How to Hide a Safe Like a Pro: Tips & Strategies
When considering storing valuables, the first thing that comes into our minds is safety. It has a solid outer shell and coded lock for preventing burglary. Because home safes are compact and inexpensive, they can provide a secure storage option for properties of all sizes. While a safe can safeguard your valuables against theft, the most effective way to protect them is by making it challenging for burglars to locate them. This article will tell you some ideal locations to hide your safe.
Ideal Locations to Place Your Safe in a Plain Sight
Although the safe is already protective for property protection, choosing a better placement is still needed. Placing your safe in the right place can enhance its security and reduce the probability of its theft. So where are these places? Let's take a look together.
1. In closet
The closet is one of the best places to hide your safe. The closet must have enough space to accommodate the safe while the door is closed. You should also consider the direction in which the safe door opens. The safe door should be fully opened without obstacles for its proper function.
2. In a wall
Wall-mounted safes are a classic because they are easy to place in cavities. Placing your safe in a wall can provide privacy and security for large valuables. For example, you can put them in cavities on the wall. Safes mounted in the wall are difficult to remove, which makes it challenging for burglars to maneuver.
3. Behind artwork
You can also add paintings or prints to the wall and conceal your safe behind these artworks. Pictures can also help to keep your room decoration fresh.
Inside furniture
Hiding a safe inside a piece of furniture is another way to keep valuables out of harm's way. You can hide a safe on a queen-sized sofa. For example, Some sofas in the market come with built-in safes. The base of the couch has a built-in safe hidden underneath the zippered padding and couch cushions. No one sitting on the sofa would ever guess that there is a safe underneath the couch!
4. Under flooring
Depending on your home and flooring, an underfloor safe is a hidden option. Underfloor safes are easy to spot and remove with professional equipment. You can create a secret built-in underfloor compartment for your prized possessions with basic carpentry skills.
5. Under a laundry hamper
Everyday household items such as laundry hampers can be used to hide safes. You can bolt the safe to the floor and hide it with a laundry hamper and dirty clothes. Many burglars wouldn't consider searching for valuables beneath laundry hampers or piles of dirty clothes.
Inside the kitchen
You can also place the safe in the kitchen and blend it with various appliances and equipment, such as the oven and microwave. However, please only place the safe in a neutral place as it will attract burglars. You can put them on the kitchen wall or inside the cabinet. That way, if a burglar decides to look inside a cabinet in the kitchen, they're likely to miss the hidden safe.
6. Behind a sliding door
If there isn't enough room inside your house, you can place the safe in the empty corner behind the sliding door. A sliding door allows easy access to the safe, which remains concealed as the door moves horizontally along a track above the doorway.
Under a plant
A far-sighted homeowner will have a potted plant in their home. While it's not safe per se, homeowners couldn't resist this succulent-sized pot with plenty of hiding space for keys, money, or jewelry. Burglars will surely wince a little if you put a prickly cactus next to your safe.
7. Under the mattress
Some of the most straightforward locations for burglars to dig through in a bedroom are bed frames and the drawers underneath the shelves. So, try to stay away from putting any valuables under the bed frame. However, hiding your valuables under the mattress is a good idea since there is yet to be an apparent storage space beneath the bed frame. To accomplish this, carefully secure your safes with tape in the mattress's center so they cannot be moved.
8. In the air vent
Vents are excellent places to hide larger safes. Even if burglars find the safe, they need help getting it out. To prevent airflow obstruction, install a dummy vent instead of a real one.
9. Under stair treads
Add a hidden drawer to your staircase or modify the stair treads to open upwards. There are fewer chances that burglars will notice these secret drawers under your staircase.
10. Behind spare books
If you need to place your safe on a shelf in a spare room or similar room, you can hide it behind some extra books. You can combine multiple books to create an enclosure large enough to hold a small safe or lockbox.
You'll need to cut out an area to fit the safe size from the opening of each book and glue them together into a removable whole. By placing the small safe behind books, burglars will generally not notice the bookshelf and rummage through the books.
Choosing the Right Safe for Valuables: Factors to Consider
When talking about safe selection, there are several factors to consider, such as fire resistance, water resistance, safe size, and, most importantly, burglary resistance. And in this part, we will give you some details about them.
Fire resistance
In a fire, valuables are highly susceptible to damage or destruction. Home safes often come with different fire ratings, indicating the duration and temperature they can withstand. Thirty minutes of protection is the most common, although you can also find safes that offer one or more hours of protection, usually at a higher price.
Water resistance
Waterproofing is often an additional feature for home safes. This feature prevents the safe from submerging under a flood or water pipe break.
Tool resistance
Some safes are shipped with a security protection rating. For example, a TL-15-rated safe can withstand at least 15 minutes of attack with ordinary tools. So, the higher the protection rating, the more solid the safe will be if a burglar violently dismantles it.
Size
Large safes and small safes are different in their functions. For large safes, a 1.2- or 1.3-cubic-foot safe can weigh around 100 pounds empty and is less likely to be targeted by thieves than jewelry, cameras, small electronics, and other portable items. It is challenging to carry away from the crime scene because of its size and bulk. In contrast, although small safes can be carried away easily by burglars, they have the convenience of being hidden in every secret place in your house.
Installing Your Safe Properly: Step-By-Step Guide
It is time to install the safe after choosing the right safe and location. However, It is a simple process. You can follow the guide below:
- Prepare the area: Clear the chosen location and remove things you don't need. Put the safe in place, mark the skirting board with a pencil, remove it, cut it to size, and refit it. If installing an in-floor safe, you will find it much easier to install the bolts after completing the above steps.
- Drill the holes: You are now ready to mark where you want the holes to be drilled. The easiest way to do this is to put the safe in place and keep the existing holes. Double-check that the mark is aligned with the drilled hole; finally, you are ready to drill. It is easier to drill the holes with a tiny masonry bit first and then expand the drill with a larger bit.
- Fit the safe: The safe can now be placed over the holes. Then, tighten the bolts with a wrench or screwdriver (depending on the bolt). These bolts will expand as they are tightened to ensure as tight a fit as possible. You should check that the safe is positioned and opened correctly before final tightening of the bolts. The installation is then complete.
Little Tricks to Safeguard Your Valuables
In addition to using a home safe, there are some other clever tactics to help you safeguard your valuables.
Decoy jewelry boxes
Another strategic approach to safeguarding your valuables includes the use of a decoy jewelry box. By filling it with less valuable items, you can create the illusion that your more precious jewelry is securely stored elsewhere, deterring potential burglars. Alternatively, consider keeping a small safe discreetly placed in your closet, containing a portion of your cash reserves. This clever tactic is likely to convince burglars that they have found all the cash in your home, prompting them to leave without further intrusion.
Monitor your safe with security measures
After putting in place your valuables and safe, what's next? Monitoring your safe with security measures stands out as an essential finishing touch.
For example, you can use a surveillance camera to focus on the location of your safe 24/7, which will give you real-time video information on the security status of your safe. Some cameras have an AI auto-detection function, which can inform the homeowner in SMS the first time abnormalities are detected. Also, you can install motion sensors and alarms around your safes. They will sound the alarm if burglars try to move the safe.
Bonus Tips: How to Hide a Large Safe
Large safes usually weigh more than 1,000 pounds and risk crushing the structure or floor of your home if placed in an attic or on a high floor. That's why areas like basements or crawlspaces are excellent choices for hiding large safes, as they are harder to reach and often cluttered with other items. Many attics require a pull-down ladder to gain access. Doors to crawlspaces can easily be covered or camouflaged by furniture or design.
Or you can lay a cloth or a blanket over the big safe to keep it from sticking out. Making it blend in with its surroundings will prevent it from being noticed.
FAQs
How do you store a safe in your house?
The bedroom wardrobe is one of the most common locations for safe storage. In most cases, burglars will check your bedroom first. So we advise you to pick a new hiding spot. Instead, you can think about concealing your safe behind a sink in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry area.
Is a small safe worth it?
A small safe is just as effective against theft as a large one. A small safe is more space-efficient and can be discreetly placed in a closet, under a bed, or on a shelf. Additionally, small safes are often more portable than larger ones. If you need to move or travel frequently and want to take valuables, a small safe is easier to transport.
What is the weakest part of a safe?
Even with the level of sophistication in lock styles, the locking mechanism is the weakest entry point for most safes. Locks are also controlled by advanced technologies such as digital combinations, fingerprint scanning, and retinal scanning.
Should a safe have a key?
Yes, a home safe should have a physical key. Three factors explain why safes still come with keys: A physical key is frequently present as a key override in case the battery dies. Although a plastic cover commonly covers the keyhole, it is still present, just in case. Keys can be a secondary layer of protection.
Conclusion
This article details how to choose as well as hide a safe. So, for peace of mind, you must find the right place to conceal your safe. Selecting locations that are difficult to locate and challenging to access can significantly decrease the risk of losing your valuables. Can safes protect your valuables inside your home? Tell us your thoughts, and please share this article with your friends.
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