Keeping Your Home Secure

One of the most important parts of living on your own is knowing how to keep your space safe. Whether you’re moving into your first apartment or still considering your independent living options, the ability to feel secure in your home is just as important as paying rent on time or keeping the fridge stocked.

The good news is that you don’t need a fancy security system, a bodyguard, or a lot of money to protect your home!

Most home security comes down to a few simple habits:

Locking your doors (every time, even for quick errands)
Being smart about who has access to your keys, and
Knowing what warning signs to watch for in your building or neighborhood

Here, we’ll walk you through the basics — from choosing the right locks to deciding whether an alarm system makes sense for you. These are things a lot of people don’t learn until after something goes wrong. Our goal is to help you get it right from the start, so you can feel confident and secure in the place you call home.

Facts About Home Security

First, the facts: It’s important to remember that Americans are safer now than they were a generation ago. Sure, we see plenty of crime on TV, so it might feel like criminals are everywhere, but that’s simply not the case. In fact, in 2025, the rates of robberies, gun crimes, and homicides all dropped considerably. So while you may feel scared about the idea of becoming a victim of crime, keep in mind that it still doesn’t happen that often and that there are some easy, inexpensive things you can do to make yourself and your home even safer.

Here are some interesting crime statistics, according to Forbes and SafeHome.org:

Violent crimes are down almost 5% since 2023.
Burglaries are rare, but they happen, and they tend to be a bit more common in big cities than in smaller towns.
The average cost of a burglary is $2,661.
87% of people who have been burglarized never see anyone arrested for committing those crimes.
In 2025, 37 million package deliveries were stolen. One out of 180 packages gets stolen. Porch piracy is the most common form of theft in America today.
The top three factors burglars use to choose their next target are the home’s location, the number of people in the home, and any signs of security measures (such as alarm signs, dogs, and cameras).
83% of burglars look for alarms before breaking into a home, and 60% of them will go elsewhere if they find signs that there is an alarm.
Open windows and doors are the most common entry points for burglars.

Now that you know these important facts, let’s talk about some simple things you can do to keep your home more secure.

Doors and Windows

An unlocked door or window is like an invitation to a burglar, and it’s the most common way that they will enter a home. Burglars will look for the path of least resistance. So simply locking your doors and windows at all times is one great way to protect your home from an unwanted visitor. That includes garage doors. Make sure you never leave your garage door open, even if you’re at home, and that it’s not possible to lift the door from the outside.

To add extra protection to windows and sliding doors, consider adding security bars or pipes that fit into the open track on a sliding window. This way, even if someone manages to pick a lock open, the door or window won’t be able to slide open.

Beyond the locks that come with your doors and windows, consider adding these extra-safe measures on your doors and windows as well:

A hinged wedge lock can be positioned to allow a window to open just enough to let some air flow into the room while preventing it from being opened far enough to let a person climb through.
You might also try a keyed window lock to secure your window, which usually works whether your window opens up or sideways.
Adding a foot lock on a set of patio sliders or an adjustable security bar for a set of sliding windows makes it a lot more difficult to force entry.
Secure all exterior doors with deadbolts (the locks that have a dial you turn and a bolt slides into the door frame). There are some deadbolts that are apartment-friendly that can be installed without violating your lease, in case you are a renter.
The strike plate that comes with a deadbolt — the part that attaches to the door jamb — usually isn’t very strong. It’s a good idea to replace it with a heavy-duty strike plate, fastened to the door jamb with 3- or 4-inch anchor screws. This makes the lock much more resistant in the case of someone trying to kick the door open. This is much stronger than a door chain. (If you’re a renter, you may not be able to make changes to the door jamb itself. Be sure to check with your landlord.)
Consider replacing your exterior door locks with smart locks. These automated locks have multiple benefits. First, they lock automatically after a few minutes if the door hasn’t been opened, so you don’t have to worry about remembering to lock the door. Second, they often come with an app so it can alert you on your phone if someone unlocks or opens your door. Some even have doorbell cameras so you can see if someone approaches your door. This may not be an option if you’re a renter, but speak to your landlord to be sure.
Try placing security film on your windows. This layer of plastic reinforces your windows, preventing someone from breaking your glass while still allowing light to enter your home. This is a solution that might work for renters, as they can be stuck on and peeled off easily.
It’s a good idea to be sure your doors are reinforced so that they’re extra strong. This might include door reinforcement kits that secure the door jamb, frame, and hinges, or simply a heavy-duty steel door that can’t be kicked or broken to open it. Many apartments will come with these automatically, but if yours doesn’t, have a conversation with the building’s owner to discuss your options.
Consider getting a dog! Dogs are one of the top things burglars want to avoid when they’re considering breaking into a home. Dogs also have excellent hearing and smell, so they’re great at alerting you to potentially dangerous people or situations. In fact, some experts (and even former burglars!) say that guard dogs are better than any security device. Many landlords will approve dogs, but be sure to check the terms of your lease.

*NOTE: If you’re a renter, Nevada law says that you may change your home’s locks with landlord permission. Be sure to read your rental agreement and talk to your landlord. You may need to provide new keys to them if the locks are changed.

Finally, practice door and window safety at home. This means:

Make sure that doors are well-lit at all times outside — burglars like to break into doors where they can’t be seen. Motion-activated lights will switch on if they detect any movement, so they’ll shine a light on potential intruders.
Make sure there’s nothing underneath your windows — flower boxes, trellises, chairs, tables, or trees — that a burglar could climb on to get in through the window.
Keep windows closed at all times, especially if you’re on the ground floor.
Never use door stoppers to prop doors open.
Don’t ever open the door to a stranger or share personal information with anyone you don’t know who might come to the door. Use your peephole to look who’s at the door; if you don’t know them, don’t answer, and don’t talk to them.
Don’t stash spare keys outside. Many thieves will look under doormats, rocks, and pottery (the usual places) to find spare keys and let themselves in. Instead, consider either getting a locking key box or giving a spare key to a friend, neighbor, or family member whom you are sure you can trust.
You can also try getting a delivery lock box for your front porch. This outdoor-ready box or bin has a small flap that allows delivery personnel to drop packages inside, but no one can reach inside and pull them out; only a key can unlock it. This prevents porch pirates from stealing your belongings.
When thieves see your lights on, they assume you’re home and (usually) will avoid trying to enter it. So it’s a good idea to leave an interior light on somewhere near a window when you’re sleeping or not at home. You can even invest in a light timer so the lights come on automatically.
If you use an automatic garage door opener, be sure you watch the door close fully before you leave your home to ensure no one tries to sneak in while it’s open.

Home Security Systems

A home security system — a burglar alarm — is the top way to keep thieves from trying to enter your home. When burglars are choosing a home to target, 83% of them look for signs of an alarm first. Such signs would include cameras installed on doorbells or under a home’s eaves, but they also include actual signage or stickers displaying the name of the alarm company arming the home to warn off intruders. In fact, sometimes a sign alone is enough to deter a thief. And more than half of burglars will stop their attempt as soon as they detect or hear an alarm.

There’s a wide variety of home security systems out there, ranging from simple to very complex. If you’re a renter, be sure to read your lease agreement carefully and speak to the landlord or owner about which of these options are allowed at your home. Most will allow noninvasive (not permanent or structural) devices to be added.

- Security cameras: These are the most effective visual hindrance to thieves. This tells them that not only can they be seen by the homeowner (or even a security company), but the evidence of their robbery attempt is being recorded. So placement of the camera matters — they should be placed high over the front or porch door, garage/driveway, side gates, and backyard. Having a camera inside placed near doors or windows is helpful, too. You may be allowed to install a camera at a rental home, but speak to your landlord about the options. Nevada also has strict laws about privacy and recording, so be sure you understand what’s allowed and what isn’t.
- Alarms with sirens: A loud siren will stop a thief in their tracks because it draws people’s attention to your home. Plus, alarm systems like this will automatically alert the police of a potential break-in. Many sophisticated systems are monitored all day and night by monitoring centers; as soon as your alarm is triggered, they’ll call you to see whether you’re okay, and they will contact the police automatically if they can’t reach you or can’t verify that you are the homeowner and that you’re safe. If you rent, you may not be allowed to have an alarm with a siren.

Door and window alarms: Many alarm systems feature these, or you can get them on their own. They are set to go off or play a chime when someone opens the door or window they’re attached to.

Smart doorbells: These doorbell systems, such as Ring, are not always monitored by companies, but they do connect to your phone or tablet through an app. Any time someone approaches your door or rings your doorbell, you’ll be notified on your device. You can even record the footage and have a two-way conversation with the person who’s outside from your phone to ask why they’re at the door or provide instructions for leaving items. These doorbells are simple to install and generally don’t permanently change anything about your home, so even if you rent, it should be okay to install one where your regular doorbell would go.

Many alarm systems can be connected to voice-activated home assistants, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, for hands-free control.

Take Care of Your Home

Good home maintenance is also a way to keep your home safe. Homes that have open or broken windows or doors, have overgrown bushes or unmowed lawns, don’t have adequate lighting, or simply don’t look cared for or lived in tell thieves that no one is paying attention.

That’s a sign they can break it and possibly go unnoticed. So do what you can to maintain your home by trimming bushes and trees, bringing mail inside rather than letting it sit, changing lightbulbs when they go out, and keeping doors and windows closed and locked. These actions let potential intruders know that someone is at home and that it’s not going to be easy to break in.