• making sure your mail gets stopped or a neighbour collects it for you
• Leaving a television on and maybe your air conditioner on a low setting (in summer)
• Making sure someone parks in your driveway while you are away
• Making sure your lawn is kept mown
• Leave a number where you can be reached with a neighbour in case something does go wrong.
• Leave your curtains or blinds open to what they usually are.
• Making sure you don't talk about your trip in public places where strangers can hear and find out where you live.
• Conceal your address on your luggage tags so somebody can't just pick the address off your tag at the airport

Before you leave make sure you go through the house one last time and check all of the windows and doors again to make sure you have locked up properly.

Timers can be really great if you are going away. They can make a house look and sound like there are people there when there isn't. Try to imagine a burglar creeping up to your house and then a light and radio come on. I think he would be too worried that somebody was home to bother trying. Timers are easy to use and can be bought in almost any hardware store. They can be used for basically any electrical appliance including TV, radio, lights, air conditioner etc.

Overall just make sure you do most of these simple things when going away then you can enjoy your trip without those nagging doubts like, "Did I remember to lock that window?" Think smart before you leave and you should be able to enjoy your holiday instead of worrying the whole time.

A.J. EDDEN PTY LTD
ABN: 11 000 091 690