How to Secure Your Home While on Holiday: A Complete Guide

Going on holiday should mean switching off, relaxing and enjoying your time away from home.

The last thing you want to be thinking about is whether your front door is secure, whether someone has noticed that your house is empty or whether an unexpected visitor is approaching your property.

While no security system can guarantee that a home will never be targeted, you can significantly reduce your risk by making your property harder to access, making it less obvious that you're away and giving yourself ways to detect activity if something does happen.

The best approach is to use several layers of security rather than relying on a single device.

Here are some practical steps you can take before leaving your home.

1. Make Your Home Look Occupied

One of the simplest things you can do is avoid making your home obviously look empty.

A house that remains completely dark every evening, has an overflowing mailbox and has no visible activity can potentially signal that nobody is home.

Before leaving, consider using timers or smart lighting to turn lights on and off at different times.

Rather than leaving one light on continuously, varying the timing can create a more natural appearance.

You can also ask a trusted neighbour or friend to:

• Collect your post
• Move bins when necessary
• Check the property occasionally
• Park in your driveway if appropriate
• Report anything unusual

You don't need to make your home look like someone is there every minute. The goal is simply to avoid obvious signs that the property has been left unattended.

2. Secure Your Doors and Windows

Your doors and windows are some of the most important physical entry points into your home.

Before leaving, check that every external door and accessible window is properly closed and locked.

Don't overlook less obvious areas such as:

• Rear doors
• Garage entrances
• Basement windows
• Side doors
• Conservatory doors
• Windows that can be accessed from a flat roof or extension

Your front door can also benefit from additional physical security.

A strong lock is important, but additional measures such as door reinforcement or a suitable door jammer can add another layer of protection against forced entry.

The objective is simple:

Make physical entry more difficult and time-consuming.

3. Consider a Video Doorbell

Your front entrance is one of the most useful areas to monitor while you're away.

A video doorbell can allow you to see activity around your entrance and, depending on the model, receive notifications when motion or a visitor is detected.

This can be particularly useful when you're expecting deliveries while travelling.

Some video doorbells also provide two-way communication, allowing you to communicate with someone at the door remotely.

For example, if a delivery driver arrives while you're away, you may be able to communicate with them without revealing that the property is unoccupied.

The exact features available depend on the doorbell and its connectivity.

4. Monitor the Property With Security Cameras

A video doorbell primarily protects the entrance, but it doesn't necessarily give you visibility over the rest of the property.

This is where strategically positioned security cameras can help.

Depending on your property, useful areas to monitor may include:

• Driveways
• Rear gardens
• Side passages
• Garage entrances
• Gates
• Outbuildings
• Other vulnerable access points

Camera placement matters more than simply having lots of cameras.

A single well-positioned camera covering an important access route can be more useful than several cameras pointed at areas where very little happens.

Think about the routes someone would realistically use to approach or leave your property.

Don't Forget Night-Time Coverage

If you're away for several days, your security system needs to work at night as well as during the day.

Look for features such as:

• Night vision
• Motion detection
• Person detection
• Vehicle detection
• Appropriate outdoor weather resistance
• Mobile notifications

Again, the exact capabilities depend on the camera.

5. Add a Home Alarm System

Cameras allow you to see what's happening.

An alarm system is designed to detect and respond to a security event.

A home alarm can include devices such as:

• Door and window sensors
• Motion sensors
• Glass-break sensors
• Indoor sirens
• Outdoor sirens
• Keypads
• Remote controls

If a protected door or window is opened, the system can trigger an alarm and, depending on the system, send an alert to your phone.

This provides another layer of protection if someone manages to get past your physical security.

Self-Monitoring vs Professional Monitoring

There are two common approaches.

Self-monitoring means you receive alerts and decide what action to take yourself.

Professional monitoring means a monitoring service can respond to alarm events according to its procedures.

Neither option is automatically better for every homeowner.

If you prefer to avoid recurring monitoring fees and are comfortable managing alerts yourself, self-monitoring may be appropriate.

If you want someone else to monitor alarm events while you're unavailable, professional monitoring may be worth considering.

6. Don't Forget Outdoor Security Lighting

Lighting is often overlooked when people think about home security.

A dark driveway, side passage or rear garden can provide someone with privacy while approaching your property.

Motion-activated security lighting can help remove that advantage.

Consider lighting areas such as:

• Front entrances
• Driveways
• Side passages
• Rear doors
• Garages
• Garden access points

The goal isn't to turn your property into a floodlit compound.

Instead, use lighting strategically around areas where someone may approach or attempt to gain access.

7. Protect Your Valuables

Security isn't only about preventing someone from entering.

You should also consider what happens if someone does manage to get inside.

Avoid leaving valuable items in obvious locations where they can be seen through windows.

Important documents, jewellery, cash and other valuables can be stored in a suitable home safe.

A properly installed safe can provide another layer of protection for items that would be difficult or impossible to replace.

Think particularly about:

• Passports
• Important documents
• Jewellery
• Cash
• Backup drives
• Small valuable electronics
• Sentimental items

You don't necessarily need to secure everything in your home. Focus on the items that would cause the greatest financial or personal loss if they disappeared.

8. Think About Power and Internet Failures

This is an important consideration that is easy to overlook.

Your security system may be excellent, but what happens if the internet connection or electricity goes down while you're away?

Depending on the equipment you use, an outage could affect:

• Remote notifications
• Cloud-connected cameras
• Remote viewing
• Alarm communication
• Network-connected recording equipment

Some security devices have battery backup, local recording or alternative communication methods.

For larger security systems, critical networking and recording equipment can also potentially be connected to an appropriate uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

The important point is to understand what your system does when something goes wrong, not just when everything is working normally.

9. Be Careful What You Share Online

One of the easiest mistakes to make is announcing your absence publicly.

Posting:

"Two weeks in Spain! ✈️"

while your house is sitting empty tells anyone who sees the post exactly what they need to know.

You don't have to disappear from social media while travelling.

However, consider delaying holiday posts until you're home, particularly if your social accounts are public or accessible to people you don't know personally.

Also be careful about photos that reveal:

• Your exact location
• Your home address
• Your travel dates
• Your daily routine
• That your property is currently empty

Good physical security can be undermined surprisingly easily by oversharing online.

10. Don't Forget the Less Obvious Entry Points

Before leaving, walk around your property and look at it from the perspective of someone trying to gain access.

Ask yourself:

"If I wanted to get into this property without using the front door, where would I try?"

Look at:

• Side gates
• Garden doors
• Garage doors
• Basement windows
• Low-level windows
• Roof access
• Sheds and outbuildings
• Fences that could be climbed

This exercise can reveal vulnerabilities you may never have considered.

A security camera pointed at your front door won't help much if the easiest route into your property is through an unsecured side gate and rear door.

11. Use Multiple Layers of Security

The strongest approach isn't relying on one product.

Think of your home security as several layers:

Layer 1 — Deter

Make your property look occupied and well protected.

Examples:

• Exterior lighting
• Visible cameras
• Video doorbells
• Alarm signage where appropriate

Layer 2 — Prevent

Make physical entry more difficult.

Examples:

• Strong locks
• Door reinforcement
• Window locks
• Door jammers
• Secure gates

Layer 3 — Detect

Know when something is happening.

Examples:

• Motion sensors
• Door/window sensors
• Security cameras
• Video doorbells
• Alarm systems

Layer 4 — Respond

Have a plan for what happens after an alert.

Examples:

• Phone notifications
• Remote camera viewing
• Speaking through a video doorbell
• Contacting a trusted neighbour
• Contacting the relevant authorities when appropriate

The more layers you have, the less dependent you are on any single security device.

12. Complete a Pre-Holiday Security Check

Before you leave, take five minutes to walk around your property.

Doors

• Are all external doors locked?
• Is the garage secured?
• Are vulnerable doors reinforced?

Windows

• Are all accessible windows closed and locked?
• Have you checked basement and upper-level access points?

Security systems

• Are cameras online?
• Are batteries charged?
• Are alarms armed?
• Are sensors working?
• Are notifications enabled?

Lighting

• Are exterior lights functioning?
• Are timers or smart lights configured correctly?

Valuables

• Are valuable items hidden or secured?
• Are important documents stored safely?

Property

• Is the post being collected?
• Are bins being managed?
• Does the house look reasonably occupied?

Online

• Have you avoided publicly advertising that your home is empty?

What Is the Best Home Security Setup While You're Away?

There isn't one product that can protect every home.

The most effective setup depends on your property, location, budget and the risks you want to address.

For many homeowners, a combination of:

strong physical security + smart locks + video doorbell + security cameras + alarm system + sensors + outdoor lighting

can provide multiple layers of protection.

You don't necessarily need to install everything at once.

Start by identifying your property's weakest points and address those first.

Final Thoughts

Going on holiday doesn't mean you need to turn your home into a fortress.

Good home security is about reducing opportunities, making your property less attractive to target, detecting unusual activity and giving yourself options if something does happen.

Before your next trip, take a walk around your property and look at it objectively.

What would someone notice if the house was empty?

Which entrance would be easiest to access?

Would you know if someone approached your home?

Would you receive an alert if something happened?

Answering those questions will help you identify where your security needs improvement.

The best security system is not necessarily the one with the most devices.

It's the one that addresses the vulnerabilities of your particular home and continues to work when you're hundreds or thousands of miles away.