I always see the case where a person gets their safe and automatically assumes it will protect them and plops it in the middle of a room without a second thought. Don’t be this person; a safe is an amazing device for protecting you, but just as important is the location of the safe to add that extra protection.
Many thieves know what the most used locations are and look there immediately, so we have come up with a list of the lesser-known places to hide a safe so you can have some great ideas based on the construction of your house.
Keep in mind it’s not necessary to hide your safe, but it’s a great extra level of security since, these days, criminals can take your safe right out of your home on a dolly for future cracking.
Let’s get to the list below!
1. Under the Floor
The best places to hide your safe are unexpected places. With basic woodworking skills, you can make a built-in floor compartment for your safe.
You will need to remove a small floor section free of plumbing and wiring. However, it can be quite messy because making a hole in your floor is necessary. This may be the most secure location for your safe.
After installing the safe, the easiest way to hide it fully is by putting a rug or mat over it.
2. Inside a Vent
Most houses nowadays have vent shafts. The concept of hiding safes in vents is quite old. However, the arrival of new safe designs brought this concept back to life.
One issue is burglars can quickly access vent shafts. It has become one of the first places a burglar may look for valuable items.
3. Under Bed Safe
Some bed frames now include under-mattress storage. If you want to get creative, add a lift mechanism to raise the mattress and insert your safe easily.
Your room is the best place for burglars to look for pieces of jewelry and valuables. A burglar might roam around your room and check your bed if you are not around your house.
4. Below the Stairs
If you have stairs in your home, you can modify one to become a hidden drawer. You can find a space under it where you can make a drawer to hide your safe.
This is dependent on the type of stairs you have. There is no universal solution, so you must use your imagination to modify this.
5. Under the Sink
Safes can be stored in both the kitchen and laundry room sinks. To add security, you can place a small safe in the back corner under the sink and screw it into the cabinet bottom.
You should place a few cleaner bottles in front of it to obstruct the view. This option may be dangerous for your goods inside the safe if a leak or the extra water nearby may cause humidity damage.
6. In the Stair Steps
You can also turn your staircase into a compartment big enough to fit your safe.
You may install a hidden drawer or modify a stair to open upwards. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so if you choose this method, you must be creative.
If you choose to modify a step from your stairs, you will need to remove an existing stair tread. After that, slide your safe inside the step and reattach the tread with a piano hinge to allow you to lift or lower the tread.
Keep in mind that hiding the traces of the modification can be difficult. So if you have a hard time, you may hire a professional.
7. Inside a False-Bottom Drawer
A burglar will quickly check a drawer to look for valuable items. However, when they see nothing valuable inside a drawer, they instantly skip it.
A false-bottom drawer might be handy. You will learn how to make your false-bottom drawer below:
How to make a false-bottom drawer
Step 1: Apply a small amount of industrial glue to one of the wine cork or wood’s flat sides. (1)
Step 2: Place the wine cork or piece of wood in one of the wood panel’s corners.
Step 3: Repeat with the remaining seven wine corks or woods, spacing them evenly so that there are four on each side of the wood sheet.
Step 4: Dry it before you flip it over.
Step 5: Using industrial glue, stick the handle of your choice in the center of the wood.
Step 6: Remove any excess immediately and let it sit for 24 hours.
Step 7: Insert the wood into the drawer. Now you have a false-bottom drawer to hide your safe.
Reference:
8. Inside a Fridge Safe
You can also place your safe inside your refrigerator’s freezer compartment; there are custom-built devices that can handle the humidity this may cause. (2)
Place your safe inside the freezer compartment in a bag. Put a lock on the freezer door to have extra security. This can be an effective way to secure your safe.
9. Inside a Kibble Container
If you are a pet owner, you are certainly familiar with kibble containers; it makes an excellent disguise for a safe.
Add a smaller safety deposit box within the kibble container and insert the kibble; it becomes almost impossible to know that this dog food has a safe inside!
10. Kid’s Room Hideaway
No reasonable burglar would look in a child’s room for valuables. It’s just full of toys and useless junk.
You can hide your safe somewhere in there where a burglar won’t be able to find it. Some ideas include under the floorboards and inside old puzzle boxes.
11. In the Attic
The attic in your house might be an excellent spot to keep your safe or valuables hidden.
Burglars usually begin their search for valuables in the main bedroom. The attic is one of the least visited areas. You can make the attic even less appealing by making it more difficult to access. You should keep ladders away from the attic entrance or lock them.
However, reaching your safe in the attic could not be easy. As a result, if you need to open the safe regularly, I suggest you choose a different location.
12. Behind a Hidden Door
Investing in a hidden door in your house might become handy. This might not be very easy, but it may be the best place to hide your safe.
A hidden door’s advantage over other places is that it’s easily accessible to you that know about it, yet almost invisible to others.
What to Consider When Hiding Your Safe
With the possibility of burglary on the rise, it’s essential to be prepared in case you’re ever the victim of a break-in or burglary.
I prepared steps to guide you:
- Choose a spot that is hidden from view and difficult to get to.
- Choose a place on a level floor away from windows or heating pipes.
- If necessary, select a location with an electrical outlet with easy access to power equipment for drilling through concrete or metal walls.
- Close off any nearby rooms where intruders might be able to obtain entrance from outside the room.
Conclusion
There are many ways to keep your valuables safe and secure. You can purchase an expensive safe that burglars will have difficulty breaking or hide your safe from the burglar’s sight.
Burglars believe that the more time they spend looking, the more likely they will get caught. If you pick a tough hiding area, you can drastically decrease the chance of a burglar’s success.
Always remember to keep your valuables safe. A burglar will always have a hard time with a responsible homeowner.
References:
(1) wine – https://www.foodandwine.com/wine/25-bottle-guide-wine-mastery
(2) humidity – https://www.britannica.com/science/humidity
