One of the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of Covid19 is to stay at home. Many people have signed up to the social media campaign #IMSTAYINGHOME, but what is really behind those apparent smiles? As is often the case, we always see on social media the best version of everyday life but the reality is very often different. In fact, staying at home can for many people be a source of frustration and can initially result in boredom, anger, or intolerance. Even family relationships, which are possibly slightly more “free and easy” during normal life, could now be sorely tested. Living together could become more difficult: uncontrollable children, husbands and wives becoming less tolerant and many minor fallings-out which until just a few days ago could be avoided or calmed down merely by going out for a walk.

However, every change, even forced, can lead to an opportunity.

The opportunity to take up an activity which you had wanted to start for some time, to rekindle those family ties which, possibly, we had been neglecting more than we should, or even to learn to see solitude as a moment to listen to and know oneself better.

It seems that the world around us has stopped: stopping all movements, unless absolutely necessary, inevitably leads us to observe our lives exactly as they are. However, there is good news: life follows its course, and for the time being, we have all gained something extremely essential: time.

The opportunity that we have been granted is to take back the thread of our life and to rediscover pleasure in small things. Immersed as we are in the frenetic everyday life, we very often leave till “tomorrow” things that we would like to do today, precisely because they are “not strictly necessary”. What seemed to be a priority until just a week ago, for the moment loses importance, whilst what we considered to be of secondary importance suddenly takes on more meaning and greater value.

If someone is still asking themselves how they can be useful, we invite our readers to start in their home. In fact, one’s home, which is often undervalued due to the many activities which take us outside, returns to being the focus to be shared with members of our family, fellow-tenants, or simply with ourselves.

Who of us hasn’t heard at least once from their husband or wife/partner/house-mate or even a voice from their subconscious telling us to mend a curtain rail, to oil a squeaky door hinge, or to change a light bulb?

If we started to carefully look at our home, we would realize how many “little jobs” need doing every day to keep it in good condition.

So why not make good use of this time to make our home more secure and more inviting and to mend those annoying little things?

As experts in security systems, here are a few suggestions we would like to make for you:

1) Check that the entrance door really is secure.

The following link provides 3 steps that are essential for protecting your front door.

2) Check that the secondary accesses are protected.

Windows and French windows can be broken, forced, or dismantled. This occurs in a large number of burglaries. So, after suitably reinforcing the door, the other potential access points must also be adequately protected. There are many possible solutions: install a locking bar on the shutters, use armored shutters or mount the old-style, but always effective, grilles.

The secondary accesses also include garages. Thieves and intruders, as can be seen in the news stories, often manage to sneak in undisturbed precisely through garage doors. If you have a motorized door, we strongly invite you to read this article!

3) Check that the correct lock is fitted on your gate.

The locks most suitable for each type of lock are shown in this link.

4) Evaluate the installation of alarm systems.

More information on these aspects can be found on this link.

5) Set up or maintain a good relationship with your neighbor.

Precisely at this difficult time, when the field of action is considerably reduced, we are rediscovering the importance of good relationships with our neighbors. It is the perfect moment to become more aware of the people and families living around us, to understand, even for the future, how best to help each other. There are apps that allow you to keep in touch with other people living in your neighborhood. Knowing your neighbors (whilst respecting “safety distances!”:-) and exchanging information regarding protection of the homes, generating a network, is an additional method to prevent thefts.