Fall Into Safety With Security Tips for the Season From Master Lock {Review & Giveaway}

I am always adamant about keeping my home safe and secure. We are in a pretty well populated area but that means nothing when it comes to security. People are so distracted nowadays, I cannot count on anyone to keep an eye on my home. Locking doors when I am home alone, locking windows in the bedrooms at night time and only taking my children outdoors when I can go with them are some ways in which I try to keep things safe. I am not paranoid, but rather trying to be wise. I also like to try and remember that home security goes beyond locking your doors...it is also training your family to be safe. So, when it comes to home security I think that we all should take a step back and take a look at what we currently have in place and see if it needs updated or not.

With the days getting shorter and nightfall coming quicker, Master Lock has come up with some fantastic safety tips to share with homeowners this fall season and I wanted to take a minute to share these tips with you. 

1. Be aware of surroundings. As dusk and darkness creep up earlier each day, remind children to follow safety precautions on their way to and from home. Whether walking all the way home or just to a parked car, students are advised to be aware of their surroundings, stick with a friend or in a group, stay in well-lit areas, avoid short cuts and always observe traffic rules.

2. Establish a "home alone" routine. Sometimes situations arise where children and teens will be home without supervision, whether coming home after school to an empty house or due to busy weekend activities. It's natural for parents to feel uneasy at first, but with some planning, both parents and children can feel confident when the time comes. Set guidelines with your children to follow when home alone including, locking the door immediately after entering the house, calling to check in as soon as he or she gets home, not answering the door for any visitors and reviewing relevant emergency phone numbers and exit plans. Instead of hiding an extra set of house keys beneath a door mat or under a nearby rock, the Master Lock 5422D Portable Key Safe is the perfect solution for securely storing house keys outside so that children (or parents) are never left locked out.

3. Set ground rules for social media sharing. Teens are sharing more information about themselves on social media sites than ever before*. As parents, it's necessary to evaluate the information your child is sharing and advise them on security risks of sharing too much identifying information. Set ground rules for what your child can disclose online, and teach your child how to set privacy controls so that photos, location and personal information do not end up in the wrong hands.

4. Lock down valuables on the field. Lockers help keep gadgets, wallets, house or car keys and other belongings secure while in class, but what keeps them secure outside of school? Keep valuables locked up with a small, portable safe, such as the 5900D SafeSpace, which kids can easily fit in their backpacks, gym bags or lock down to a fixed object while attending after school activities.

5. Inspect to protect. While talking with your children about safety guidelines, fall is also an ideal time to create or practice a fire safety plan. Start with inspecting your home thoroughly ensuring all smoke detectors are functioning properly and review the sound of the alarm with children so they know what do to when it goes off. Make an evacuation plan by visiting each room in your home, designating two ways out and check that all windows and doors open easily. Lastly, designate a safe meeting place outside the home where your family can gather after exiting. This meeting place should be close to the home, but not too close to be in danger from the fire, and in front of the house so that fire safety personnel can easily see you as they arrive. It should also be somewhere easy to find in day or night, such as near a telephone pole, tree or mailbox. Most importantly, practice the escape plan. While 71 percent of Americans have a plan, only 47 percent of those have practiced it**.

I love those ideas...I would also teach my children about how to handle encounters with people they do not know and work on them memorizing their phone number and house address. Those things, as well as the ones mentioned above are so important to keeping everyone and everything safe and secure. 

In light of the tips given, I was given the opportunity to review a Master Lock Wall Mount Key Safe and share my thoughts of this product with you all! Since our move to this new house back in January, we have yet to plant a key outside somewhere in case we get locked out and so receiving this key safe was wonderful. 

This Wall Mounted Key Safe has many features that I love. The alpha-numeric buttons are super easy to use and setting the lock is simple. You can set your own combination using up to 12 characters...letters, numbers or both. 

This box is made of durable metal and measures 3-1/8" wide...the perfect size for keys, cards and other small valuables. You will see in the photo above that there are four pre-drilled holes for easy installation and this box comes with four screws so you don't have to worry about finding your own. I like that. :) Another feature that I love is that you can insert a small key hook into the back of the box (it comes with the hook) so you don't have to worry about keys jamming the door shut. We will be using this box for our extra door key so that hook will come in handy for sure. 

I am very pleased with this Master Lock Wall Mount Key Safe and cannot wait to get it up outside! Having something like this will be so helpful as I have locked myself out of my house once or twice. Keys hidden outside are a great idea, people! This makes finding and using your keys safe and simple. This Wall Mount Key Safe from Master Lock retails for about $37.95 and would make an amazing Christmas gift for someone, or just a nice house-warming present. Check out this and other Master Lock home security products on Master Lock's website today and secure your home the right way this holiday season!

Master Lock has offered to giveaway a Master Lock Wall Mount Key Safe to one of you! Here are your entry options...

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Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive free products from Master Lock for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the sponsor's website and email. Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor. This blog is NOT responsible for lost, stolen or damaged prizes. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.