by Linda Mason Hunter

It's one thing to get yourself and your family ready for a vacation. But the smart traveler also takes time to get the house ready, as well. And that means doing a lot more than unplugging the coffee pot and watering the plants.

A mistake people often make is to hide away the common signs of daily life while they're gone. When there are no garbage cans by the street on trash pickup days, when there's no newspaper tossed on the front porch every morning, when there's never a car parked in the driveway, the message to a cunning observer is all too clear: Nobody's home.

To avoid this pitfall, follow these tips to make your house look occupied when it really isn't.

• Leave the garden rake leaning against the side of the house. You might even want to leave the garden hose in the backyard. However, lock up any tools and ladders that a thief could use to break in.
• If you think the weather will call for it, use an appliance timer to run your air conditioner (fan only) on a periodic basis.
• Tell a trustworthy neighbor where you're going, but ask that person not to tell others you're away. Explain your security system, and leave your vacation phone number. Have that person check the house daily.
• Some experts suggest you cancel all predictable deliveries and have your neighbor collect the unexpected ones. Others will tell you not to stop newspaper delivery. Instead, give a house key to a neighbor and ask that person to come over daily and bring the mail and paper into the house. If you don't know your paper carrier, it's best that he or she does not know you are away.
• Leave a locked car in your driveway, or invite your neighbor to park there while you're out of town. Nothing can discourage a would-be burglar more than the thought that someone's home.
• If you park your car at the airport, remove mail and other documents showing your address.
• Use timers liberally inside the house. Timers are readily available in hardware stores. Simple, unsophisticated units cost around $15. Use timers with lamps, radios, and television sets. Keep the radio and television volume normal. The noise should be enough to discourage anyone who is prowling around outside the house.
• Keep the lawn mowed. Tall grass is a telling sign that no one is home. Make arrangements to have it mowed as needed, and total up the bill when you return.
• Leave drapes and shades partially open. Criminals figure that people at home like sunlight.
• Turn down the phone bell so a burglar won't hear a phone ring that goes unanswered. If your telephone is hooked up to an answering machine, simply ask the callers to leave phone numbers and names so you can get right back to them. Never, never leave a recorded message that tells people you're away.
• Put cash, jewelry, and important papers in a safety-deposit box. Never leave jewelry hidden in your bedroom. That's the first place a burglar will look.

© 2007 Green Home, Inc.