We all know that Valentine’s Day is about love and spending some quality time with that special person you care about. But what the day is not known for are some potential safety and property risks that could occur on February 14.
Here are 10 safety tips to consider, helping make sure that your Valentine’s Day is a safe and secure one.
Turn off the oven, and extinguish any candles and fires. If you decide to stay in and have a romantic night at home, be aware. When you leave the room or go to bed, don’t leave anything on or burning – oven, lit candles, fireplace.
Don’t broadcast your plans on social media. If you have a dinner reservation, movie plans, or anything else that could be used to identify your home as vacant, don’t post it on your social media channels – it could make your home a target for burglars.
Hold off on posting pictures. Speaking of social media, you might post photos of yourself and your date, what dessert you’re eating or which fancy restaurant you chose for the evening. Just like announcing your plans on Facebook, these posts will show that you’re not currently at home, making it a target for thieves.
Lock all your doors and windows. This may be stating the obvious, but make sure that you’ve locked all your doors and windows when you go out. Your home could be a potential target even if not posting on social media.
Keep flammable objects and materials away from fires. Having a nice cuddle near the fire is one of the perfect ways to end a romantic evening. What’s not so romantic is having a blanket or clothing ignite while sharing an intimate moment. Make sure you keep any flammable materials away from your candles and fireplace. You’re able to heat things up – just not to those levels.
Keep the home lit. Burglars are less likely to approach your home if your lights are on. Before you go out for the night or the weekend, turn a couple of lights on or set a timer to turn your lights on – it could prevent a break-in
Embrace the neighborhood. If you decide to out go for a romantic weekend or overnight getaway, ask a neighbor or friend to collect your mail or have the postal service hold your mail temporarily. You can also ask someone to shovel the snow, water the plants, or do anything else to make it appear that you’re still there. Like turning on your lights, these actions could deter somebody from breaking into your empty home.
Keep valuables in front. Okay, you had to bring the purse to complete your outfit. That’s fine, just remember to always keep it in front of you at all times. Always zip it fully closed if you can. Guys, the same goes for you. Put your wallet in your front pocket. It’s easier for someone to grab it without you noticing if it’s your back pocket.
Walk-in well-lit, trafficked areas. To help digest that large piece of cheesecake you ate, you two might decide to go on a romantic walk later on – we see it in movies all the time. However, it also leaves you vulnerable to a waiting burglar. In this case, maybe take a stroll in a well-lit area where there are others around who could help.
Keep your furry friends in your heart. You know how much it hurts to jab your finger with a thorn from a rose or other thorny stemmed flowers. Imagine if you bit down on one of those thorns or accidentally stepped on one. Pets don’t realize thorns will hurt, and may not be able to resist taking a bite out of your bouquet or knocking it on the floor and stepping on it. Puncture wounds in the mouth or feet not only hurt but can become infected.