Burglary can happen to anyone. It doesn’t matter where you live or how nice your possessions are. There is a possibility that someone will try to enter without authorization and walk away with your valuables. Roughly 325,000 homes are broken into every year, resulting in $14.3 billion in lost property.

There are many ways to discourage robbers from breaking into your home, but home defense starts with simply locking your doors.

An estimated 32% of burglars enter through an unlocked door. Often, a locked door is enough to turn away a would-be burglar. The problem is, it can be quite easy to accidently leave your door unlocked. You might get into work or meet up with friends, only to find yourself questioning whether or not you locked the door.

Or you might not even realize it until you get back home.

Regardless, it’s very important that you keep your doors locked. How can you make sure you (and the people in your home) are locking the doors? Here are a few tips.

Hang a Sign

One simple solution is to hang a sign by your home’s exit. It could contain other reminders as well. This might increase your chances that you regularly look at it every time you leave. Make sure it’s in a place where it’s impossible not to see.

It might seem excessive, but a simple sign could be enough to remind you to lock the door.

Mental Checklist

When you forget to lock your door, it’s usually because you’re thinking about something else. In order to effectively remember to lock your door, you need to bring it to your mind every time you leave your home. You need to create a habit within your mind that’s so strong, it brings you out of whatever your train of thought is every time you step out the door.

The best way to do this is with a simple ritual. As soon as you step outside, stop yourself. Stand where you are and go through a mental checklist of where you’re going and what you need, and once you’re set, turn and lock the door.

It might seem like this would be as easy to forget as locking the door, it can be surprisingly effective. The simple act of pausing and reflecting can be a strong enough action to break your thought train. Some people will take it a step further, stomping their feet or performing a similar action when they walk out so that it reminds them to lock the door.

Whatever it is, it should happen as you’re stepping outside, and it should end with locking the door.

Consider Always Locking Your Door When You Pass Through It

Another way to engrain the habit of locking your door is to always lock your door. It doesn’t matter if you’re entering or leaving. It doesn’t matter if someone else is home or not. If you always lock your door when you walk through it, you’re much less likely to ever forget.

It’s also not a bad safety practice. Many burglars will try to enter a home even when someone else is there.

Upgrade to Smart Locks

Smart locks come in a variety of styles and capabilities, but ultimately, they allow you to check and control your locks from a distance. With the capability of monitoring your locks from your phone or other device, you can have peace of mind knowing that your doors are secure.

Whatever locks you choose, make sure they’re installed in quality doors. For entry doors in Ohio, contact Springfield Overhead Door today!