7 Tips For Keeping Your Home Safe (+ A 3 Camera Security System GIVEAWAY from Blink!)

This post is brought to you by Blink Home Video Security. While this was a sponsored opportunity, all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

As a mama to two young kids who travels often (and who has a husband that is gone close to half the year working on the road), home security is important to me. I won’t go into the detailed scenarios that have repetitively played in my head that more or less involve multiple masked burglars in striped shirts attempting to invade my house a la A Christmas Story. Instead I’ll just say that, while I refuse to live a life fueled by fear, I am realistic about the fact that break-ins do happen. Like all of us, I want to do the absolute best I can to keep my family and home safe. I've done research into ways to do this, and have come up with a system of things that (knock on wood) has worked for us. And today, I thought I'd share them here, in hopes our personal recommendations might help out those of you looking for ways to best protect your home and family as well.

1. Choose your locks well. Not all locks are created equal, and it's worth it to invest in well made models that do their jobs. We actually have a smart lock system for our front door with a keypad that's connected to our phones. On other doors, we've made sure to get quality deadbolts with hardened steel bolts. And of course, always change the locks if you move into a new home or apartment.

2. Connect with your neighbors. There is strength in numbers, and it's a proven fact that when neighbors look out for one another, crime is reduced. We always let our next door neighbors know if we're going to be out of town so they can keep an eye on our place, and we do the same for them.

3. Avoid "hiding" spare keys outside. It might seem like common sense not to do this, but I actually know a lot of people who keep an extra house key under a doormat or in a flower pot. I used to do this myself, until I read an article that talked about how many break-ins occurred using a house key that was easily discovered in one of these common spots. If you feel better having an extra key available outside your home, leave one with a neighbor that you trust or a local friend or relative.

4. Use timers on your lights. This is an easy way to make it appear you're home even when you're not. You can set them on both indoor and outdoor lights.

5. Pay attention to your landscaping. Make sure that trees, bushes, etc. that might conceal entrances to your house are trimmed so they don't become convenient hiding places and/or ways to enter through windows.

6. Get a Blink Wireless Home Security and Monitoring System for inside your home. This was truly the best move we made in terms of increasing our home security. We have the Two Indoor Camera System, and it is awesome you guys. The completely wireless home security cameras send motion-activated alerts and high quality HD video right to our phones. (Check out my Instagram Stories to see a video from our outdoor camera!) The system is also incredibly affordable (and has no contract or subscription fees), is super easy to set up, and runs on two AA batteries for 2 years. And it's really cute too! That cameras are small with modern, minimal design that fits in beautifully with our decor. The system gives us peace of mind when we're traveling and makes me feel safe when it's just me here with the kids. It's also a great way to spy on the kids (ha!) when they're in a different room than I am. True story.

7. Get a Blink XT Outdoor Camera for outside your home. Package theft is a huge problem these days. I can't tell you how many friends I have (both city and country dwellers) who have had boxes stolen right from their front doors. I receive numerous shipments for work each week that are left on my porch by carriers, and was in need of an effective way to help prevent this by allowing me to easily see when I have packages on my porch (and/or if there seems to be any sort of suspicious activity going on in that area). The Blink XT is the official weatherproof outdoor version of the Blink indoor cameras we love so much, so it was the obvious choice for me. It has all the great features of the indoor camera, and is also weatherproof and has infrared night vision. In addition to the fact that the Blink XT helps my packages stay safe, it provides extra security for our home as well.

GIVEAWAY TIME! We love our Blink wireless home security systems so much that we're teaming up with Blink to give one lucky Bubby and Bean reader a Two Camera Indoor System AND a Blink XT Outdoor Camera (a total value of almost $300!). To enter, just click here and enter your email address. This giveaway runs until November 20, 2017. Woot! (UPDATE: Congrats to winner Jeremy Zoulin! Blink will be contacting you about getting you your prize.)


What ways do you keep your home and family safe? I'd love to hear any other tips you might have!

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