We spend thousands on ring cameras and fancy locks, yet we often leave the front door wide open through our daily habits. Burglars in 2026 aren’t looking for the most expensive house; they are looking for the easiest one. They are analysts of human behavior, and they can tell if your home is a target from the sidewalk in under thirty seconds. Most people are inadvertently “advertising” their vulnerability without even realizing it. It is not your fault that crime exists, but it is your responsibility to stop making it easy. The 5 things you need to stop doing immediately if you want to keep your family and your property safe.
1. Leaving High-End Packaging on the Curb
You just bought a 75-inch TV or a new gaming console, and you put the box out for the Monday trash pickup. To a criminal, that box is a billboard that says, “There is brand-new, high-value tech inside this house.”
Honestly, you are doing the scouting work for them. Break down your boxes and put them inside the bin or take them to a recycling center. Never let the curb reveal what you’ve recently added to your living room. It’s an invitation you don’t want to send.
2. Broadcasting Your Travel Plans on Social Media
We all love to share our vacation photos, but doing it while you are still away is a massive security risk. If your profile is public, or even if you have “friends” you don’t actually know, you are announcing that your house is currently an empty vault.
Wait until you are back home to post those panoramic views. Surprisingly, many insurance companies are now looking at social media posts when evaluating theft claims. If you told the world you were gone, they might argue you didn’t take “reasonable care” of your property.
3. Letting Your Mail and Packages Pile Up
Nothing says “no one is home” like a stack of Amazon boxes on the porch or a mailbox overflowing with flyers. Burglars look for these physical markers of absence to confirm their targets. If you’re going to be away for more than 24 hours, you need a plan.
Have a neighbor pick up your mail or use the “hold” service at the post office. A clean porch suggests a vigilant owner. On the other hand, a cluttered one suggests an easy opportunity for a quick “smash and grab.”
4. Hiding Spare Keys in “Classic” Spots
Under the doormat, inside a fake rock, or on top of the door frame—these aren’t hiding spots; they are the first places a thief checks. It takes them three seconds to find your “hidden” key and walk right through the front door without making a sound.
If you must have a spare, give it to a trusted neighbor or invest in a smart lock with a digital code. Let’s be real: if you can think of the hiding spot in five seconds, so can someone who does this for a living. Stop making the entry effortless.
5. Maintaining an Overgrown or Dark Landscape
Criminals love shadows and high bushes. If your front windows are covered by dense shrubbery, you have provided a perfect “work station” for someone to pry open your window without being seen from the street. Dark corners are the ultimate cover.
Install motion-sensor lights and keep your landscaping trimmed. A well-lit, visible home is a psychological deterrent. Most opportunistic thieves will skip a bright, open house and move to the one with the dark, overgrown yard next door.
Take Back the Advantage
Home security is 20% technology and 80% habit. By stopping these 5 things, you are removing the “low-hanging fruit” that attracts criminals in the first place. You don’t need to live in a fortress to be safe; you just need to be more trouble than you are worth. Reclaim your peace of mind by being the most observant and least predictable person on your block. Your home should be your sanctuary, and with these small changes, you can keep it that way.
What is one habit you’ve changed to make your home feel more secure? Let us know in the comments.
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The post Stop Doing These 5 Things — They’re Why Criminals Pick Your House First appeared first on Budget and the Bees.
