How to Protect Your Home While on Vacation (Without Telling the Internet)

Every summer, thousands of burglars go on vacation too — funded by the homes of people who posted beach photos before the suitcases were unpacked. Here's how to actually protect your home while you're away:

9/12/20261 min read

Two wooden lounge chairs on a white sand beach under palm trees
Two wooden lounge chairs on a white sand beach under palm trees

Every summer, thousands of burglars go on vacation too — funded by the homes of people who posted beach photos before the suitcases were unpacked.

Here's how to actually protect your home while you're away:

Before you leave:

  1. Don't announce it. No countdown posts, no airport selfies, no "see you in two weeks!" Save the photos for when you're home. Assume strangers can see everything you post — because they can.

  2. Check your apps. Fitness trackers and apps that share routes can broadcast that you're 500 miles from home. Turn off location sharing.

  3. Hold your mail and pause deliveries. A stuffed mailbox is an "empty house" sign visible from the street.

  4. Light it like you're home. Plug lamps into cheap smart plugs or timers that vary the schedule. A house that's dark for seven straight nights is an invitation.

  5. Unplug the garage door opener and lock the door between garage and house.

The move most people skip:

  1. Have someone actually check the property. A trusted neighbor grabbing flyers is good. A visible, professional patrol checking doors, gates, and perimeter is better — and it's documented.

Burglars often watch a house for days before entering. What they're looking for is certainty that no one's coming back. A patrol car rolling through twice a week destroys that certainty.

Coming home to trouble?

If something went wrong while you were away, don't touch anything — call the police first, then document everything for insurance.

Traveling soon? Ask about our vacation patrol checks for Columbus-area homes — scheduled visits, detailed reports, real peace of mind.