photographers to capture this moment.

One photographer captured the bride and the bride’s maids’ preparation and the other at the groom’s side. One bride wished she had hired two photographers. She only hired one for her preparations and therefore, no pictures about the men’s preparation. Something she regrets.

The decision on who to invite to an event as significant as a wedding ceremony is a big one. Couples, considering their style and budget, tend to cut off some names on the list.

However, this bride decided to invite those that did not want to offend. They did that so as not to offend anyone. It turned out to be a regrettable wedding decision for them. This guest came to the wedding and showed the couple why they were reluctant to invite them at first.

It is a kind of unwritten rule or custom to choose white as the wedding dress for a bride. However, you find brides on rare occasions wearing colors that suit them or colors that they feel comfortable in, and it was always nice.

Some brides do cave into the pressure of sticking to tradition. One bride regretted the decision to wear white despite the fact that she didn’t feel comfortable in white. She mentioned that she felt like a giant marshmallow on her day.

A typical example of a decision brides regret is the mistake of rushing into the motions based on excitement. One bride recounted how she and her husband left immediately for their honeymoon a morning after the wedding.

According to her, the rush and excitement moved everything too fast. She did not really feel the experience until a week after the wedding. She said she would have waited a day after the wedding before traveling across the world. Sometimes, it’s just better to take things slow.

Sometimes, sticking to traditions can be a good thing. If something is a cliché, it is so because it works. One bride mentioned that she wanted to remove at least one tradition from the whole process. She recounted that she did this because she was young.

What was her decision? She decided to wear the dress without a veil. But it turned out to be one of the things brides regret. She admitted to how beautiful a veil would have looked on her.

Looking perfect is one of the things that brides set out to be on their wedding day. Some feel they should make some adjustments to their everyday choice of grooming in order to achieve this.

This bride decided to use contact lens on her day, something she had never used before. She regretted the decision because she had a migraine and the lenses were itchy throughout. She mentioned that she should have used her glasses given the fact that her husband loved her in glasses.

Some parts of wedding preparations involve a lot of uncertainty. One example is with invited guests. One can never be too sure if they would all show up or not.

A particular couple had planned the number of meals based on the number of invited guests. That turned out to be a regrettable wedding decision. They had a $60 plate for each invited guest. Many of these guests did not show up so it turned out to be a waste of money.

Acting on sentiment and childhood promises is a good thing for many on their wedding day. For others, it’s one of those things brides regret. An example of the latter is that of a bride that chooses her maid of honor based on a promise she made to her childhood friend.

She turned out to be unsupportive throughout the preparations. She didn’t perform her duties as the maid of honor. The bride was better off without a maid of honor at the end of the day.

The Bridesmaids group is one important piece that completes the puzzle of the wedding ceremony and its preparation. One of the many decisions brides regret is choosing a maid of honor that is abusive and unsupportive.

A bride recounted how her maid of honor picked fights with her before the wedding day, told her she looked fat before walking out for the first dance. She said it was better not to have a bridesmaid. If one must have, they should be people who are truly supportive.

When planning a wedding with a budget in mind, it is important to note the aspect of the wedding that should run at a low cost and those that should not. The pictures taken that day are like memories frozen in time, they need to be perfect.

This bride decided to hire a photographer with a low asking price. She did have an excellent portfolio; however, she did a horrible job according to the bride and the pictures were all bad. The one thing to look back on to remind one of that lovely day.

A bride takes a lot of things into consideration when choosing her favorite hairstyle. Some of these things include the dress style and pattern, the shape of the face, the complexion, and many others.

Apparently, the weather of the day should also be considered. A simple truth discovered by a certain bride that had her wedding on a foggy, cold day. She had a beautiful hairdo that soon became wet minutes after she walked out of her bridal suite. One to consider for future brides.

To be a practical and hardworking bride is a good thing. The quote: “If you want something done right, do it yourself” comes to mind on this occasion. However, it is also important to know when to relax and let others take the wheel of events.

One bride admitted she was able to save up by doing most stuff herself. She, however, regretted the decision to clean up her wedding dress immediately after the occasion when she could be hanging out with her husband.

Planning and organization are essential parts of wedding proceedings. One has to make sure that each part of the wedding ceremony, especially the reception, compliments each other.

A bride had stationed the photo booth at another hall outside the reception hall. She mentioned that people were going out of the reception hall to wait in line for the photo booth. That made the reception hall a little bit empty when it was time to dance. If the booth was in the same room, things would have been different.

Weddings themselves are older than many civilizations in the world today. It is, therefore, not a surprise to find many customs and traditions attached to it from different cultures. The main thing is for one to decide whether those traditions are necessary or not.

One should pick those they feel comfortable observing and discard the others. A couple chose to follow the tradition of smashing a cake on each other’s face. The bride later mentioned that she regretted the decision the next morning, even though she laughed about the situation at the time of the wedding.

Church weddings offer something different and it is quite unique. The melodious hymns, the playing of musical instruments as the bride walks down the aisle. These are events that make this type of wedding special.

This also means a lot of things could go wrong if they are not handled by experts. One example is the organist. A church had an organist that didn’t know how to play some notes. The bride regretted not listening to her before the day.

Brides want to look their best on their wedding day and most times, they are stuck between looking fit and looking comfortable. Sometimes, one can have both.

However, opting for the fitted dress does have its disadvantages, or one should say restrictions. A bride chose the fitted dress options and she regretted her decision. She was not able to eat to her fill on the occasion. In her words, she said she just couldn’t fit it in.

Weddings for most would want it to be once in a lifetime. This is why that day holds so much importance and significance. To some, this significance often leads one to showing off.

They want to make the day special and show the world just how special it is. Some couples end up making it special for everyone but themselves. This was the notion shared by a bride who said she would have felt better if they did not plan any wedding ceremony. According to her, they should have eloped instead.

Couples-to-be try to follow a number of traditions and unwritten rules before their wedding. While some follow these traditions because they believe in the luck it brings, some follow it just for the fun of it even when they don’t have to.

One bride followed tradition by sleeping in a different bed from her husband’s. This was despite the fact that they’ve been living together for the past three years. This decision made her feel unnecessarily anxious, something that could have been avoided.

For some brides, the night before the wedding is more important than the day itself. It’s the night to make sure everything is in order for the morning to come. Working every little detail to make sure the day is as perfect as one had envisaged.

However, one could easily be overtaken by anxiety and this would disrupt the rhythm and flow of the occasion. Sometimes, it is best to find time to relax that night and just enjoy the emotions as they come. One would end up missing out on a lot of fun like this bride.

Hairstyle is something that adds to one’s beauty tremendously. Over the years, through trial and error, a lady would come to realize and appreciate the hairstyle or group of hairstyles that suits her face the most, the ones she feels comfortable doing.

However, concerned friends and family often have their opinion about how one should look on that day and though they are trying to make one look good, they often get it wrong. This bride caved to the pressure of doing a different hairstyle from her preference. Turned out to be one of those decisions brides regret.

One of the things brides regret about their wedding is the high expectations placed on the day. They dream about what the day would be like for years, some even before they know the groom.

The mistake most make is that they expect the wedding day to be the best day of their life. Yes, it can be a special day, but most times it’s hardly the best day of one’s life. If the goal is to make it special, that is attainable. If the goal is to make it the best day, it leads to anxiety and regret.

While some couples are filled with anxiety on their day, some are just filled with excitement. Both state of emotion often leads to different result. One example of the latter is overdrinking. A bride shared her experience on how she and her husband drank a little bit too much at the reception.

It turned out to be one of those regrettable wedding decisions for both bride and groom. They both spent the first night as a married couple in the hotel bathroom floor, sharing the toilet.

Worrying over one aspect of the wedding ceremony could make focus on that aspect while neglecting the other part of the wedding night. They collectively make the night a special one. The trick is to find a balance.

Something this particular bride failed to achieve. She was worried about enjoying the reception and the dance. On that day, the only thing she could focus on was dancing, she neglected other aspects like talking to invited guests, taking pictures with friends, and other things.

Supporting friends’ businesses is a noble thing to do and most times it is appreciated. However, there is one danger associated with hiring friends in a professional capacity. It is hard to draw the line between friendship and profession.

When they fail to deliver the required services, it becomes difficult to confront such friends. A bride regretted her decision to hire friends as a vendor despite the warnings she received. It led to a distasteful and awkward situation.

One of the many aspects that needs to be put into consideration when planning the wedding is the time of the occasion. The time of the occasion is equally important. Not too early, so that preparations won’t be rushed through.

Not too late so that the ceremony won’t be rushed through. The latter situation was the mistake a bride made in preparing for her wedding day. The time was a bit late and they had to rush through some of the proceedings at the end of day. One such included the photo session. The result wasn’t great.

It takes skill and a bit of luck to find one’s balance on the wedding day. Most times, couples concentrate on one aspect and neglect the other.

In the end, it leaves the couple with a feeling of regret. They wished they had done things differently if given the chance. A bride narrated how she spent so much time with the guests at the reception instead of enjoying her moment with her husband.

Worrying about the little things can prevent one from seeing and enjoying the bigger picture. The worst part is that there would always be “little things” to worry about.

One just has to relax and understand the fact that the day might not turn out to be the best. however, it would always be special. One regret this bride has was her constant worry over the little things a night before her wedding day. Looking back at the day, she felt if she had relaxed, she would have enjoyed the day better.

Getting a photographer to capture the moments in pictures is a common concept in many weddings. However, it is not uncommon to hear of couples hiring a videographer to record the important moment of the occasion.

One can always go back and watch the clips while reminiscing on the event. The decision not to hire a videographer turned out to be a regrettable wedding decision for a particular bride. Moments she would have loved to cherish forever. One of such included the speech by her friend.

Planning an occasion is never an easy task, it takes a level of expertise and resilience. Some couples give out the responsibilities to professionals while others prefer a “do it yourself” approach.

The latter group wants the wedding ceremony to be just how they want it and that is understandable. The problem associated with this, especially for brides, is the anxiety that follows. Many brides have regretted the decision and the fact that they were anxious over the little details.

It is nice to relax and merry before the ceremony. It sets one in a mood for enjoyment and fun. However, caution is needed and one has to go about their business moderately. It could turn out to be a decision one regrets if things should get out of hand.

One bride narrates her experience on how she had a little too much to drink while she was getting ready with the girls. She was drunk through most parts of the wedding and she hardly remembers the day.

For many couples, parents have formed the backbone of their growth, for both bride and groom. Their contribution to the success of the occasion is something noteworthy. Some couples, in return, take a moment during the occasion to celebrate their parents.

It could be a moment of toasts to the parent or any other form of acknowledgment. Not doing this was the major regret felt by a bride after her wedding ceremony. She felt she could have appreciated her parents on that joyous day.

There are a lot of activities before, during, and after the wedding day. It is important to relax and be patient through the process of enjoying these activities. One could get tired if too much is done in too little time.

One of the many decisions brides regret over time. For example, this bride and her groom left early in the morning for Costa Rica on honeymoon. The wedding ceremony ended around 3am in the morning, just four hours before the trip. The whole day was spent hungover.

So as not to offend others, some couples have the habit of inviting everybody and anybody to their joyous occasion. Some couples do not mind the crowd and they still enjoy their day regardless. For others, it turns out to be one of those regrettable decisions.

An example is that of a bride that invited those she was not close to. She didn’t enjoy the decision and felt the day would have been better spent with actual friends and her husband.

While some brides regretted spending too much time with friends, others regretted the opposite. This is due to the number of activities packed for that day. An example is the bride that recalled that her night was full of activities and she barely had time for herself and her friends.

Pulled away for pictures, after that, for the dance. Without a moment’s rest, pulled away again to toss the bouquet and many other activities. She did enjoy her day but felt it could be better.

A lot of things could disrupt one’s plan for the big day. Some of those things are out of one’s control. The need to have a perfect wedding often leads to undesired emotions on that day. A bride was left angry when it started raining on the morning of her wedding.

If she had gone with the flow, focused on her joy and not the idea of perfection, maybe she would have enjoyed the moment a bit better. The sky cleared up before the event, but the effect of the anger on her mood did not. Something she regrets years after that day.

Sometimes it is better to test and have a look at all the parts of the wedding dress. Sort out the parts that need adjustment, remove the parts that would not be needed. One piece of the wedding gown that seems insignificant is the veil that covers the eye.

Some brides decide before the day to try it out, some do not. One could regret the latter option in rare cases. The veil was itchy and uncomfortable for this bride and she had to tear it out during the event.

It is important to look the best on the wedding day. It gives confidence and a sense of self-worth that one carries throughout the day. In terms of getting the best look, trying out different options before deciding is not such a bad idea.

The excitement, most times, leads one to make hasty decisions. Decisions like settling down for the first makeup artist one comes across. A bride regretted this decision and mentioned that her makeup could have been better if she was patient.

Trying to make the night perfect is one thing. Trying to make it perfect for everyone but yourself is another. A bride felt that her major regret of the day was that she focused too much on the care and welfare of others.

She spent much time worrying about others, the one person she did not take care of was herself. She felt she would have had a better wedding experience with her husband if she had focused on herself and her husband.