Everyone wants to feel safe in their home. Of course, we all want to feel safe no matter where we are. But our home is the one place where we should be able to relax and shuck off the toils of the day. However, like any home, an apartment has to be fortified with certain safety and security measures. Although apartments are more limited in your options, there are still things you can do to harden your home.

Keep Your Apartment Safe with These Safety and Security Tips

As in any scenario, situational awareness is paramount. Even when you are in your home, whether it is a house or apartment, you should always be aware. However, there are often situations that we learn to take for granted. Like standing at the security door to an apartment building and not paying attention to our surroundings while unlocking it.

With many apartment buildings in close proximity to the sidewalk, it is easy to get used to people walking by. This kind of apathy can cause you to miss a nearby predator, waiting for you to get the security door open and follow you inside. Always be aware of who is watching as you open the door. Likewise, once open, get inside and shut it quickly, while ensuring that no one is following you in.

If your apartment building does not have a security door, make sure to keep an eye on areas of concealment. Keep an eye on corners, plants, doors you pass, stairs, etc. Anyplace that a predator can hide out and wait for you to pass.

Also, when you get to your door, get inside, shut the door and lock it immediately. If you live in an apartment without a padlock, ask the landlord to install one. However, this should be an item on your checklist while looking at apartments. When first picking an apartment, safety and security should be highest on your checklist.

Think Like a Criminal

Take a look around your apartment and ask yourself how a criminal might see it. Are there any areas that would be easy to exploit? Can your windows be accessed easily? Does your door just have a simple chain lock? Or is it fortified with a deadbolt? Do your windows have bars? Do you have a fire escape that is easily accessible from the ground? Etc.

These are the kinds of things a criminal will look at as well. They have one job–figuring out how to get into your apartment. If you do the legwork beforehand and identify weaknesses in your security, you can close them off and prevent disaster.

Just make sure that you are very thorough and make an honest assessment. If you locked yourself out, can you get in? If the answer is yes, then so can a criminal.

Security Systems

Although most apartment buildings won’t take kindly to you wiring up a full security system, there are still options. Everything from simple wireless cameras to battery-operated door and window alarms. Setting up simple security devices will go a long way to maintaining your safety.

We will have a story coming very soon with different products you can use for just this purpose.

Keep Weapons Close at Hand

Always have some kind of weapon(s) close at hand, throughout your apartment. To start, buy some pepper spray and Velcro. Take one part of the Velcro and stick it to the door frame and the other part to the pepper spray. Attach the pepper spray to your door frame and keep a hand on it while answering the door. If the person at the door has ill intent, peel the pepper spray off and start spraying.

Likewise, keep baseball bats, knives, etc. throughout the apartment. That way no matter where you are, you have the tactical advantage. And, of course, keep your gun/safe at the ready.

Proper Lighting

Just like cockroaches, criminals like to sneak around in the dark. For this reason, it is important that you maintain good lighting throughout your apartment. You don’t have to light your house up like a sporting arena, just ensure that there are no dark areas. You just want to make sure you are not providing hiding spots for a criminal to hide or sneak around.

Lock All Doors and Windows

As I mentioned before when you get into your apartment immediately lock the door. It should be second nature. Don’t wait to set your things down or go through the mail. Walk in the door. Shut the door. Lock the door. It should always be this way.

If your apartment does not have adequate locks, you can purchase options that are apartment friendly. Options such as portable locks, security bars, and sash jammers are great options for apartments.

Check The View and See Who Can View You

When you’re looking at an apartment, or even if you already have an apartment, check the view from the window(s). Take a look and see who can be looking into your apartment. Check if people can see into your apartment from the street, other apartment buildings or even from apartments across the courtyard. Always maintain privacy, so you’re not running the risk of stalkers gathering information about you and formulating a plan.

Likewise, always shut your curtains at night. If you have a beautiful view of the city at night, the city also has a beautiful view of you.

Get to Know Your Neighbors

Finally, get to know your neighbors. An apartment building is like a community and getting to know others in the community provides security through numbers. Not to mention, when you meet the people in your building, you learn who to watch out for.

Similarly, as with any community, your building will have its gossips. Although I am not one for gossip or rumors, you should still listen to them. As far as they are concerned, they have one job—get to know everybody’s business. And as such, they may have the goods on who to be careful of.

There is no reason you should ever have to feel unsafe in your own home. And with the right preparation, you don’t have to. Your home should be your one safe zone, where you can relax from the stress of the day. Unfortunately, we live in interesting times and safety is not a given, it requires preparation.

By preparing your apartment now, it will be easier to rest in the safety and security it provides.