Industry statistics show that, during the holiday season, normal crime rates soar to around 20% higher than the normal average. It’s not difficult to discern why. Between packages left on doorstops and Christmas tree presents glimmering inside open blinds, there are no shortage of opportunities for thieves to sneak a peek at what’s on your wish list.

The good news? Today’s home security market is riper than ever before with innovative, cost-affordable solutions that can keep both your home and your property safeguarded. From smart locks to smart lights, you can invest in these automated solutions to control your home, even when you’re halfway around the world. Yet, once those are installed, there are even more measures you can take this holiday season to deter theft. Today, let’s take a look at five steps that can get you on the road to a more secure, protected home.

Steps to Take While You’re Home

The preventative measures you’ll take while you’re away are different from those you can handle while you’re on the premises of your property. Let’s take a look at the latter, first.

1. Make Boxes Less Visible

Start by getting in your packages off your front stoop or porch as soon as they’re delivered. Even leaving them for a few hours can lure passersby to take a second look. Then, take a look around your home once you’re back inside. Is your Christmas tree located near a window? If so, ensure that the blinds are closed or the curtains are pulled tightly, especially as dusk and nighttime appear, your interior lights go on and everything is illuminated from the inside out. You may also consider moving your tree to a location that is less visible to those driving or walking by on the outside.

2. Discard of Boxes Discreetly

Once you open your packages and remove what’s inside, resist the urge to just pile the boxes by the curb for the garbage collector. Doing so can tip off would-be thieves that you have plenty of valuables inside of your home. Instead, break the boxes down and place the material inside your garbage or recycling bin.

3. Lock Up, and Not Just Your Windows

We might believe that a thief will always enter from the front door, but we know that’s not always the case. From back porch doors to second-story windows, if you have an entryway into your home, it’s essential that you properly lock it. Especially if you’re the type to get halfway to your destination and wonder if you remembered to bolt the exterior basement door, it’s wise to invest in a smart home security solution that includes smart locks you can control from anywhere. Do your research and learn more about these types of products to determine how they fit into your home’s security plan.

While You’re Away

Are you planning to spend the holidays on vacation or with your family that lives apart from you? If so, know that your loved ones aren’t the only ones who will be happy when you lock up and head out.

4. Get Boxes Out of Sight

To make your home less susceptible to a break-in while you’re gone, you can ask the postal service to hold your mail so you can pick it up later. Some UPS specialty members may have this option, as well. If you don’t want to go this route, at least request that a neighbor or local friend pick up your packages every day to keep them from sitting outside for too long.

5. Monitor and Control Remotely

If your security system has an integrated mobile app option, you can usually keep an eye on your property even when you aren’t there. Check to see if your exterior and/or interior security cameras can be synced to the app so you can check in and take action if required.

In addition, put your smart lights on a timer to turn on and off on a regular basis. This activity makes it look like someone is living in your home. Even if you don’t have a smart solution, you can hook a programmable timer onto existing lights as an alternative.

Bonus Section: Traveling Smartly and Safely

If you’re weaving in and out of airport crowds, you could be a target for a pickpocket, especially if you’re dragging around expensive, high-end luggage that reveals your love of luxury. That’s why some experts recommend investing in simple luggage that isn’t too eye-catching.

Also, be sure to keep a close eye on your personal belonging as they’re loaded onto the conveyor belt during inspection, while you’re using the restroom and when you’re sitting at your terminal gate. Keep your bags close to your body and wait to pull out your credit card or cash until it’s necessary. Once you arrive at your destination and park your vehicle, you can lock your personal belongings in the trunk or cover them with a blanket if they must be kept out for accessibility.

Enjoying a Relaxing, Stress-Free Holiday Season

As we prepare to close out this year and ring in the next, there are myriad wintertime precautions you can take to keep your home and family as safe as possible. Communication is key throughout to ensure a successful implementation.

Make sure everyone in your family knows how to operate your smart home from the centralized portal. If you have young children who could easily swipe the screen or press a wrong button, consider adding passwords or other authorization measures to ensure the controls don’t end up in the wrong hands. Once you’ve taken these small but important steps, you’ll be that much closer to achieving the peace of mind and silent nights you’re looking for this time of year.

From summer vacations to the holiday season, there are myriad times throughout the year when the risk of theft is higher than normal. Even so, keeping a safe and secure home should be a year-round objective for any diligent homeowner. Not too long ago, a keypad alarm system was the epitome of home security. Now, there are innovative, automated solutions that take the process to the next level.

Accessible by mobile app, these tools allow homeowners to lock their doors, monitor their premises, adjust their lights and more to decrease their likelihood of falling victim to a home invasion. Today, we’re taking a high-level look at a few smart technologies changing the home security game.

Smart Locks

Have you ever journeyed about 30 minutes away from your home and wondered out loud, “Did we lock the front door?” There’s nothing like that sinking feeling when you just don’t remember, but there isn’t enough time and it isn’t feasible to go back and double check.

That’s where smart locks come in. You can control most of them via your smartphone from anywhere with a WiFi or Bluetooth connection. These are available in a range of styles and include differing functions. For instance, some will sync so closely to your phone that they will lock or unlock as they detect its signal nearby. Others function more as a keypad, wherein you’ll be required to type a code when entering and exiting.

Regardless of which style you ultimately go with, check to see if the model you’re eyeing allows you to use keys or if the solution foregoes keys altogether. You may find that you prefer having physical keys on hand as a security measure.

Smart Security Cameras

Sure, home security cameras have been on the market for decades now. Yet, they have never before been offered as sleekly and intuitively as modern models. Forget having to go back and watch your video footage to replay details after the fact. With these systems, you can monitor your home in real time, from anywhere at any moment.

Using just a smartphone app, users can view their security footage and take action immediately, if required. Most are integrated into the Cloud, allowing a substantial amount of data to be stored and saved without requiring an on-premise storage solution.

From bulkier outdoor cameras to sleek and indiscreet interior ones, homeowners can take their pick from a bevvy of styles, available across myriad price points and including varying features. While researching the best smart security for your home’s needs, check into features that include high-resolution, audio recording capabilities and motion detection tools.

Smart Lights

Not only are they a proven theft deterrent, but smart lights add an attractive element of curb appeal to your home during the evening and nighttime hours. Especially if you’re going on vacation or will be out of the house for an extended period of time, you may want to give the illusion that people are home. This makes smart lights especially beneficial in the summer months, when most people go on vacation for weeks at a time. Even in the middle of winter, you should learn more about how to keep your home and family safe during the summer, as vacation season will roll around soon enough and it’s never too early to start preparing.

Smart lights can be programmed in advance to automatically turn on and off at strategic points during the night and the next morning. For instance, they may come on at dusk and stay on until around 10:00 p.m., then turn back on in the early sunrise.

The lights are powered by LED light bulbs and controlled via a Wi-Fi connection. In addition to automated power on/off capabilities, most are also dimmable and come in a variety of shades to add custom character to your home. As they’re LEDs, they’ll last longer and perform more strongly than other bulbs rated for outdoor use.

Smart Smoke Alarms

A smoke alarm is an oft-overlooked element of home security, but tops the list as most important. Ensuring yours is in top working condition is a mandate for every homeowner or renter. While the traditional systems are still as popular and useful as ever, if you’re considering investing in a whole-house smart home technology system, a smart smoke alarm is a worthy add-on.

Why? They’re accessible via Wi-Fi and can go one step farther than simply alerting you that there’s a fire nearby. Instead, they can help pinpoint precisely where the fire is currently located. If you’re away from your home, you won’t hear the beeping of your older-model smoke alarm. Yet, by connecting a smart system to your phone, you can be alerted immediately if there’s an issue at your property.

Investing Wisely in Home Security Technology Today

When you see the vast array of home security technology options available, you may be tempted to go out and purchase each one individually. Yet, while this is an option, it can leave you with a muddled hodgepodge of digital tools that cannot speak to each other.

The good news? Most technology providers in this sphere offer a comprehensive mobile app solution that integrates smart lighting, smart locks, smart smoke alarms and more. With these, you’ll have access to all of your controls on one centralized dashboard, allowing you to exercise greater control of your home both when you’re inside it and when you’re away. As a result, you’ll also lower your risk of theft in the process, as your property becomes the smartest on the block.

You may have heard that investing in renewable energy alternatives can be a great way to slash your power bill and reduce your overall carbon emissions, but there are myriad other benefits you can reap by making the switch. According to recent research, more Americans than ever before want access to clean, green energy resources in lieu of the traditional fossil fuels we’ve used to power our homes for so long. This mindset shift is catalyzed by a few factors, chief among them a growing concern around climate change and an increasingly closer access to high-tech tools such as programmable thermostats and other smart home devices that make conserving energy more doable than in years past.

If you’ve been considering solar panels as a way to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your monthly utility bill, read on. Today, we are discussing a few unexpected benefits you may not have even realized were possible as you move forward with an installation. You already know you’ll conserve resources (both the earth’s and your own) but what else could you experience? Here are four reasons to take that first step today.

1. Improves Air Quality

Every day, we are subjected to the quality of the air around us. While we aren’t forced to wear masks to filter out the bad substances just yet, that process is already a reality in some parts of the world and our country isn’t immune to a similar future. Fueling this pollution is our reliance on greenhouse gases, which release emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide other particulates into the air on a per-second basis. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the current largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions is the act of burning fossil fuels, which most of us do as we drive, heat/cool our homes and power our devices.

Alternatively, studies show that solar panels can help slash this reliance significantly, allowing us to still enjoy we have come to rely upon to power our day-to-day lives while substantially lowering the amount of greenhouse gases we produce. This can immediately change the air quality and improve the chemical makeup of what we’re breathing in every day.

2. Preserves Endangered Plants

There is no denying that climate change is a real and fast-occurring phenomenon exacerbated by carbon emissions. While we know the negative effects it has on our air quality, environment and animal life, it is also worth noting that climate change plays a role in plant health as well. As such, science reveals that there are myriad species of plants that are becoming extinct on a widespread basis as temperature control becomes more difficult to maintain.

While tidal and wind power alternatives are excellent for reducing these harmful emissions and helping to reverse the trend of climate change, they require a change to the current landscape to install. On the other hand, solar panels simply affix on top of existing land or structures, making them a non-intrusive means of renewable energy. Preserving as many of our plant species as possible is critical to keeping our country beautiful and can also help improve air quality as well.

3. Supports Local Businesses

Anything we can do as community consumers to pump resources and revenue back into our local economy is a worthwhile pursuit. The good news is that solar panels can be installed by local companies employing local teams. Homeowners and business leaders alike are not required to go through international technology companies to install them on their premises. This encourages an environment of community support and helps keep local companies afloat. To learn more about the benefits of installing your solar panels through a personalized, local team of experts, click here.

As the industry continues to grow, there will also be ample opportunities for community members to learn new skills, join the trade or simply contribute by purchasing the systems for themselves. This can catalyze a chain reaction that makes renewable energy more mainstream and recognizable in the long run.

4. Growing and Future-Focused Initiative

We all want to make secure investments for our homes and our families. While decades ago, the technology wasn’t as robust and it might have seemed as though renewable energy resources such as solar panels and wind turbines were a flash-in-the-pan idea, history has revealed that they are viable and valuable players in the energy sector.

Studies show that by 2050, the world could be entirely reliant on renewable power and that most countries already have the resources in place to support the transformation. As experts continue to perfect the mechanisms behind the solutions and create even more efficient, affordable and streamlined solutions for consumers, it stands to reason that around the globe, we will become significantly less dependent on fossil fuels in the very near future.

Unlike some investments that will leave you scratching your head and wondering where your money went, solar panels are a secure solution. As traditional utility companies continue to fluctuate pricing and platform options, early solar adopters are reaping the benefits of a lower bill and more reliable power, month after month.

Making the Switch with Confidence

Lessening our reliance on traditional fossil fuels can be a challenge, especially when we’re so used to electricity being provided through traditional means. Yet, working with your local providers and installers to come up with an ideal solar solution for your home or business is a great first step toward saving money, reducing your carbon footprint and helping to save the planet in the process. While none of us can completely steer the change on our own, we can play our part in the solution, and pursuing alternatives such as solar power is a great first step.