10 strategies to keep safe while living alone

Living alone is an amazing experience. No more messy and annoying roommates, and no parents bugging you when you want some time alone. You get full control of your home, inviting friends over when you want, as well as holding as many or as few house parties as you like. It provides a new level of freedom.

For many of us, living alone does also bring startling silence, leaving you aware of every creak or bump in the night. To get past this hyper-awareness it is good to implement a series of safety measures, which ease any anxieties and keep you safe.

To get started, here are 10 strategies you can implement.

1. Don’t advertise that you are alone

This is important for those who are living alone. As burglars tend to go for easy targets, it is a good idea to make it more difficult to find out whether you live alone or not. Firstly, don’t advertise it on social media, strangers may come across your profile and discover you living alone. If possible, you should also keep curtains closed, this will make it less obvious that you are home and conceal any valuables which burglars may be searching for. Finally, make friends in the area and ask them to visit you every now and then. Not only will this be great for shaking any loneliness, but it will also make your home look busy.

2. Get to know your neighbours

Neighbours are a great piece in your security arsenal. They are a great extra set of eyes to watch out over the street, and your house. As annoying as that nosy neighbour can be, they will be the first to know if anything suspicious is happening on the street. While you don’t have to be best friends with your neighbours, getting to know them is a good idea. It means you will always have someone nearby to reach out for help should you need it.

3. Choose your location wisely

The location you live in is extremely important to safety. A good, urban fabric outside will massively reduce the crimes experienced. Research the suburb and neighbourhood you are moving into to see what the crime rate is, and what types of crimes are being committed. You should also visit the suburb at varying times of the day. Trust your gut feeling, more dangerous suburbs often give off a negative vibe.

4. Report suspicious activity

When living alone, don’t hesitate to report suspicious activity. Trust your gut instincts when something is making you uncomfortable. If you witness something suspicious you should also report it. Crime Stoppers is a service designed specifically for this purpose. It has been designed as a place for people to contact them if they have any information that may stop or prevent a crime. By calling Crime Stoppers, you won’t be clogging up any emergency channels, or taking any resources away from emergencies, but will be actively aiding your community. You can call them on 1800 333 000.  

5. Install a home security system

Having a home security system can be comforting when you live alone. There are many great systems that involve smart systems to alert you when someone is hanging around your home. These systems can also be installed inside, and outside of your home, depending on the level of protection you feel is necessary. A key thing to remember is to get a reputable home security system installer. If you rent your home you will need to ask your landlord’s permission to install the system, or you can see if they will cover the costs.

6. Avoid cutting corners

It is important for your safety and peace of mind that you don’t cut corners. What we mean by this is, avoid having your taxi or Uber drop you around the corner, just to save a couple of dollars. Have them drop you to your door. Other things you should avoid include, letting strangers into your home if no one else is around, not locking your doors or windows when you aren’t home, and locking easily openable windows or doors.

7. Meet dates in a public place first

You have your newfound freedom without roommates or parents, so of course, you want to bring your dates home with you. This is great, but make sure you think before bringing home a stranger. Meet out in a public place first, get to know them, and make sure they are who you think they were. This is especially important if you met on an online dating app like Tinder. While this isn’t a foolproof measure, it does help and can avoid having someone you are uncomfortable with in your home.

8. Keep your phone charged

Smartphones are powerful tools, providing great potential for different apps to help out with our day to day lives, and this extends to our security. There are many great mobile apps designed to help with security. For them to work, you will need to ensure that your smartphone is charged. If you are going out at night make sure to bring extra charging bricks with you or a battery life keyring so that your phone will stay charged while you are out.

9. Maintain your physical boundaries

If you ever feel unsafe, move into an open public space. These spaces will provide far greater protection and will likely discourage an attacker from following through. It is important in this kind of case to not back yourself into a corner with your attacker. So, avoid getting into an elevator, going into parking garages, or down alleyways.

10. Get a pet

While they may not necessarily protect you, pets do offer a great sense of comfort. They will break some of the silence, and give you something to cuddle should you need it. Some dogs can even discourage burglars or criminals, just by being a visual presence. A good thing to do is to train your dog to make noise on command should you need to get some attention.

Conclusion

Living alone is an exciting time in your life. It presents so many opportunities for you to spread your wings and find a new level of freedom. But it should also not be filled with anxiety over your safety. By following these 10 tips you can be sure to reduce your risk and increase your peace of mind.

For more tips regarding your rental, check out all of our articles here.