Vacationing away from home is a great way to relax, but it is also important to take the necessary steps to make sure your home is secure while you and your loved ones are away.

When returning home from vacation, the last thing any homeowner wants is to find that their home has been damaged or burglarized. For this reason, taking the necessary precautions in securing your home before you leave for vacation can come in handy.

Home Invasion Statsics

According to the Department of Justice, a whopping 1.7 million homes were invaded in 2017. To make matters worse, a quarter of home invasions happened during the day! This is because many people tend to be away from their homes for long periods of time during the day due to work and other obligations, giving burglars free reign to break in.

When burglars invade a home, they tend to steal miscellaneous items such as firearms, electronics, and even clothing. They also try to steal vehicles — and of course, money. Basically, the easier an item is to steal, the more likely a burglar will do so.

In the United States, home burglaries happen every 25.7 seconds, making home security a priority for many homeowners. But fortunately, securing your home can be done in a variety of ways. There are basic security measures such as making sure all windows and doors are locked, setting an alarm system, or installing motion-sensor lights outside of your home. But aside from the basics, there are also a number of ways to provide additional security that can put your mind at ease so you can enjoy your time away from home. Here are five expert tips for how to protect your home from home invasion when you are away:

1. Install Outdoor Lighting

Investing in quality outdoor lighting can help prevent theft from occurring inside your home. Thieves planning to break in and steal want to draw as little attention to themselves as possible, so they tend to shy away from illuminated areas with ample lighting.

If you have outdoor lights that turn on as soon as it gets dark, thieves will be less likely to attempt to break in. For added security, you can even put a timer on your lights. This way, they can turn on and off automatically to give the illusion that someone is home when you are away.

2. Notify Your Neighbors

When it comes to homeownership, getting chummy with your neighbors can provide a number of benefits. From fostering a sense of community to keeping each other aware of the going ons in the area, being neighborly can make homeownership that much more enjoyable.

If you are on friendly terms with your neighbors, consider letting them know when you plan to be out of town. This can be especially beneficial if you are going to be on vacation for an extended period of time. This way, they can help keep an eye out on any suspicious activity surrounding your home while you are away.

3. Throw Out the Trash

The contents inside your trash can tell a desperate thief a lot about what is inside your home. For example, if you recently purchased an expensive flat screen TV, you might discard the box it came in in the trash without thinking twice about it. But a thief scouting out homes to burglarize could see that box in your trash can and come to the conclusion that your home has something worth stealing.

To combat this, remember to take out the trash before you leave for vacation. Properly dispose of boxes and other forms of packaging that contained expensive products. You can also invest in a secure trash can with a tight lid to make it harder for potential thieves to peek inside.

4. Invest in Warning Signs

Securing your home also involves posting signs that warn of impending danger to thieves considering breaking in your home. This can help ward off suspicious activity. For example, if you own a dog, you might take them on vacation with you. But you can post a sign that says “Beware of Dog” to deter criminals from invading your property.

Or if you have surveillance cameras, you could post a sign indicating that your home is under 24/7 video monitoring. Doing so can forewarn thieves that they could potentially be caught, hurt, or worse if the attempt to break in. As a result, this might cause them to rethink their attack.

5. Declutter the Outside of Your Home

Outdoor furniture, bushes, and trees can beautify the exterior of your home. But they can also make your home a target for home invasion. Burglars tend to look for homes that provide them enough hiding space to decrease their visibility in an effort to not get caught. For this reason, homeowners should try to declutter their outdoor space as much as possible to prevent this from happening.

Consider removing chairs, benches, and other furniture from your front porch. You can also trim bushes near windows, remove large trees that provide a hiding place, and clear the cars from your driveway to lessen your chances of theft.