Preparing For the Holidays

It’s that time, folks!  We are all getting ready for the holidays, making our lists, doing our shopping, etc. However, as we know from the movies (or maybe our own experiences), the holidays are also a time when thefts, fires, and home accidents increase. Now because we care about our readers, we’ve decided to designate today’s post as a kind of public service announcement. Because while shutting down power to a whole city with your excessive lights and rolling a large van while chasing down the woman who stole your identity may seem awesome in theory; in reality, it is not. So below are just a few reminders from us on how to take care of yourself and your home during the holidays!

Decorating

• Check all light strands for frayed or damaged cords to avoid fires.
• Don’t overload outlets with tons of lights.
• Do not use candles on or near holiday greenery.
• Poinsettias are known to be poisonous to humans and animals, so keep them well out of reach.
• Don’t put your presents under the Christmas tree in front of your patio door or anywhere in view. Keep the presents in a separate location. If they are out of site, your home doesn’t look as appealing to a thief.
• Keep decorations at least 6 inches above a child’s reach.
• Avoid using tinsel. It can fall on the floor and a curious child or pet may eat it.
• If decorating outdoors, make sure to properly secure the decorations to keep them from flying into a car or your neighbor’s yard!  Take my word for this one!

Shopping

• Keep your valuables out of sight in your car.
• When going shopping, do not pull into the parking lot and put your purse and coat in the trunk. Do that before you get to the shopping center.
• If you are at a large shopping mall and need to take items out to the car and still go back into the mall, move your car to another parking area. Reason? Thieves circle the lots in shopping centers to see you put presents, purses, etc. in the trunk.
• When making purchases with a credit or debit card, shield the pin code entry from on-lookers with your hand, purse, coat, etc.
• Watch your bank account! Identity thieves can overdraw your account in a few hours and ruin a great holiday.

Cooking

• Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S.  When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.
• Refrigerate all left-overs promptly to avoid food poisoning.
• Keep the kitchen toy-free if you have children. You don’t want to trip on a toy and burn yourself or your child.
• Make sure all pot/pan handles are pointing inward, so children and others don’t run into the pans as they are crowding to sneak a taste of the food!

Social Media

• If you plan to travel for the holidays, don’t discuss your plans with strangers.
• Don’t post holiday travel plans on social media sites like Facebook. Your friends may not steal from you, but their crazy cousin may!
• Post your amazing aren’t-you-all-jealous-of-my-cool-vacation photos when you come back from the vacation.
• Don’t check in on Foursquare.
• Have the post office hold your mail if you are going to be gone for more than a couple of days.

To a safe holiday season for all!

Brought to you by Mills Properties

Photos from Foursquare, Disney World, Identity Thief, Home Alone, and Christmas Vacation!