Securely lock up your belongings while you're away

When you're out of the house, either for work or travel, it's reassuring to have a secure place to put the valuables that you can't bring with you. Some people choose to use a security box at their bank for such items. However, security boxes are in short supply at most banks, and access can be limited. If you find yourself needing to make use of them often, consider getting a personal safe of your own.

Items that should be kept in a home safe

If you’ve never owned one before, you might not know which items to put in a home safe. Here are examples of common types of valuables that you should consider keeping locked within a safe.

Important Papers and Documents

In modern life, there are various paper documents that are important to keep handy, but would be an extreme hassle to replace if they were to be destroyed or stolen. These include passports, birth certificates, deeds, vehicle titles, Social Security cards, banking information, any manner of contracts, and more. Be certain to keep these items locked up, but ready to grab in the event of an emergency.

Cash

Cash can be useful in some circumstances, but it’s also quite insecure. Once it’s stolen or destroyed, that money is gone. So if you keep spare cash for emergencies in the home, or if you have foreign currency left over from a trip, consider keeping it in a home safe.

Hard drives

If you have hard drives or other computing equipment with important information, it can be inconvenient or even devastating to lose them, so it’s wise to keep backups of important files, pictures, videos, and more compiled in removable hard drives within a good home safe.

Jewelry

Given that they can easily be quite expensive for their size, not to mention the fact that they are often imbued with great sentimental value, jewelry and other precious items are a no-brainer to lock up when not being worn.

Collections

Whether you own a valuable collection of coins, stamps, or any number of items — anything you care enough to collect, you most likely cherish. Avoid unfortunate losses by keeping collected items safe and secure.