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So many times we don’t think about our security needs on a regular basis until a dangerous situation, risk to our personal safety, or an injury happens that shatters our bubble of protection. Every holiday season brings back memories of homes in our neighborhood being targeted, watched, and then burglarized as those around us left for work. Doors were kicked in during the middle of the day or as thieves watched homeowners leave in the evenings. Homes were ransacked, valuables were taken, and homeowners came home to devastating scenes in places where they used to feel safe.
I started to grow paranoid every time I left the house. I glanced around wondering if someone was watching me and the kids, worried about what I might come back to upon returning home, and then took charge, securing our own home to thwart off intruders.
We took a good long look at our home to figure out how we could secure possible points of entry. We reinforced our strike plates on our doors with thicker ones, installed longer deadbolts, and got a smart alarm system that has window and glass break sensors, motion sensing cameras with live video feeds that we can view on our smartphones, and more. We also adopted a large dog who loves to sleep at our back door and listens for us to come home and wakes up to bark at unknown noises.
These days I know that if someone wants to enter our home, they’re going to have a much more difficult time doing it.
Even though home security products probably aren’t at the top of your list of gifts to get or receive, they’re practical items that keep on giving throughout the year. Having time off around the holidays is a great time to assess your home and any handy relatives visiting can help you complete easy DIY projects that can help your family stay safe and secure throughout the New Year.
Through the years, I’ve always relied on products from Master Lock to help keep my home secure. Here are some of my favorite products that you can use inside and outside your home, get your kids to teach them to start securing their belongings from a young age, and items we bring with us to secure passports, cash, credit cards, etc. when traveling.
Inside and Outside Your House
Start by taking a good look at your house and being realistic about possible points of entry that could be attractive to intruders and assess the outside of your home to secure products that could be tempting to passers-by as well as thieves.
- Thicker strike plates and longer deadbolts will make it more difficult for our doors to be kicked in. Master Lock has deadbolts in varying lengths and finishes to match your existing door hardware. If you’re not handy and need a product that can secure your doors immediately, I’d recommend an Adjustable Door Security Bar like the Master Lock DCCSEN. Designed to be use with sliding/ patio doors or behind a door handle, the Adjustable Door Security bar is versatile and easy to use immediately after purchase.
- Holiday cash, gift cards, passports, and other personal documents that are difficult to replace should be secured in a safe like the Privacy Lock Chest that offers protection from fire that offers protection from fire and features a key lock, carrying handle, and serves as a great place to store your digital media.
- Expecting guests for the holidays? Instead of leaving your key under the doormat or in the mailbox for them to let themselves in upon arrival, secure it in a Set Your Own Combination Push Button Portable Lock Box. This will ensure that your key is locked up until they arrive but just don’t forget to text or email them the code so they can grab your key from this secure location!
- Large items like ladders that live outside should be secured with a cable lock. I like the durability and weather resistance that the Looped End Cable with Covered Laminated Steel Padlock provides.
- If you have a trailer, boat trailer, camper, etc. that you tow behind your car, secure it with a Stainless Steel Barbell Extended Length Receiver Lock. This barbell lock will prevent it from being towed away by someone else as it sits in your driveway. If you need a barbell lock for your security needs, consider Master Lock’s 1469DAT Receiver Lock.
For the Kids
It’s a good idea to get kids involved in securing their belongings from a young age. Here are some my picks for products that are easy for the youngest kids and cool enough for teens to use.
- Preschoolers and elementary ages— Master Lock’s Set Your Own Directional Combination Cable Lock is great for locking up bikes. This directional padlock is much easier for small fingers to use to lock up their first bike compared to a traditional dial padlock.
- Tweens— Key carrying tweens will like the Python Adjustable Locking Cable that looks intimidating thanks to the python shaped head.
- Teens— Smartphone obsessed teens will like Wide Bluetooth Padlock that allows them to open their lock with the free Master Lock Vault eLocks app so they don’t have to worry about remembering another combination.
On the Go
We are a family that loves to travel but we’re always very cognizant of our surroundings and how to best protect our belongings when on the go.
- On the rare occasion that we check luggage when we travel, we like to secure our checked baggage with TSA-Accepted Luggage Locks from Master Lock to minimize the chance of someone to rifling through our bags. I like that these locks come in 4 colors, don’t require keys, and feature flexible shackles.
- Since we’ve seen a family be robbed of passports, credit cards, and cash while relaxing on the beach in St. Croix, we pack the Portable Personal Safe just to be sure that we have a secure place to put our belongings on the beach. It’s compact enough to put in a carry on bag and doesn’t weigh a lot but it provides lots of peace of mind.
- It’s also a good idea to have electronic copies of passports, drivers’ licenses, health insurance, etc. with you when you travel and one of the best ways to store these personal documents is in Master Lock Vault. This free app for iOS and Android devices securely stores digital copies of documents, passwords, and lock combinations for your Vault enabled Master Lock products.
As a member of Master Lock’s Live Secure Safety Squad, I have been compensated for my time in writing this post and receive samples for review.
