The holiday season is a time for family and friends, filled with warmth, laughter, and the joy of reuniting with loved ones. Often, it means having guests stay in your home. While this can make the holiday season more festive, it also raises questions about home security. How do you manage spare keys for your guests without compromising your home’s safety? Here’s your guide to managing spare keys securely when you have family staying over during the holidays.

 

Provide Personalized Access:

If you’re expecting multiple guests, it can be helpful to have spare keys made for each person. Having a locksmith create individual keys for guests can prevent confusion and possible loss or mix-ups. Plus, it ensures that everyone can come and go with ease without waiting for someone else with a key.

 

Use Smart Locks:

Technology offers a seamless solution for holiday home security. Smart locks eliminate the need for physical keys altogether and provide a way for you to give each guest their unique access code. Not only does this improve security, but it also allows you to monitor who is entering and leaving your home.

 

Install Temporary Locks:

For additional security without changing your home’s existing locks, consider temporary locks. These can be installed by a professional locksmith and removed after your guests have left, ensuring your home remains secure while providing access to your guests.

 

Key Safes:

Key safes are a secure alternative to the traditional “under the doormat” approach. They’re a small, wall-mounted safe where you can store a key outside your home. Only those with the combination can access it, which provides a safe way for family members to retrieve the key when they arrive.

 

Rekeying Locks:

For a more secure approach, consider having a locksmith rekey your locks before your guests arrive and once they leave. This way, any previous copies of your house key will no longer work, and you can have full control over who has access to your home.

 

Set Ground Rules:

It’s important to have a conversation with your guests about home security. Remind them to lock doors behind them and not to hand out keys to anyone else. Setting these ground rules can go a long way in maintaining your home’s security.

 

Key Tracking:

Attach a GPS tracker to your spare keys. If they are lost or misplaced, you can easily locate them via smartphone apps. This is a practical solution for guests who may not be familiar with the area and could accidentally lose their key.

 

After-Visit Security Measures:

Once your guests have left, it’s a good practice to collect all spare keys. If you’ve used traditional keys, consider having a locksmith change your locks or rekey them. This prevents unauthorized access in the future and ensures that your home remains secure.

 

Conclusion:

Having family stay over during the holidays should be a joy, not a security concern. With a bit of planning and the help of professional locksmith services, you can ensure that everyone enjoys the holiday festivities without compromising the safety of your home. Whether through rekeying, smart locks, or key safes, maintaining security with spare keys is straightforward and can provide peace of mind for the holiday season.