When it comes to your precious belongings, it’s better to be “safe” than sorry. So why not get a home safe to store your most valuable valuables? And why not go further still? Strategically hiding your safe in your home can add an extra layer of security."Typically, most burglars are smash-and-grab burglars and won’t spend the time to look for a safe," says Dominic Schwebs, digital marketing manager for Safe and Vault Store in Spokane, WA. "They will just grab what they see that they can carry and leave.”
Still hiding your safe in the same old obvious location? Here are some smart suggestions on where to hide your loot and other important stuff, straight from the professionals.
1. In the box spring
Experts suggest having a safe that is very difficult to remove and hard to find. While under the bed or in the mattress are common hiding places for a safe, box spring safes take the concept to a whole new level.
Products like the BedBunker ($4,309, Safetysecurity.co) take the place of the box spring under the mattress.
“It's concealed. It's almost impossible to move when the sections are bolted together from the inside. Your bed is more comfortable, and your mattress will never sag in the middle,” says John Adrain, CEO and founder of Safety and Security at Heracles Research in Frisco, TX.
2. In a shelf
Floating shelves are so trendy, but did you know they can do more than tie a room together? QuickSafes co-founder and owner Luke Flickingersays their signature safe ($260, QuickSafes) can be a great hiding place for valuables. It uses a premium Bluetooth locking system that eliminates the need to use a physical key or remember a password.
"We’ve designed this safe to look and function like a regular floating shelf, but it has a built-in hidden compartment," he says.
3. In the wall
Wall safes can be hidden in a vent, behind a large painting on the wall, in a space under the stairs (or inside stair steps), inside cabinets, or on a wall panel. And many are easily accessible by you, but are completely undetectable by burglars.
“Wall safes can be installed in between the studs and sit flush with your wall. Typically, this would be in a closet. You can put a painting or a mirror in front of it so nobody can easily find it,” says Schwebs.
Another type of safe that is sure to fake out burglars is made to look like an air vent. The QuickVent safe ($250, QuickSafe) is designed to fit between two wall studs and blend in with other vents in your home.
4. Anywhere but the master bedroom
While homeowners typically tend to hide safes in master bedrooms—and burglars are well aware of that—a little creativity in any room can throw off potential burglars.
“Putting a home safe, bolted down, in a secondary bedroom or in a basement is the best bet,” says Schwebs.
Some people choose to have their safe do double duty as a piece of furniture.
“We once anchored a safe next to a bed. The homeowner placed a round glass over it and covered with a tablecloth and turned into a bedside table. Who looks under tablecloths? Nobody,” says Zack Gilmore, founder and owner of Hollon Safe Co. in Corpus Christi, TX.
5. Beneath the floor
Floor safes can be good for concealing valuables and provide protection from burglars as well as other threats like fires. According to Gilmore, typical installation involves using a jackhammer to break up a section of the foundation to make a space for the safe.
"There is a metal lid or walking plate that is placed over the top so that you can place a carpet pad and carpet over the top,” he says.
However, if there is a fire, a floor safe may fill with water from fire hoses, so items should be kept in watertight containers.
6. In everyday items
Don't want to purchase a safe? Luckily there are plenty of household items you can use to your advantage to hide valuables. Pull a Tony Soprano and hide cash or jewelry in empty cans of paint, bleach bottles, or food containers. Some companies even sell food can safes like this one that looks like a can of Spam ($10.99, Amazon).
You can also disguise your safe using a leftover cardboard box.
“Cut out the bottom of the box and place it over the safe. On the side of the box write ‘old clothes donation.’ Nobody will touch it,” says Gilmore.
By Ana Durrani and posted by realtor.com
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