Are you afraid of the noises you hear at night? Does leaving your home leave you anxious? The best way to alleviate this paranoia is to secure your home, but how? This article includes a ton of great ideas which you can use to secure your home today, if you put your mind to it.

If you are a female and living alone, it’s understandable that you may feel afraid about home invasions. People are more likely to try to take advantage of women. Try placing a pair of big, muddy boots on your front step to give the appearance of a man staying in the house.

If you are a smoker, put out your cigarette in a cup of water to prevent a fire hazard. This should be done before you put it in the trash, as you run the risk of the bud not burning out when you rub it in your ashtray. Smoke outside to reduce all risk of a fire occurring in your home.

Keep your car in your garage if you have one. Keeping the car in the garage can keep thieves from vandalizing or stealing it. When it is in hiding, people won’t know if you’re home.

You should install heavy drapes and keep them closed in rooms where you have a lot of high end equipment. If you have an expensive computer, television or stereo system, showing them off through a window is akin to advertising. You are giving thieves an inventory of what is inside your home.

Be aware of what’s being talked about in the neighborhood. The more you know about the people you live near, the more you can be sure of your home’s overall security. You may here something strange through the grapevine. But beyond that, all your newfound neighbor friends make excellent watchdogs for keeping your property safe!

Clean up that dirty garage and park your car in it. Parking your car in your garage can really help keep criminal activity at bay. First, your car will be less of a target than if it was sitting parked on the street. Second, it makes it tougher for criminals to track your daily activities.

Add lights to your lawn. You don’t need crazy bright spotlights to keep thieves away. All you need is some decent general lighting that makes your property just a little less appealing to criminals than homes that offer a lot more cover. You can even use lights on timers to help save on the overall electricity bill while still helping to keep you safe.

Keep your windows locked. It seems like an obvious step to take, however many people simply forget to check the locks on their windows. Thieves are always looking for the easiest way into a home, and doors and windows are among the first entrance points they check. This includes screened windows too, as screens can pop off quite easily.

Home security can be yours in short order, but only if you use what you’ve read here. Start with one step at a time and your home will be a safe haven in short order. All it takes is a little determination and the knowledge you have gained by reading this article.