“As a single woman living alone for the first time, what can I do to feel safer in my own apartment?”
If you are one of those women who live by themselves, you start to think about how to live safer. Here you can get some practical safety tips for single women living alone.
Living alone is good in some ways. The biggest advantage is that you have more freedom and you enjoy your personal space. Meanwhile its disadvantage is also apparent: safety and security.
And the number one concern is SAFETY.
More and more women live alone for various reasons:
Women homesteading ALONE
Single moms living alone
Single women who live alone in rural areas
Living alone while going to college or after graduating from college
I’m looking to move out and buy my own (first) place. And I will definitely be living alone.
…
Taking simple precautions and investing in the latest security devices could prevent a lot of problems later. Below are top 8 effective ways to stay safe when living alone as a single female for the first time.
Top 8 Safety Tips for Single Women Living Alone in an Apartment
The following 8 tips will effectively increase the female living alone safety. But they are not just for women. Some of them can also be used as home safety tips for men living alone, and for the elderly living alone.
#1. Choose a Safe Apartment
Is Paris safe for a single young woman?
Young single woman living alone in Italy?
Is it safe to live alone in Indy as a 25 year old woman?
Oftentimes, I’ll come across such questions in the forum seeking tips for woman living alone for the first time on PNG, Ecuador, Midtown, Kuwait, and other areas. And one of the best safety tips for women living alone is to choose a safe place to live in.
The old saying “prevention is better than cure” is appropriate when it comes to female living alone safety. Before you move into a new property, research the area and the property that will become your new home.
You can Google your neighborhood’s crime rate. Pay special attention to the 10 most dangerous US cities. And you can refer to reviews on the area. This simple step will greatly reduce the likelihood of any serious security issues in the future.
Here is a crime heat map of America by VueVille, which may serve as a guideline for you to choose a safe place to live in.
The report also collects information about crimes against women and lists the top 5 best and worst states for single female living alone, as the infograph below shows. (Check the full report here.)
#2. Install a Home Security System
Will I be safe living at the Meda and Young (second house from Young) intersection alone as a young single female? Should I spend money on a tight budget for a security system?
These days, the IP cameras are highly affordable to provide a real peace of mind.
As a single lady living alone for the first time, it is best to buy security cameras to help you feel safer. Up to 88% burglars would not attack the home if it has a surveillance camera system. These cameras can be available for the inside and outside of a house. The live footage on these cameras can be viewed on phones and mobile devices, from any location. This makes it possible to view any suspicious activity taking place, while you are not there.
You can choose to install the home surveillance system by yourself with some affordable and easy to install wire-free camera. 4 steps will make it happen. And this will save you a large amount of money.
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#3. Check Emergency Apparatus
Besides burglars, a natural disaster is also a hidden danger for female living alone in a new city or apartment.
So before moving in, you can check the fire escapes and exit doors in the building. Make sure all exit doors and locks are not blocked. Know how to escape if a fire or natural disaster happens.
#4. Get to Know Your Neighbor
Introduce yourself to your neighbors.
This is another living alone tip and trick for single women. Living alone is quite different from living with parents, or roommates. You have to face everything by yourself. So if you have a good relationship with your neighbors, you can help each other.
If you are a single mother, or just living on your own after a breakup, this is also a good idea to go through the past and start your new life. Never be afraid of them. Try to be friends with them if possible. They could offer help when you live alone.
Living by yourself means no one cares for your home when you’re away. But if you make good friends with your neighbors, they can help keep an eye on it, which protects your home while on vocation. And they will try to alert you to a serious emergency. Of course, be careful about giving out personal information until you know them well.
#5. Lock Doors When You’re Home Alone & Create Security Checklist
Some of the most important steps to stay safe while you live alone as a single female are not always obvious, so it’s a good idea to draw up a checklist.
You may list all the most important precautions you should take inside and outside your home. This can include how to secure the front door, back door, windows and more. You may need help with this, so it’s always a good idea to ask for guidance from someone who already lives on their own, family members or other friends.
#6. Don’t Make It Obvious That You are Living Alone
Another tip for a female living alone for the first time is not advertising you are alone.
Most criminals and burglars look for easy targets, such as female graduates, single models. If they know that you are live alone, you may be at greater risk of being burgled. However, there are simple ways to make it difficult for others to find out if you live alone or not.
First of all, when it’s dark, make sure you have plenty of lights turned on inside and outside your home. Burglars often avoid a well-lit home. This will help protect your home from break-ins, and make you feel safer home alone at night.
Closing the curtains in your home will also prevent others from seeing how many people live in a property. Finally, once you have made friends with people you trust, ask them over to your place every now and again, so that your home looks like a busy place with plenty of people around.
#7. Take Precautions and Use Your Common Sense
Another way to protect yourself when living alone is to take precautions and use your common sense. This will help avoid a wide of potentially dangerous situations.
Never let strangers into your home, especially if nobody else is around. If a stranger comes to your door, ask them for ID and deal with them at your doorway, where you can be seen by other people.
Whenever you are not at home, always lock your doors and windows. If you are living alone on the ground floor, it may be a good idea to keep windows and doors locked that can be easily accessed from outside.
#8. Make the Most of Your Phone
Your phones can be important to keep you safe while living alone without men. You can install mobile apps that are designed to improve security. A range of alarm apps and GPS tracking facilities ensure that you can react to any issues you may have. Always make sure your phone is fully charged, especially at times when you are leaving your home at night.
Other Secrets to Living Alone as a Single Female Safely
Besides the 8 tips above, you can also try several other things to live alone safely.
- Don’t hesitate to report to police when you find something suspicious around.
- Take a self-defense class, especially when you are a girl living alone at your 20s after university.
- Communicate with the landlord if some appliances, such as doors, windows, locks, are broken.
- Be cautious about posting information about your daily schedule on your social media, like Facebook, and Twitter. Your safety and privacy is the most important when you are living by yourself.
Living alone can be exciting, but you should never look down upon security issues.
Do whatever you can think of to stay safe when you live alone as a single female. I hope these safety tips can give you a peace of mind and get on well with your life. But these are far from enough. If possible, live with a roommate, who has similar lifestyle habits. It is far more secure than living alone.