While you are moving, you are unfortunately at high risk for burglary. Your vulnerability with changing information and all of your belongings is at a peak. To keep yourself safe, there are some precautions you can take during the entire moving process that will keep your move a bit more discreet.

Before You Move

  • While it is increasingly popular to update the world with your latest news on community sites like Facebook, advertising your move can key in people to the fact that you are going to be in transit and an easy target.
  • If you have been renting, ask your landlord to keep your forwarding address private.
  • To avoid your mail piling up at your new residence before you get there, you can ask the Post Office to hold your mail for you. For extra safety, you could always use the address of your workplace or a friend’s home for any packages that may be delivered.
  • If you are hiring movers to assist you with your move, make sure you have selected a reputable company. Online reviews and research are very helpful to establish the integrity of a moving company. Having professionals surrounding you and your belongings keeps you from appearing alone and vulnerable.
  • Familiarize yourself with the area where you will be moving. When the moving truck arrives, you could be exposing yourself to risk. Being aware of the neighborhood and the logistics of the move will help keep you safe.

During the Move

  • Before you really get to know your neighbors and decide how you feel about them, it would be advisable to keep your private information private.
  • If you are loading and unloading the moving truck on your own or with a group of friends, assign one of them to stay with the truck and another to stay with the residence to keep your belongings from wandering off in the wrong hands.
  • If you aren’t able to have someone stand watch at the truck, simply lock it up when you walk away.
  • If you detail all of the contents in the boxes you have packed by labeling the side, you are essentially letting everyone know which boxes could be targeted for their value. A safer way to label is to write the location where the box will go, like “bedroom” or “office.”
  • When it comes to your most prized possessions, like jewelry, guns, and collectibles, it is best for you to move those things on your own. You can lock them up in your trunk, or even better, get a safety deposit box until you are in your new home.

After the Move

  • It is exciting to be handed a new set of keys to a new home, and it seems you are the only person in the world to have access to those keys. Guess what – you’re not, and you really need to change the locks right away.
  • Get well acquainted with your new home and check every window, door, and any other point of entry to make sure they are all locked and secure.
  • If you don’t yet have any window coverings, improvise with bed sheets to keep out snooping eyes.
  • Utilize the buddy system when you schedule service personnel to connect your utilities.
  • When you meet a stranger, keep the details of your living situation to yourself. People who would prey or take advantage of someone would be most likely to do so if they knew that person would be alone.