Living alone can be a lot of fun. You don’t have to manage relationships with other people. And you can pretty much do whatever you like. There’s a cost, though: safety.
In this post, we take a look at some of the ways that you can stay safe at home if you’re single and don’t live with anyone else.
Rent accommodation with a concierge
Depending on where you live, you might have the opportunity to rent accommodation that comes with a concierge. The setup works something like this: you rent a flat in a large building, and then staff will monitor the reception areas 24/7, ensuring that no unauthorised people enter.
Concierges services offer a range of additional services too, besides safety. For instance, they can put you in contact with the landlord if there’s a problem with your property. Or they can keep parcels safe for you in a back office until you’re ready to collect them. They’re a little bit like household help but mainly focus on security.
Buy security cameras
If you don’t live in rented accommodation with a concierge facility, there are still plenty of ways to keep yourself safe. Modern security cameras are significantly better than their traditional counterparts. Today, you don’t have to wire them up to your mains. Most are now wireless. You simply hook them up to your house so that they can monitor access points for your property.
A lot of singletons like to install doorbell cameras. This technology allows them to interact with people remotely without having to open the door first. Systems like this avoid snatch-and-grab raids on your property and mean that you don’t have to open the door to anyone you don’t know.
Get a personal security alarm
One of the best tips to feel more relaxed at home is to get a personal security alarm that you keep on your person at all times.
The way these systems work is simple. Usually, you fit them discreetly inside jewellery, and then if you get into trouble, you activate them, alerting your contact for help. It’s a bit like a home security alarm, but for your body instead. And in many ways, it’s more effective than standard systems. As the victim, you decide when it goes off. You’re not relying on an external computer to figure things out for you.
Make your garage more secure
Criminals will often target your garage. They do this for two reasons. The first is that the garage is likely to contain high-value items that they can sell on the secondary market. And secondly, you’re not there to stop them. Often, you’re in the main house.
Garage security is challenging to achieve, but perfectly possible with the right setup.
First, you’ll want to invest in an automatic garage door. These systems make sure that you shut your door after every time you use it so that you don’t forget.
You’ll also want to invest in manual locks for extra security. Remember, criminals will often try to override automatic doors to gain quick access to your property. Having a padlock in place makes it much more difficult for them to target you.
Know your neighbours
Getting to know your neighbours is an essential part of living alone. If you don’t have any housemates, you need people in the local community who can support you if you get into trouble.
Often, you’ll find that local people are very observant about what’s going on on their street. In many cases, they will tell you if they notice suspicious activity, providing you with advanced warning of any criminal activity.
If you’re an introverted person, getting to know the people living close to you can feel like a challenge. If possible, try to make eye contact and say hello. Eventually, you’ll be able to strike up a conversation and get to know the people around you better.
Use backup
Finally, if you live alone, losing your keys can feel like a disaster. For that reason, it is a good idea to invest in a backup set and leave it with somebody you trust.
Let’s say, for instance, you live in a block of flats, and you lose your key. Often, the only option is to get a new set cut and pay for somebody to pick the lock and open the front door. But if you have a buddy in the flat that you trust, you can simply collect the spare set and use that to enter your flat instead.
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