Important habits before going to work that help keep your home safe.
Leaving home every morning seems like a routine, but even a small oversight can turn a safe home into a target for theft or electrical hazards.
Busy mornings, especially when running late, are the enemy of carefulness. In the rush to get ready for work, it's easy to overlook small details that pose significant risks such as fire, theft, electrical leaks, or equipment malfunctions.
Therefore, establishing a set of fixed safety habits before leaving home is a simple yet effective way to protect your home. After just a few weeks of consistent practice, you'll do these things almost automatically, just like taking your keys or phone out of the house.
1. Unplug or completely switch off heating devices.
On cold days, heaters are often turned on early in the morning or even the night before. However, leaving a heater running in an empty house is one of the common causes of fires.
Before going to work, make sure all heating devices such as heaters, electric blankets, and electric kettles are turned off and unplugged. For added peace of mind, you can consider smart heating devices that can automatically shut off or be controlled remotely via an app.
2. Don't just lock the front door, check the back door too.
Locking the front door has become a habit for many people, especially with smart locks. But side doors, sliding doors, or garage doors are often left unattended, and this is precisely where thieves target first.
The solution is to make it a habit to check all the doors in the house before leaving, or to use smart locks for secondary doors. Some families even utilize voice assistants to remind them to check the doors, reducing the risk of forgetting.
3. Close the windows tightly.
Opening windows at night to let in the cool breeze is a common habit, but forgetting to close them in the morning is a major risk. Open windows not only create opportunities for burglars but also reduce the efficiency of cooling or heating systems, leading to energy waste.
A quick check of the windows before going out can help you avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble.
4. Quick inspection of the kitchen and laundry area.
The kitchen is the area with the most potential hazards in the morning. A slightly ajar refrigerator door, an oven, toaster, or air fryer left on can all create safety risks.
Take a few seconds to check all your kitchen appliances before heading to work. With coffee makers, turn them off if there's still coffee inside. Many modern appliances have an automatic shut-off function, but don't rely on them entirely.
For appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, or slow cookers, make sure you've set the timer according to your daily schedule for both convenience and safety.
5. Closing the garage door - a small thing, big consequences if forgotten.
An open garage door is the clearest "invitation" to thieves, and it also makes it easy for dirt, insects, and animals to get in. Because closing the garage door is often done reflexively, it's hard to realize you've forgotten to do it.
Smart garage door controllers, security cameras, or automatic reminder features are effective solutions to help you monitor your garage door status even while you're at work.
6. Activate the security system before leaving home.
If you've invested in a security system, forgetting to activate it before going to work is a waste. This is especially likely to happen to families with young children or those who have to go in and out of the house multiple times in the morning.
Modern security systems allow for automatic activation based on phone location or pre-set time schedules, minimizing the risk of forgetting to manually activate them.
In short, building safe morning habits doesn't take much time, but it provides peace of mind throughout the workday. Just a few minutes of checking each morning can significantly reduce the risk of fire, theft, and wasted energy, as these risks often stem from our own negligence.
