Santa was good to you and brought you a new gun, a new flatscreen TV, and one of those air fryer things everyone’s been talking about. And your spouse got you a new laptop so you could spend more time on the USCCA Online Community.
Garbage day comes and you put all of these boxes out on the curb for recycling… Or do you break the boxes down and turn them inside out so that you can’t tell what the boxes are for? I break down the boxes or use keep them to put down when we’re changing the oil in the car or need to haul mulch.
What other tricks do you have for protecting your home after the holidays?
Don’t post anything line-esp on FB. Don’t leave stuff in your car. When walking to your car, walk with someone else and in a very well light area. The list can go on for forever but definitely break down your boxes- fits in the recycling better and gives you more room.
Great topic!
Yes, breaking them down is crucial to not alert thieves what you got!
Agreed on all of those suggestions, but here I’ll add a few that come to mind…
(1) Keep blinds closed and preferably have curtains (At night, when the light is on a potential burglar will see all your stuff on another subject matter keeps you from being a peeping tom Victim).
(2) Always set your security system… emphasize “ALWAYS.”
(3) Car burglars are out and about (street term: Car hoping). Therefore don’t leave any valuables in plain sight and if any at all…if that’s possible. A tip from my Constable and previous candidate for sheriff in Caddo Parish…
Constable Hatfield said, “If you can stay on top of locking car doors “car hoppers” will just move on once they pull the handle and its locked.”
This is a big bugaboo of mine. I, literally mean, NEVER put anything out on the curb that can be identified as something I have in my home. For everyday things we recycle, for large purchases we back into garage so it can not be seen what we are unloading, then the packaging is either broken down into easier recyclable parts or mulched/composted
You may as well send out engraved invitations to all of the local thugs and invite them over for a nice holiday home invasion if you are careless with the aftermath packaging of any occasion, let alone Christmas.
The most common sense thing is not to show off. Keep your windows closed or have special blinds designed to allow light in? So no conspicuous postings on any social media in words or pictures.
Get some contractor bags… the largest ones. Then cut up all the boxes and put them in the bags for the trash. Do you have a paper shredder for documents? One or two at a time over several trash days. Alternatively, get them wet and they will become a major shapeless soggy mess that will likely fit in one trash can.
Does your company recycle cardboard? See if the boss will allow you and fellow employees to deposit major purchase boxes with their recycling.
Do you have a leaf shredder for mulching? Styrofoam will shred just a well and fill a plastic bag or trash can with the results. Alternatively keep it for mailing packages.
If you have boxes break them apart, turn them inside out don’t procrastinate. If at all possible bring them to your local recycling collection points. Crooks are going be out driving streets for goodies for the next few days.
Be open (or be completely private) but don’t give away information leading to personal harm or loss. Example one is mentioned, property but here are some others you don’t think of all the time.
Examples of social media no-nos:
Post location information. (Don’t announce you went to McDonald’s for lunch or any other)
Save vacation pictures for when you return home.
Don’t provide your physical place of employment. Many terminations actually happen when someone hates your guts and makes up a.lie about you (some states may protect you but Louisiana and other states are hire and fire at will states).
My son is an electrical contractor and he takes them to his dumpster at his shop. Not only on during the holidays but year round. I don’t like chumming the scavengers that troll the neighborhood looking for recyclables and other treats.
