Which is honestly a super fair question to ask here in the first place! Because leaving the house for more than a day or two can come with that little mental checklist that refuses to stop running. Like, did the back door get locked? Was the garage closed all the way? Did the porch light get left on? Is that package still sitting outside?
It’s not always fear, exactly; it’s more that the house feels a little too far away once the car is packed, the flight has boarded, or the visit with family turns into a longer stay than planned. You just never know what will happen, be it a cruise, an overnight stay in the next town over, well, you deserve to be at ease. Now, your average person might get a security camera, which, of course, makes a lot of sense (especially given the fact that they’re super affordable and accessible for everyone compared to years ago).
But is there anything else you can do to ensure you won’t be worried or stressed out during this entire trip?
Start with the Areas that Actually Need Watching
Hopefully it’s obvious here that you’ll need a camera; that’s really the only way to go about this so you can feel reassured. And sure, maybe not every part of the house needs a camera, and honestly, most people don’t want their home to feel like some strange control room anyway. The better approach is to think about the spots that would actually matter while away. The front door, driveway, garage, side gate, back patio, shed, or any place where deliveries tend to sit can be enough.
Nowadays, your average person gets a doorbell camera, maybe a camera for the back of the house, and installs some motion sensors, like on the driveway, the doorways, the windows, and if there’s any walkways, that might be a good idea then too. But of course, you can always reach out to your neighbors and ask for some help too.
Be Selective with the Security Camera
Some people use security cameras, like the Ring, or some random one they buy from Amazon, a baby monitor type of camera, or even a deer camera. If you have a security system, sometimes they throw in a security camera as a bonus, too. But whatever you get, you need to keep storage in mind here, so you have to be selective.
Some cameras need a memory card like a SanDisk SD card, for example, while others will need to be connected to the internet at all times in order to actually work and store footage to the cloud. But have their perks and their cons, and it’s really about what matters to you: clearing the SD card every few days or hoping that the wifi never drops.
Make Outdoor Lighting Do Some of the Work
Cameras are useful, but lighting still does a lot. Just keep in mind here that a dark porch or driveway can make a house look empty in a way that feels a little too obvious. Plus, it’s going to be hard to make out anything from a camera. So you’ll need motion lights, porch timers, and lamps on smart plugs to make the home look more lived-in without needing anyone to stop by every evening.
