Living alone can have many advantages. However, there are also added risks to living alone. One thing to be wary of is that you could be a bigger target for criminals. Burglars are more likely to target people living alone because they can more easily tell when their home is vacant or when they are asleep. Meanwhile, women living alone are more likely to be targets of crimes like sexual assault.

By taking various security measures, you can decrease the chance of being a victim. Below are just some of the best security measures that you can take.

Get a video doorbell

Video doorbells are fantastic security devices. They allow you to check who is at your door without having to open the door first. They essentially work like a peephole, except you don’t have to be on the other side of the door. In fact, via an app on your phone, you can access the camera at any time from any location, allowing you to constantly monitor your home. Many also have intercoms fitted so that you can communicate to a person at your door if necessary.

This Amazon Ring is probably the most well known video doorbell device. However, there are other doorbell cameras on the market that could be worth comparing too.

Lock all doors and windows

It’s worth getting into a habit of shutting all doors and windows when you are not at home so that an intruder cannot easily enter. Of course, you can improve security further by making sure that all windows and doors are securely locked too (especially those most accessible to burglars)

Many modern windows now come with internal locks that can be locked or unlocked with a key. These can prevent a burglar from prising open a window.

Consider window privacy

You should consider whether criminals can easily look through your windows - and if so what they can see. If you don’t want burglars eyeing up your valuables or peeping toms looking at you while getting dressed, it could be worth making sure that you’ve got some blinds or curtains on each window.

Options like net curtains and voile curtains are popular because they can let in light without letting people peer in. Blinds and shutters can also be angled in a way to let in light while distorting the view inwards.

Keep a light on

Burglars prefer to target vacant homes. Keeping a light on can trick burglars into thinking that there could still be someone home. Leaving a TV on can be even more effective at creating this illusion.

On the topic of lighting, it could also be worth looking into exterior lighting if your home doesn’t have any. Burglars prefer to break into homes in the dark as they’re less likely to be detected - an exterior light at night can make it more likely that a burglar will get seen by a neighbor or passer by, and could put them off targeting your home.

Get a dog

Dogs can not only make a great companion when living alone, but they can also reduce your risk of being a target of burglary. This is because most dogs are very good at noticing intruders and will bark to let people know, making it much riskier for any potential burglar and often not worthwhile.

Some dog breeds are natural ‘guard dogs’ and may be a good choice if security is a priority. However, even small and docile breeds may still put off intruders.

Look into alarm options

Burglar alarms are recommended if you live in an area with a high burglary rate. Most traditional alarms are installed on a door or window and will make a noise if the door or window is broken into. This may be enough to put off most burglars, however modern alarms can go one step further, sending an alert to your phone when a break-in is detected so that you are made immediately aware. You can then call the police straight away if needs be.

There are many different burglar alarms available on the market. This guide lists some of the best smart burglar alarms worth buying for your home.

Consider owning a firearm

If an intruder breaks into your home while you are there, it could be important that you are able to defend yourself. While there are many things you can use as an improvised weapon, a firearm is the most efficient form of self defense. In many situations, you won’t even have to use it - simply the sight of a gun will scare off most intruders.

Handguns are popular because they are easy to store anywhere in your home. Shotguns are a good home defense option for women too - they can take down most attackers in one shot and don’t have to be aimed from the shoulder like a rifle.

Learn self defense

If you don’t already know some form of self defense, this could be worth looking into as a form of added protection. The best way to learn self defense is often to take classes where you can practice defensive techniques with the help of a professional instructor. This could be anything from a martial arts class to a specialized women's self defense class.

Self-defense is most likely to help not at home but when walking home alone (particularly at night). Even if you never have to use it, it could help you to feel more confident during times when you may need to walk alone.

Avoid oversharing online

Oversharing information online could make you a target for burglars or other criminals. The most obvious information that you should never share publicly is your address. Even photos of the outside of your home on public social media accounts can be dodgy.

You should also be wary of sharing information about when you’re not at home. This includes pictures of you on vacation while you’re still on vacation (wait until you’re back home if you can).

Be wary of who you go home with

Finally, you should be careful of who you go home with.Letting someone you’ve just met walk you home could be very risky. It’s better to get to know people outside of your home before showing them where you live so that you can reduce the risk of being targeted by an opportunistic criminal.

10 Home Security Tips For Women Living Alone