Maximizing Your Living Space: A Guide to Smart Home Improvement

In the fast-paced world we live in, creating a comfortable and functional living space is more important than ever. Home improvement projects that focus on optimizing space not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home but also contribute to a more organized and stress-free lifestyle. This article explores various strategies and ideas to help you make the most out of your living space through thoughtful home improvements.

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  1. Declutter and Organize: Before embarking on any home improvement project, start by decluttering your space. Rid your home of unnecessary items and organize belongings efficiently. Consider installing built-in storage solutions like shelves, cabinets, and closets to keep your possessions neatly tucked away, creating a sense of order and openness.
  2. Multi-Functional Furniture: Invest in furniture that serves multiple purposes. For example, a sofa bed in the living room can transform the space into a guest room when needed. Additionally, ottomans with hidden storage, foldable tables, and modular furniture allow for flexibility in how you use your space, making it adaptable to various activities.
  3. Open Floor Plans: Knock down unnecessary walls to create an open floor plan that connects different living areas. This not only enhances the flow of natural light but also provides a sense of spaciousness. Consult with a professional to ensure that the changes adhere to structural requirements.
  4. Lighting Matters: Proper lighting can significantly impact the perception of space. Maximize natural light by using sheer curtains or blinds and strategically placing mirrors to reflect light throughout the room. Consider installing recessed lighting or pendant lights to illuminate darker corners and visually expand the space.
  5. Outdoor Integration: Extend your living space by incorporating outdoor areas. Create a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces with sliding glass doors or large windows. Design a functional outdoor space with comfortable seating, lighting, and greenery to make it an extension of your home.
  6. Smart Storage Solutions: Utilize underutilized spaces by incorporating smart storage solutions. Staircase drawers, under-bed storage, and wall-mounted shelves are excellent options to maximize storage without sacrificing floor space. Customized storage solutions can be tailored to fit specific areas, optimizing every nook and cranny.
  7. Color Palette and Design: Opt for a light and neutral color palette to create an airy and open atmosphere. Consider using mirrors strategically to bounce light and make spaces appear larger. Additionally, choose furniture and decor that complement the overall design, maintaining a cohesive and visually appealing look.
  8. Tech Integration: Embrace smart home technology to streamline your living space. Invest in space-saving gadgets like smart thermostats, automated blinds, and compact entertainment systems. This not only enhances convenience but also contributes to a modern and efficient home.

Maximizing your living space through strategic home improvements is a rewarding endeavor that can significantly enhance your overall quality of life. By decluttering, incorporating multi-functional furniture, embracing open floor plans, optimizing lighting, integrating outdoor spaces, utilizing smart storage solutions, selecting a thoughtful color palette, and integrating technology, you can create a home that feels spacious, organized, and tailored to your unique needs. Start your journey towards a more efficient and inviting living space today.

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Tips for Settling into Your New Apartment

Moving into a new apartment is an exciting experience. Whether it’s your first place after college or an upgrade from a smaller space, getting everything moved in at the new address is always enjoyable.

Of course, it takes more than just the placement of belongings to get your new home up and functioning. There are many things you’ll need to be doing along the way, and many of them have to be done right in the middle of your work to get everything else moved in. Add in the possibility of a deadline to get out of the old place and it’s no surprise that moving is such a stressful experience for some people.

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Good organization can keep all this transitional activity from ruining the fun of the move. Get started with these ideas.

Getting Insurance

One of the nice things about renting an apartment is that you aren’t responsible for insuring it. But while it’s true that the property owner is responsible for any damage from weather, theft, or fire, it’s also true that your personal belongings are not covered by their policy. You need to insure those things yourself.

You may feel like coverage for your car and health are enough insurance payments in a month, but it can be well worth the investment to get renters insurance in your apartment. Even your yard-sale furniture would have to be replaced if lost, so make a plan.

Renter’s insurance is beneficial even if the apartment is furnished, because you still have clothes, electronics, kitchen appliances, and valuables like jewelry that will be covered in the event of a fire or natural disaster. And it will start to build insurance expenses into your personal budget, making room for homeowners’ insurance later on.

Make The Switch

There are a lot of things that will have to be changed over when you move. If you still use a landline, it will have to be relocated, and along with it, your broadband services like internet and television. Make sure you receive any utilities deposits that are due back to you, especially since you may have to put down new ones elsewhere.

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You’ll also need to make changes in your mail. Your first step here should be to put in a forwarding order with the postal service, but you will still have to do a change of address with everyone you do business with. That includes creditors, the various schools you’ve attended, your employer, everyone.

Check Out Your Place

This may sound a little strange. You already got the grand tour, what’s left to discover? It can actually be quite a bit.

Depending on the type of place you’re renting, you may have access to spaces that can accommodate a basic home inspection. While it’s true that the upkeep of the structure isn’t your problem, there are also financial and safety concerns that can affect you.

A good first step is to check the plumbing for leaks. Before moving in, turn off all the water inside–not just at the faucets but at the valves inside the cabinets and behind the toilets. Write down the reading on your water meter. Check a day or so later and see if it has changed. If it has, there is water leaking out somewhere–water that you may be paying for.

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Check batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. Ask if the locks have been changed, and make sure they latch solidly. See if there are any loose windows, and check the breaker box for tripped circuits or other signs of electrical problems.

Moving into a new place is often a big step toward independent adult living. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of having a pool or a fitness center on site, and those amenities are great. But it’s more important to be financially sound and personally safe, so be sure you take care of all those other considerations as that new key jingles in your pocket.

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4 Helpful Tips on Buying Property with Family

Purchasing a property with your family can be your best option in getting an initial step on the property ladder. With the help of your family members, owning a property will be easier and more convenient for you. The entire process might not be simple, but things will surely be smooth eventually.

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In case your potential property partner earns more and has a clean credit history, then you get a higher chance of securing a great mortgage deal like a fixed-rate home loan. As long as you comply with all the requirements needed in getting a loan, you won’t be having a hard time. More so, if you are a good payer, then nothing will ever be a problem about acquiring a mortgage.

Listed below are some helpful tips on how you can buy a property with your own family:

Have an open and honest conversation

Since buying a property is a big commitment, you need to have a frank conversation with your family. An open and honest conversation leads to smooth decisions. You have to note how ongoing expenses should be divided, what happens when one of the co-owners wants to sell the property, and the agreement on the ownership percentages. If these things are not talked about before purchasing a property, then you will encounter a big problem in the future.

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Determine each other’s credit report and other finance-related matters

Before anything else, you have to ensure that you do know your soon-to-be property partner’s financial matters. Know one another’s income, expenses, and credit report to guarantee you won’t be having any issue regarding money matters in the long run.

 Conform on what type of property to purchase

Discuss upfront with your family what type of property you would like to buy. It pays off to know beforehand which property to purchase to save time and effort. With this, you already know what are the things to consider and not. You can choose a townhouse, condominium, or multi-storey house, depending on your needs and preferences.

Determine the type of ownership you want

When deciding on what type of ownership you would want for the property, you can get an expert’s advice. It is highly recommended that you seek help from a credible real estate agent to make sure that everything is under control. Moreover, this is for you to be more enlightened with the pros and cons of  the various options you have. You will also have a better understanding of some technical and legal matters that you will be dealing when you buy a property.

Once you have decided to purchase a property with your family, it is best that you keep these helpful tips mentioned above in mind. Since you will be dealing with this matter with your own family members, it is highly suggested to be transparent and respect each other’s opinions. There will always come a time when you have different point of views, so it’s best to be more open with those kinds of things and value one another’s differences to avoid any dispute.

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How to Be Confident at Home with Popilush’s Shapewear

Confidence may not be a visible concrete trait in a person but is a very important one in one’s personality. It shapes a woman’s overall personality in imaginable ways. You could be donning an Armani shirt and whiffing off Gucci’s perfume it all goes to vain if you aren’t confident. Confident in your skin and style is admirable but not everyone can ace this act.

A shapewear is an important contributor to a person’s confidence. The shapewear is a tool that amplifies your confidence by teaching you to look smart and within your skin. It is no exaggeration of the natural beauty, just a contoured look of your body.

The common belief that shapewear is uncomfortable is a myth told many times. It can be chic, attractive, and still be comfortable. This is a possibility that few brands offer. Thanks to Popilush for bringing us such a combination we have been blind about for years now. Learn the art of self-love with a shapewear that is easy on your skin and hard on your style.

Product link: https://www.popilush.com/products/built-in-shapewear-long-sleeve-modal-midi-dress

Here are the top-trending shapewear’s by Popilush which return you every penny’s worth.

Built-in Shapewear Modal Lounge Dress

The Built-in Shapewear Modal Lounge Dress is the outfit for the dreamiest date night. As the name suggests, it is a body shaper for dress in it which gives your body the desired shape and a hot figure without feeling compressed for air.

Product link: https://www.popilush.com/products/built-in-shapewear-modal-sculpting-dresses

The dress has spaghetti straps, and removable bra straps and hugs your bodycon with a tummy control sculpting. The booty lift gives you the holy finish in its ribbed fabric and qualifies it as a body shaper for the dress. A complete package in which you look like a model in five beautiful colors.

Built-in Shapewear Denim Bodysuit Or Romper Or Mini Dress

This dress beats two birds with one stone with its built-in shapewear and a dapper outfit. The firm fit hugs you like a second skin without breaking the sweat of the one who wears it. Its flexibility with a waist flattening and abdomen tightening design is compelling.

Product link: https://www.popilush.com/products/built-in-shapewear-denim-bodysuit-or-romper-or-mini-dress

The bronze zipper running through the dress and an orange contrast divider are exquisite and detail-oriented. The buttock lifts and overall body contouring is what makes it a complete set for party wear. Plus, it makes a great gift for a body shaper or a dress to give to your friends. Pair it with your shiny black new-high boats for a ramp outfit that steals looks.

Built-in Shapewear Sexy Lace Slip Split Maxi Dress

 The built-in shapewear sexy lace slip split maxi dress is a bodysuit with deep v neck. It is a classic and beautiful white dress with a lace neck detailing and spaghetti straps. The dress comes with removable pads and a contouring breast design.

Product link: https://www.popilush.com/products/built-in-shapewear-sexy-lace-slip-split-maxi-dress

The bodysuit with a deep v-neck allows you to adorn your neck with beautiful jewelry. The plain white canvas allows you maximum ability to be styled with accessories. It also has built-in faja shorts and a piece of breathable fabric.

Wear these chic outfits that amplify your confidence with their comfort and support that never ends even in your fashion moments. Don’t forget to ootd these on your Instagram stories because these are so worth it!

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Eco Benefits of London’s Roof Terraces

Roof terraces are becoming increasingly popular, mainly due to their many advantages. These roofs are visually appealing, increase social cohesion, and, most importantly, offer a range of different ecological benefits. It is an opportunity for new ecosystems to develop and thrive, it reduces pollution and it helps people to lower their carbon footprint through the insulating properties. Nowhere is the need to be eco-friendly more acute than in large cities such as London. Although various efforts and initiatives have been put in place to lower air pollution and smog, more needs to be done. The following London roof terrace examples are incredibly important in terms of achieving those eco benefits so desperately needed in high-pollution areas.

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London Roof Terrace Examples

  1. 1 Poultry, which is found near Bank Junction. The building itself is reasonably new, having been completed in 1998. The roof of 1 Poultry houses a restaurant and a highly intensive green roof. Various beds are included in the design, which contains shrubs and trees. Furthermore, there is a stunning pergola covered in wisteria and grapes. Crab apples have also been planted in the garden. The roof also has a grass area surrounded by clipped hedges.
  2. 107 Cheapside, which is in the same district as 1 Poultry, has taken a slightly more simplistic, smaller approach. Rather than having an accessible roof that can be enjoy by guests, it has installed a sedum blanket on the main roof for insulation purposes. Furthermore, at two lower levels, a range of planters have been installed.
  3. 10 Queen Street Place is another great London roof terrace example. This building is near Cannon Street Station, an area notorious for pollution. On the fourth floor, it has a very large roof area with views of St Paul’s cathedral. It has an intensive green roof that has been made to look like a park. It has substrates, planters, grass, timber surfaces and more. It is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the views of London.
  4. 150 Cheapside is at the foreside of St Paul’s, and the balcony of the Stone Gallery actually overlooks the property. It has a very large sedum area and minimal plant equipment. It also has photovoltaic systems for added eco benefits. Furthermore, there is space for planters at a lower level, which is also used for entertainment.
  5. 201 Bishopgate, which is in the east part of the City of London. It is a brand new building that features not just a green roof, but also a green wall. It uses a mixture of Boston ivy and native ivy. The particular focus for this building was on biodiversity.

These are just a few of the many examples of green roofs in London. It adequately demonstrates how much can be achieved with limited space and how important these developments are in terms of creating clean living solutions. Pollution in London is incredibly high, and these roofs and walls have the ability to significantly reduce that.

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Easy Ways to Spruce Up the Exterior of Your Home

Even though a lot of homeowners focus on refining and redesigning the interior of their houses in order to keep the property value high and to keep up with changing trends in the world of interior design, the truth is that you should never neglect the exterior of your house either. After all, this is the first impression you make on people, as it’s the first thing they encounter about your home. An unkempt property may make someone think that you don’t really care about your house, and they’ll also assume that the inside of the house must look just as bad.

Thankfully, there are plenty of easy ways to maintain the look of the exterior of your home. Continue reading for a few solutions you can implement to spruce it up.

Add Pavers Instead of Concrete

Concrete driveways are unattractive and they can even crack and begin to look even worse over time. As a result, many homeowners are now transforming their concrete walkways, driveways, and backyard patios with attractive pavers that come in a variety of colours and shapes. These blocks are set down into the ground and provide a long-lasting option that will add colour to the exterior of your home and make it look clean and modern. Be sure to properly maintain your pavers with sealer so they’ll withstand the elements and continue to look like new for years to come.

Add a Bright Front Door

You can take the door that’s currently on the front of your home and repaint it, or instead purchase a brand new one, but making it a bright door is a great way to spruce up the exterior appearance of your home and make it even more welcoming than before. Go with a bright colour, such as yellow or turquoise, to really stand out and make your home appear fun and clean.

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Add a Fence and Flowers

A white picket fence is a great way to instantly add curb appeal to your home. But planting colourful and fragrant flowers and vines along the edge of the fence will add even more beauty to it and make your lawn even more inviting. Plus, you will get to see these plants as they change from one season to the next.

Reinvent Your Siding

If the siding on your house is beginning to look aged and dirty, you do not necessarily need to completely replace it, which can be a costly renovation that you may not have the budget for. Instead, there are many DIY approaches that you can take to repair your siding, whether you have aluminum, vinyl, or any other type of siding. This simple step can be the most dramatic change you make to your home’s exterior, and it can make it look years younger.

Updating the exterior of your home should not be something that you neglect. Instead, take the time to keep your property clean and looking beautiful. This will make your home more welcoming and more valuable.

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Growing and Harvesting Pineapple at Home

Farming and gardening is my father’s past time,  he is semi-retired in doing construction and carpentry jobs hence it was already too heavy and too delicate for him to climb in higher elevation especially he was already in maintenance because of his high blood pressure. Semi-retired because there are times his old employer asked him at times to fix small things in their house.

Growing pineapples requires significant time and commitment, it can be an exciting home gardening and culinary project. It is almost pineapple season and my father has some pineapple plants, he already harvested twice and don’t think too much about the harvest, because there were only two pineapple heads each harvest (hahaha), my father harvested them earlier before the thieves could harvest them.

The first harvest, we ate the big one and the smaller one was given away, while the second harvest both the pineapples were given away.  My father’s pineapple started from from few plants, and they multiply after my father planted the pineapple crown, as you can see above one crown was already taken away from the fruit and it will be ready for planting, all you have to do is plant it into the soil.

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5 Cheap Ways to Make your Home More Appealing to Guests

Home makeovers can be costly, but it is possible to make your home more appealing without splashing out a premium. How can you achieve this?

  1. Throw out the clutter

This is a totally free way to make the space in your home look more inviting and presentable. All you have to do is throw away the junk and donate anything in your home that is no longer useful to you right now; or in the foreseeable.  Why keep that old typewriter you’ve not used in a decade? Do you really need to keep the hundreds of CDs stacked up in the corner? What of old, worn out toys? You will be surprised how much space you can free up by doing this.

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  1. Refinish your mismatched furniture

Mismatched furniture is guaranteed to make your home look disorganised.  If you have all-black furniture and a couple of blue wooden pieces around, you can even things out by painting the wood pieces black as well.  Most of the time, the colour combination you feel great about may actually be upstaging the aesthetic balance of the space.  Primer Magazine has a great piece on dealing with mismatched furniture. The piece is aimed at young men, but the ideas can be implemented by anyone.

  1. Bring in some nature

Go to any public park near you and get some pine cones you can put in a bowl. If there are no woods around you, simply pick a few pine branches anywhere and put them in a jar or vase.  If you still can’t find any, head off to B&Q, or any shop selling house plants, and buy a couple. The plants will not just give your home a beautiful relaxing ambiance, they can also improve the air quality.

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Similarly, look for beautiful rocks that can be placed strategically around the house. Instead of having broken chairs as door stops, interesting rocks will make more aesthetically appealing alternatives.

  1. Remove decaying hardware

Replacing that wooden shelf that is already bent to the side with a lovely but simply constructed steel shelf can instantly lift the mood around the space.  A bent shelf paints an uncomfortable picture- bad Feng Shui no doubt too. A good steel shelf can be bought for relatively little, and will not just beautify your home, it will comfortably carry the weight that has bent over your old wooden shelf.  Apart from the shelf, look around to see any other hardware that needs replacing. Picture frames, wine racks, etc. are the major suspects.

  1. Loft Conversion

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You might be surprised how affordable a loft conversion may be. You may need to reinforce with steel from a company like cannonsteelsltd.co.uk but overall the price should be very reasonable, especially considering the increase in home value you achieve through the process. So this really isn’t a cheap process but is certainly one that can be great value because of the appreciation you receive in your house value. Give your guests a room of their own, nay a floor of their own, is a wonderful way to make them feel at home. Just make sure you don’t put all the clutter from the loft downstairs.

  1. Reorder the space

Consider moving some of your big items to new positions. You’ll be surprised how much difference you can make just by rearranging your living space. A good tip is to put items of a specific colour together. This clustering can develop a theme to a specific area. For instance, you can have your blue books on one part of the shelf and the red ones on the other part. Grouping items by theme or colour will help you achieve a unified look free of charge. Just make sure that you don’t create too many themes to a single room, or you pull everything together with an individual theme. Nothing looks messier than a room that is disjointed and without flow. You can get some great ideas for theming your living space on pinterest.

With these tips, you can quickly enhance the appeal of your home without spending too much money.

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Home Makeovers and Leveling Up your Finances with Money Games

Home makeovers can be costly, but it is possible to make your home more appealing without splashing out a lot of money. How? Well, all you need to do is to declutter, mix-matched your furniture at home, bring the nature and  reorganized everything. The other day, I did some decluttering at home and throwing  things I don’t need anymore like old shoes, frames, toys and books.  To see more space at home was so fulfilling, but just like any other task, it was quite tiring and as expected I rested after  it.

People play games for all kinds of reasons – from a bit of relaxation away from “reality” to a social experience playing with or against their mates, while others play professionally or to win a bit of cash, depending on the nature of the game and their own ability of course and because it was quite tiring to declutter, I relax and entertained myself by playing money games,  I have learned about them through my officemates and I was lured by their winnings.

It was good at first try, I won a large amount of money in an accidental spin and I was able to buy a laptop. Then it became addicting, but as the day goes by I am losing than winning and with this I look for new alternative games I can play to entertain myself after a tiring day and that’s where I found about educational money games online.

Mortgagecalculator. org has a variety of engaging and educational money games that can help users to be  money smarts and to practice their financial decision-making using real-world scenarios.

Anyway, here are the games I had fun playing that you might love as well:

Farm Factory

Growing up in the province means being surrounded by field and trees, I grow up that my family is raising pigs, chickens and ducks and having a garden at home , so planting and harvesting was one of the thing I enjoyed the most and since I would like to experience running a farm, Farm Factory caught my interest, it is an idle clicker farming game where you add livestock to a farm and upgrade the farm to earn as much as you can in 5 minutes.

Grocery Cashier

It has been my long dream to own a grocery store in town, so I tried playing  Grocery Cashier which  actually design for younger children to practice their math skills in addition and subtraction along with the familiarity with the value of money, by operating a virtual cash register.

In this game, each customer represents another level of the game, at first I didn’t realize that as you play longer the number of items you ring up increases while the time limit for each customer decreases. It was fun, but I had a problem giving change because I always forgot the total amount of items I sold, had a problem too on customers paying through gift certificates, because I wasn’t aware that if the customer pays via gift certificates, you will only enter the amount of the gift certificate and the minus sign and you will not make change to this customers.

Stocks

Investing in stock market always fascinates me, it was been my long plan and dream to learn the trade, but me having no time and spending my money on other important things stopped me from joining and learning,  I tried playing Stocks to give me an idea how trading works and how fast the stock changes.

The game was fun, but you need to be quick witted and move your hand faster because the stock prices were fast moving, and it was hard to capture when the price increases.  The player was given $500 to start with and play across 30 days, with a goal of liquidating their shares and earning as much profit as they can in a month.

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4 Reasons to Install Locking Mailboxes on Your Property

Landlords and property owners are sometimes under local or state obligation to provide tenants with locked mailboxes, depending on the particular property. Indoor apartment complexes as well as outdoor complexes with cluster mailboxes almost always require individual locks. However, even if it’s not law in your state or your property doesn’t require, it’s still worth considering buying locking mailboxes for preventative reasons.

ID Theft

ID theft has become one of the most frequently occurring white-collar crimes in recent years. Many people know shopping online is a risk, but not many people consider leaving their mail in their mailbox for even just a few hours is a risk, too – but ID theft is older than the Internet. An ID thief only needs to see a piece of mail addressed to a name at that address and he has all he needs.

If a tenant discovers her identity was stolen because her mail was delivered while she was at work and wasn’t able to collect it until hours later, there’s a possibility she’ll sue the landlord for failure to protect her identity. Better to be proactive — and offer the additional mail protection.

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Vacation Risk

When tenants go on vacation, not only are their IDs at risk if they let mail accumulate in an unlocked box, but their house is more likely to be broken into if watching thieves use the accumulating mail to figure out no one’s been home for a while. Rather than making your tenants arrange cumbersome mail holds or have someone they know pick up the mail every day, used locked mailboxes. The mail carrier can slide new mail through a slot, but no one can see that older mail is still in the box.

A ransacked home isn’t just a pain for your tenant, remember; as property owner, your name is on the insurance policy and you’ll have to file the claim. If you have a deductible, you’ll be responsible for it.

Mail Theft

Even if a thief doesn’t want to go through the hassle of stealing an identity, mail is still an attractive, low-risk theft target because it contains checks, gift cards and other valuables. Items that are clearly birthday, holiday or anniversary cards prove especially tempting as do small packages, bank statements, paychecks and other official-looking forms of payment. Even a credit card statement may have the full credit card number on it, which is enough for a thief to start charging items to your tenant.

A locked box protects all of your tenant’s mail. Even if a thief is someone with inside information about the tenant — for example, an acquaintance she knows on a social media page who sees it’s her birthday and who expects to find checks, gift cards and cash in her mail around that time — there’s no way for the thief to get into the mail.

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Neighborhood Safety

As the MontClair Safety & Improvement Council in California explains, the more boxes locked in a neighborhood, the more crime is discouraged in the area. Whether you own one property in a neighborhood or several of them, if you need to find a new tenant, highlighting the low crime rate in the neighborhood can help you attract more prospective renters. Discuss the possibility of adding locked mailboxes to other properties in the neighborhood with those property owners with the goal of increasing overall safety.

As a property owner, you have a legal obligation to do what you can to protect your tenant’s belongings. While you’re not liable if the tenant chooses to leave his front door unlocked, as owner of the property, you’re the only one who can make decisions about installing a new mailbox. Choose the locked variety, both to protect your tenant and to protect yourself from liability. Discuss the change with your current tenant or make the change before a new tenant moves in.

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