No matter where you live, Halloween is the night your home is guaranteed to welcome countless excited, sugared-up children quickly coming and going. Ensuring your home’s entryway is safe, and well-let can welcome groups of trick-or-treaters and lessen the risk of preventable accidents or injuries. Read on for how you can ensure your home is ready to welcome your neighborhood’s local ghosts and goblins safely.
Ensure the Exterior is Well-Lit
A well-lit exterior will help lessen the risk of tripping or falling. Pathway lighting that illuminates the walkway to your front door and up long driveways, turning on all the exterior lighting and having motion sensor lighting and spotlight lighting around trees and landscaping can create a safe, well-lit exterior.
Secure Extension Cords
If your Halloween decor requires extension cords, make sure they aren’t in an area where people are likely to walk and may trip, such as across the walkway or driveway. If the extension cords are showing, secure them to the ground to avoid any little feet getting tangled as they run across your lawn.
Clear the Walkways
On the morning of Halloween, assess the walkways for anything that could be a tripping hazard. Clear away items like toys, plants or garden hoses, blow away the leaves and other debris and adjust the placement of your exterior autumn decor, such as the pumpkin displays and seasonal planters.
Fix Any Tripping Hazards
If you have a wobbly step, loose bricks in the driveway or a divot in the front lawn, make an effort to complete these repairs before the trick-or-treaters run up to your home. If these items have been on your household to-do list for some time, now is a better time than any to complete them and check them off your list.
Avoid Open Flames
Opt for battery-operated candles instead of real candles in the jack-o-lanterns. Additionally, choose battery-operated candles for any additional exterior decor, such as lanterns and luminaries, to reduce the risks of fire.
Manage Your Pet’s Anxiety
If you have a pet who doesn’t like doorbells and strangers, try to keep it in a room away from the front door. Or, if you know you’ll be close to the front door during trick-or-treating hours, disconnect the doorbell so your pet isn’t in a constant state of anxiety.
Prepare to go Trick-or-Treating
If you plan on spending Halloween trick-or-treating and won’t be home, take extra precautions and make sure the video doorbell battery is charged. Also, make sure the exterior lights are on a timer, the security system is set, and some of the interior lights are left on so your home doesn’t look completely vacant.
