Well, it’s that time of year again.
Time to trade in snowboots for swimsuits as you jet off to Florida, Hawaii or Europe for your Spring Break vacation, leaving the winter doldrums behind in favor of sunshine, beaches and tropical weather.
Here at The RoomPlace, we’re just as excited to escape this dreary Midwestern March as our customers in Chicago and Indianapolis. Furniture stores like ours are always exciting places to be, but when it comes to choosing between shopping for that new leather sofa or taking the kids to Disneyworld, we don’t blame you for picking the latter. And your friends in Illinois or Indiana will probably forgive you for acting like coming home after a stress-free, work-free week is the biggest bummer in the world.
But if returning from vacation is a bummer, returning from vacation to find your home ransacked is a nightmare. Obviously, empty homes make tempting targets – but relax. The RoomPlace is happy to share some of our tips for protecting your house while you jet off to the other side of the country or the world this spring.
- Phone a friend. Even if you don’t need someone to pick up your mail, water your plants, or feed your cat, asking a neighbor to keep an eye on your house while you’re away is always a good idea. Make sure to provide them with your contact information in case of an emergency.
- Less is more. Unless you keep 100 percent of your curtains closed over 100 percent of your windows 100 percent of the time, doing so when you leave for vacation is a tip-off to potential criminals that you’re not at home. Move expensive items out of plain site, but try a little subtlety when you’re closing up shop.
- Lights on. There’s no need to leave every lamp in your house blazing for a week, but investing in a cheap light switch timer will allow a few key lamps to turn on and off automatically according to a programmed schedule. Anyone watching will assume there’s a person inside who’s responsible.
- Hide the keys. Or better yet, remove them altogether. It’s always good to have a spare key lying around in case of a lockout, but even the dumbest of burglars will probably think to check under the doormat before breaking into your empty house. Collect all your spare keys and bring them inside, or leave them with a friend when you hit the road.
Whether you shop at one of our furniture stores in Chicagoland or northwest Indiana, nothing is more important to us than your complete satisfaction as a customer at The RoomPlace. So in addition to our selection of affordable living room furniture, dining room sets, and bedroom collections, we do our best to offer the customer service you expect and deserve. If you ever have any homeowner questions when reading our blog, please don’t hesitate to contact us! The team at The RoomPlace is always happy to help in any way we can.