Essential Home Security Tips for Women

I am not a woman, but I married a woman.  As a man who has been married for 32 years and has an adult daughter, I understand the importance of feeling safe and secure while at home, especially for women who are alone. This article is specifically written for women, and offers unique tips and actionable steps to help you protect yourself while at home alone.  These are the tips that I would tell both my wife and daughter to follow.

By following these tips, you can create a safer environment for yourself, increase your confidence, and reduce the chances of becoming a victim of a crime. Whether you live alone, are a stay-at-home mom, or just need to spend a night by yourself, this article will guide you on how to secure your home and protect yourself. So, let’s get started!

Tips for Securing Your Home’s Entry Points

Securing your home’s entry points is crucial to ensuring the safety and security of your home. By implementing these tips, you can make it more difficult for intruders to enter your home and give yourself added peace of mind.

In 2011, Sarah McKinley, a young mother from Oklahoma, 2 men tried to break into her home and attempted to force their way in. However, Sarah had secured her home’s entry points by locking the doors and blocking them with a couch. This gave her enough time to retrieve a shotgun and pistol and defend herself and her infant son. As a result, she was able to protect her family and herself from harm by shooting and killing the intruder.

You can view the full story on YouTube by clicking here.

Below are some great tips that you should implement today.

Keep All Doors and Windows Locked

Locking your doors and windows is the first and most basic step you can take to secure your home’s entry points. It’s important to make sure that all doors and windows are locked, especially when you’re away from home or asleep at night. Burglars often look for easy targets and unlocked doors and windows provide them with easy access to your home. Additionally, double-check to make sure that all locks are functioning properly and replace any faulty locks immediately to avoid any potential security breaches. Lastly, keep spare keys with a trusted family member or neighbor rather than hidden outside, where burglars could easily find them.

Install Deadbolts on Exterior Doors

installing deadbolts on your exterior doors is an important step towards feeling secure in your own home. Deadbolts are much more difficult to break than regular locks, which can give you added peace of mind and help you feel safer when you’re at home alone or with your family. By installing deadbolts, you can make it harder for potential intruders to gain entry into your home, allowing you to rest easy knowing that you’ve taken steps to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Use a Peephole or Video Doorbell

Using a peephole or video doorbell is an effective way to ensure that you know who is at your door before you open it. This simple step can help you avoid opening the door to strangers, which can be especially important if you’re home alone. By seeing who is at the door, you can make an informed decision about whether to open the door or not, reducing the chances of a potential security breach.

Do Not Open the Door for Strangers

It’s important for a woman to be cautious when opening the door for strangers to prevent any potential danger. If you’re not expecting someone, don’t open the door for them. Ask for identification if necessary, and don’t feel pressured to open the door if you don’t feel comfortable doing so.

Install a Security System

A woman should consider installing a home security system because it provides an added layer of protection to her home. A security system can detect any potential intruders and alert you and the authorities immediately, giving you the ability to act quickly and potentially prevent a crime from occurring.

For some women, a home security system is not an option.  Having a dog can provide an added level of security to your home, as they are naturally protective of their owners and their territory. Dogs have an acute sense of hearing and smell, which makes them effective at detecting potential intruders before they even get close to your home. Additionally, the sound of a barking dog can be a deterrent to burglars, making them think twice before attempting to break in.

Tips for Securing your Home’s Interior

Securing the interior of your home is just as important as securing the exterior, especially when you’re home alone. As a woman, it’s essential to feel safe and secure in your own home, and securing your home’s interior can help you achieve this. In this section, I’ll provide you with actionable tips on how to secure your home’s interior, including how to use timers for your lights and electronics, keep your garage door closed and locked, and keep your cellphone charged and within reach.

Keep your Curtains or Blinds Closed at Night

Keeping your curtains or blinds closed at night is important to ensure privacy and prevent potential intruders from seeing inside your home. By keeping your windows covered, you can also prevent potential burglars from casing your home and seeing if there are any valuable items worth stealing. It will also prevent creeps from gazing into your house just outside your house, or from afar by using binoculars.  Additionally, keeping your curtains or blinds closed can help you feel more secure and relaxed in your own home, providing you with peace of mind and a sense of privacy.

Use Timers for your Interior Lights and Electronics

It’s important to vary the timing and location of the lights and electronics that you use timers for, as a predictable pattern can be easily identified by burglars. Additionally, consider investing in smart home technology that allows you to remotely control your lights and electronics using your smartphone. This can provide added convenience and security, as you can adjust your timers and turn off any electronics that may have been left on after having locked your bedroom door for the night.

Keep your Garage Door Closed and Locked

Keeping your garage door closed and locked at all times when home alone is essential to maintain the security of your home. An open or unlocked garage door can provide easy access for potential intruders and put your home at risk of a break-in. By keeping your garage door closed and locked, you can significantly reduce the chances of someone gaining access to your home and provide you with added peace of mind.

Keep your cellphone charged and with you at all times

Keeping your cellphone charged and with you at all times is important to ensure that you can call for help in case of an emergency. It’s also a good idea to have phone chargers available throughout the house, so that you can keep your phone charged and within reach, even if you’re in a different room. By following this tip, you can stay connected with others and have the peace of mind that you can reach out for help when needed.

Tips for Being Aware of your Surroundings

As a woman, being aware of your surroundings is essential to staying safe and secure, especially when you’re at home alone. By knowing your neighbors, avoiding walking alone at night, and staying aware of your surroundings when entering or leaving your home, you can reduce the chances of being targeted by potential intruders. Additionally, it’s important to avoid sharing your whereabouts on social media, as this can provide an opportunity for burglars to target your home. In this section, I’ll provide you with practical tips on how to be more aware of your surroundings and increase the security of your home.

Know your Neighbors

Developing solid relationships with your neighbors can benefit women in several ways. For one, having a good relationship with your neighbors can create a support network and a sense of community. Neighbors who know each other well are more likely to look out for each other and offer help when needed. Additionally, good relationships with your neighbors can provide a sense of security and peace of mind, especially when you’re home alone.  Additionally, if there comes a time when you feel the need to have someone look around your house, you can call on them.  Any decent neighbor would be more than willing to help alleviate any concerns you may have.

Avoid Walking Alone at Night

For the woman who is concerned about her safety, she should avoid walking alone at night because it can put them at greater risk of being targeted by potential attackers or burglars. Walking alone can make you more vulnerable and an easy target, especially if you’re not familiar with the area or if it’s poorly lit. Additionally, it can be difficult to defend yourself if you’re alone and may not have any means of self-defense. By avoiding walking alone at night, you can significantly reduce the chances of being targeted and increase your overall safety and security.

Note that the operative word here, is “alone”.  If you want to take another woman with you, have a great time!  You significantly reduce the chances of becoming a victim of crime when walking with someone.

Stay Aware of your Surroundings when Entering or Leaving your Home

If someone is looking to harm you, the last thing you want to do is to give them an opportunity to do so.  By leaving the security of your home, you give the creep the advantage the moment you step out of your house, especially at night.

Staying aware of your surroundings when entering or leaving your home is important for women because it can help you detect any potential threats or suspicious activity. By staying alert and paying attention to your surroundings, you can be more prepared to respond to any danger or threats that may arise. Additionally, staying aware of your surroundings can help you identify any potential security weaknesses in your home or neighborhood and take steps to address them. Overall, being aware of your surroundings is an important aspect of staying safe and secure, especially when you’re home alone.

Don’t Share your Whereabouts on Social Media

Women who live alone should avoid sharing their whereabouts on social media because it can make them an easy target for potential burglars or attackers. Posting your location on social media can let people know that you’re not at home and make your home vulnerable to break-ins. Additionally, sharing your whereabouts on social media can put your personal safety at risk, as you never know who might be looking at your posts or tracking your movements. By avoiding sharing your whereabouts on social media, you can help protect your home and personal safety, and reduce the chances of being targeted by potential intruders.

Tips for Protecting Yourself

As a woman, protecting yourself when you’re home alone is essential to staying safe and secure. In this section, I’ll provide you with practical tips on how to protect yourself, including taking self-defense classes, keeping pepper spray or a personal alarm on hand, knowing how to contact emergency services, trusting your instincts, and developing a safety plan for emergencies. These tips can help you be prepared for any unexpected situation and respond quickly and effectively to potential threats.

Take Self-Defense Classes

Self-Defense courses sound intimidating, and perhaps expensive.  But what are two things that pretty much any woman can do?

Self-defense classes can teach women a variety of physical moves to use when faced with an attacker. One effective move is the palm strike, which involves using the heel of your palm to strike your attacker’s nose, chin, or throat. Another useful move is the knee strike, which involves striking your attacker’s groin with your knee, which can incapacitate them and provide you with an opportunity to escape. By learning these moves and others, you can feel more empowered and confident in your ability to defend yourself if needed.

Keep Pepper Spray or a Personal Alarm on Hand

Keeping pepper spray or a personal alarm on hand can provide women with a quick and effective means of self-defense in case of an attack or intrusion. Pepper spray can temporarily blind and incapacitate an attacker, allowing you time to escape and seek help. Personal alarms emit a loud and attention-grabbing noise that can deter potential attackers and draw attention to your situation. By keeping these items on hand, you can feel more prepared and empowered to protect yourself if necessary.

Know How to Contact Emergency Services

Knowing how to contact emergency services is crucial for women who live alone as it provides a direct means of seeking help in case of an emergency. Women should contact emergency services if they witness any suspicious activity, have reason to believe someone is attempting to break into their home, or if they feel threatened or unsafe.

Be sure to have emergency numbers stored on your phone, and keep a list of important numbers handy in case their phone is not available, near the refrigerator or bedside table, for example.

Trust your Instincts

Trusting your instincts is important for women when they are home alone because it can help them recognize potential danger and respond quickly and effectively. Women should trust their gut feelings if they feel uneasy or threatened, and take necessary precautions such as contacting emergency services or avoiding certain areas.

By trusting your instincts, you can enhance your overall safety and security when you’re alone at home. Additionally, trusting your instincts can help you develop a greater sense of confidence and self-awareness, which can be valuable in many other aspects of your life as well.

Develop a Safety Plan for Emergencies

Developing a safety plan for emergencies is essential for women who live alone, as it can provide a clear set of actions to follow in case of an emergency or threat. A safety plan should include emergency numbers, escape routes, and a list of important items to take with you if you need to evacuate your home.

By having a safety plan in place, women can feel more prepared and confident in their ability to respond to emergencies, and can act quickly and effectively to protect themselves and their property. Additionally, having a safety plan can help women reduce their stress and anxiety levels, as they know exactly what to do in case of an unexpected situation.

Closing Thoughts

Taking proactive steps to secure your home and protect yourself when you are home alone is essential for women’s safety and well-being. These tips do not suggest that women are weak or incapable of protecting themselves, on the contrary, These tips recognize the importance of proactive measures and personal responsibility when it comes to home security, and are designed to help women feel more confident and empowered in their ability to protect themselves and their homes.

By taking these steps and developing a safety plan, women can demonstrate their strength and resilience, and can set an example for others to follow in promoting safety and security for themselves and their communities.

Remember that your safety is paramount, and taking even small steps to enhance your security can make a significant difference in your overall sense of well-being. Ultimately, these tips are offered with the hope that women will feel empowered to take control of their own personal safety and security, and can live their lives with greater peace of mind and confidence in their ability to protect themselves and their homes.