The idea of living alone sounds exciting until the time you have to LIVE ALONE. You might not agree with me but I have been there, done that. When I started college I was dying to move out and live away from my parents. The mere thought of moving out and residing in an apartment gave me a feeling of freedom.

However, I had to be very careful when it came to security. Here’s how you too can manage.

Don’t Make it Obvious

The biggest mistake that you will make is making it obvious that you live alone. One of the tricks that I resorted to was subscribing to the apartment’s Spectrum TV service even though I did not need it. I would turn the TV on high volume when home. Thus applying the Home Alone trick. It worked. Strangers thought a couple of people reside in this place.

I also used to switch on the lights of multiple rooms even when I was the only person living in the house.

A Safety Check

You should make a conscious effort to give your apartment a safety check. You will have to complete this task before you move in. Some of the things that you will have to check for security purposes include making sure that the apartment’s door is solid wood or metal. You should also add deadbolts to all of the entrances in your apartment.

Apart from that, you should also have a look at other entry points including windows. In case you are not comfortable with anything, discuss it with your landlord at the earliest.

Make Friends With Your Neighbors

It will be beneficial for you to befriend your neighbors. If you are an introvert, you might find this tip very crappy. But you will have to talk to your neighbors for safety purposes. Because let’s face it, your neighbors are the only people whom you can ask for instant help in case trouble arises. And they will also be willing to help you out as you live close to your neighbors and are on friendly terms with them.

Tell Friends You’re Home

Let your friends know whenever you reach home. Don’t hesitate to give your friends or family a call whenever you feel nervous. Apart from that, you can also consider installing a couple or just one security app on your mobile. You can choose from the following options:

• React Mobile
• On Watch.

Throw Parties

Another way to ensure your safety is to throw frequent parties. This will help ensure that you are not alone in your apartment most of the times. Also, burglars hardly consider attacking busy homes. This will also give a clear message to the intruders that your friends have got your back. They won’t consider messing with you.

Emergency Exit Plan

One must also have an emergency exit plan. You should work on creating an exit strategy in case you face trouble. These scenarios do not always have to involve break-ins but fires can also be a major emergency. If you have a back-up emergency exit plan, you will be at peace. As you will know in mind that you have an alternate plan.

No Workers Allowed

You should be extra careful when it comes to allowing workers inside your house. Do not let any workers in your apartment when you are all by yourself. These include people like plumbers or technicians. Whenever you have a visit by a worker planned, invite some friends over as well. This will give the strangers a message that you live with a bunch of roommates.

Report Unusual Things

If you notice some strange thing going on, do not ignore it. Always be very efficient in reporting unusual happenings around you. You should not hesitate from calling the cops if the situation asks for it. Trust your gut in instances that seem or sound strange. Intuition is never wrong.

No Spare Keys Under The Mat

Some of the most common places where individuals hide their spare keys are mailboxes or underneath the doormat. You will be stupid to think that the burglars do not know of these places. You should own a pair of spare keys but always keep them with your neighbor or a trusted friend.

Lock The Door

Make a conscious effort by always locking the door. No matter what occasion or for how long are you leaving your house. Leaving the door unlocked is not an option at all.

In my first year, I made the same mistake. A stranger appeared at my door saying he was there to take my Spectrum internet bill. Though I was a subscriber of Spectrum, it did not occur to me that I had nothing to do with a business plan. Lucky me, no harm was done. The poor guy was lost! But I later realized how my mistake.

We think nothing bad will happen to us – it’s all in the movies! Right? No! Stuff happens all the time around us. So it’s better to be paranoid than stupid.