14 Safety Tips for Living Alone for the First Time

This post outlines some valuable tips for feeling and staying safe while you adjust to living alone for the first time. Living alone for the first time can be an extremely rewarding experience, but for many, the bliss doesn’t happen overnight. This guide will help you make the transition to feeling more comfortable on your own.

Did you know that in 2021, nearly 37 million households in the US had only one person living in them? (Historical Households Tables (census.gov)) That’s a lot of people mastering the art of solo living! Goes to show that, while you might be getting a case of the lonelies (that’s going to be a word now), you’re certainly not alone.

Living Alone for the First Time

It wasn’t until I was 27 years old that I lived alone for the first time. I lived with my mom until I graduated college, then lived with a boyfriend for a few years, moved back in with my mom after a devastating breakup, then finally got my first house all to myself.

The whole experience was so exciting and liberating. I had the creative freedom to decorate wherever and however I wanted. Every room and every closet were mine to fill as I wished.

All household rules were mine for the making. Is the dog allowed on the furniture? Yep.

I was on cloud nine. That is, until everyone who helped me move in left the house and it was time to get ready for bed.

Every creak and hum of my new home startled me. The sound of the furnace kept me awake (I live in Michigan, so on a bitter January night, that baby was really kicking into high gear).

Each sound from outside had my mind frenzied with worst-case scenarios. Is someone trying to break in? Could someone be spying on me? Is the house haunted? How could I have forgotten to ask my landlord if the house is haunted?! WHAT IF WE’RE IN THE MIDST OF AN ALIEN INVASION!?

My first few nights were long ones. I anxiously filled the hours I could have been sleeping Googling how to feel safe in my new place.

Here are the best tips I learned for improving safety AND for making you feel comfier as the independent queen (or king!) of your new castle. You’ll be loving the solo living life in no time!

1. Keep Your Doors and Windows Locked

This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s one of the easiest things you can do to improve your safety at home.

Check all the windows in your new place to make sure the locks fully latch. If any locks are broken or don’t work properly, get in touch with a handyman or see if this is something you can fix yourself (thank goodness for YouTube).

Evaluate the safety of the window placement on your entry doors. If possible, replace any doors with windows that can be broken to provide easy access to the inside door lock.

When the weather is nice, sure, open up the windows and let in some fresh air! Just be diligent that you lock all the doors and windows before you leave the house or go to bed.

2. Put Stoppers in the Windowsills

This hack brought me peace of mind during the first summer I lived alone. With a building sense of urgency to move out of my mom’s house for the second time, the standards I had for my next house slowly lowered with each passing week.

By the time I finally landed a place, I had decided to compromise on air conditioning. Depending on where you live, this may not be a big deal, but it certainly ended up being one for me. The first summer day the temp exceeded 90 degrees, I was regretting every life decision I’d made up to that point.

My house was sweltering.

Aside from going on an A/C window unit spending spree, I also put together little tools so I could more safely leave the windows cracked open at night, making the most of the cooler nighttime air.

Here’s the deal:

Completely close your side-to-side sliding windows. On the side that doesn’t move, measure the distance between the outermost part of the sill and the edge of the sliding window. [insert pic of measuring window]
Subtract however many inches you feel comfortable leaving the window open (I used 3”).
Head to the hardware store to buy some PVC pipe. If you go to a big box store, like Home Deport or Lowes, they’ll cut the pipe for you.
Optional: add some rubber or vinyl end caps to the ends of the pipe.
Stick them in the windowsill as a barrier so the window can’t be pushed open from the outside.

Game. Changer. While battling the summer heat, I could now get a cool evening breeze without worrying about someone being able to easily slide open a window.

3. Install Security Cameras

Security cameras can greatly improve your sense of comfort and well-being when living alone. It’s like an extra set of eyes is looking out for you and your home.

Depending on your budget and preference, you’ve got a few options:

Have a security service, like ADT or SimpliSafe, install cameras for you and offer you home security services, like alarm monitoring or real-time security alerts. They offer subscription packages varying in cost, depending on the level of service you choose.
Install your own security cameras, like Google Nest Cam or Ring (this one is solar-powered!). You can view real-time video streams from your smartphone, enabled to work with your smart home device and set up alerts. Subscription services are optional.
Place fake security cameras to give the illusion of having a home security system. Presumably, a burglar would want to get in and get out as quickly as possible without getting caught. If they think they’re on camera, that may deter them from choosing your house as a prospect.

Consider placing these cameras about 9 ft off the ground (so they can’t be easily reached) near your front and back doors, near large windows or on your garage.

4. Leave a Light On

Leaving a light on at night and when you’re away can give the illusion that someone is up and at home. Try switching up which light in the house you leave on at night.

Consider using a timer outlet so you can have a lamp or two turn on in the evenings, even if you’re not home. I use this one on Amazon. They’re super inexpensive, simple to use and reliable.

Always leave your porch light on at night and while you’re away.

5. Shut the Curtains

It blows my mind how many people don’t shut their curtains or blinds at night! Have you ever driven down a street at night and noticed what someone was doing in their house because you could see right in?

EXACTLY!

Shutting the curtains gives you some privacy and makes it impossible for people to look into your windows to see what’s going on inside.

Give outsiders as little knowledge as you can about who’s home and what’s going on in your house.

If you need a quick fix, I love these temporary paper blinds. You can easily cut them to whatever size you need with a sharp knife (this is weirdly satisfying) and just stick them into a window! If you choose a color that works with the room, they actually don’t look that bad.

6. Watch What You Post on Social Media

Use some common sense here.

If you’re home alone, don’t announce to the world that you’re home alone. If you’re not home at all, don’t announce that to the world either. This information can make you and your house an easy target.

Are you on the most Insta-worthy vacation of your life and want to share every perfect shot you took? Seriously, I feel that, but please refrain. Post the pics when you get home. You might be breaking some unspoken social media rules, but it’s your safety we’re talking about here!

7. Regularly Check-In with Someone You Trust

One of my biggest fears, when I began my adventure of living alone for the first time, was for something to happen to me and for no one to know for days that anything was wrong.

Solution? I talk to my mom on the phone every day, sometimes multiple times a day.

You don’t have to touch base quite this often but do check in with the outside world on a regular basis. Not only is this a good way for someone to know you’re okay, but it’s also great for your mental well-being! Living alone can feel isolating sometimes. Make regular socialization a priority.

If someone is used to hearing from you regularly and they haven’t in a while, they’ll likely want to ensure that everything is alright.

8. Have Guests Over

Yes, invite friends and family over! Ideally, don’t stick to any kind of routine or schedule. If you regularly have people coming and going from your house, it can make it more difficult for a potential intruder to determine an ideal time or day to break in.

Even better, have someone spend the night! Host a girls’ night, have family visit from out of town or have your partner stay over – whatever fits your lifestyle.

Multiple cars in the driveway coming and going at any time give the vibe of a busy household. For the sake of safety, that’s a good thing.

9. Meet the Neighbors

When you move into a new place on your own, it’s very possible you won’t know anyone super close by.

If you’re anything like me, creating some distance between people was the point of moving away. I’m telling you, moving back in with parents as an adult changes a person!

It could be wise to make some nearby connections and introduce yourself to your neighbors.

Feeling extra neighborly? Bring a small gift along, like a seasonal treat, an inexpensive bottle of wine, a candle, or nice hand soap.

If both parties are feeling up for it, swap phone numbers too. That way if your neighbors ever see anything suspicious going on, they can give you a call. Don’t forget to reciprocate and look out for them as well!

10. Have an Escape Plan

Does anyone else ever keep their mind busy while cooking or showering or some other daily chore by imagining how they’d escape from an intruder if someone appeared right then?

No? Uhh…yeah, me neither.

But maybe you should! Just don’t spend as much time thinking about it as I do.

Come up with some ways to safely escape or take shelter from some hypothetical emergency situations like an intruder, fire or natural disaster.

If you’re ever in the unlikely event that you have to action this plan, you can act quickly and with confidence.

11. Minimize Fire Hazards

A house fire is, without a doubt, one of my biggest fears of living alone. Or of life in general, honestly.

Be conscious about turning all high-risk appliances and household items off before bed and when you leave the house.

Turn off your stove burners when you’re done cooking
Don’t leave the stove, toaster, etc. unattended while in use
Don’t leave burning candles unattended
Have your furnace checked out before winter rolls around
Regularly clear any dust or debris off space heaters, window air conditioning units, etc.
Unplug heated hair styling tools after using them

12. Pay Attention to Your Surroundings

This is an important life skill, especially when you’re living alone for the first time. Don’t worry – you don’t need to have your head on a paranoid swivel all the time. Instead, just be aware of what’s going on around you.

Do you often get home after dark? Always leave your porch light on or put it on a timer. When you’re walking to your door, be alert to what’s going on around you. Make it a habit to glance in any dark corners near your entryway or behind landscaping shrubs.

Get your house key in your hand before you get out of the car to avoid fumbling for it at the door.

When you’re heading out, briefly scan around the car before you get it. I always peek into the backseat before I even open my car door. Lock the doors as soon as you get in.

Notice someone keeps suspiciously walking near your house in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable? Try calling your local police station to let them know and you can try asking them to add your street to their regular rounds.

13. Don’t Open the Door for Strangers

If someone comes knocking on your door and you have no idea who they are, now is not the time to be a people pleaser! Feel confident in your decision to keep the door locked. If they’re visiting for something super important, they’ll likely leave you a note or get in touch another way.

There are too many horror stories out there about women being taken or their homes being invaded after opening the door for a stranger while they’re home alone. These kinds of predators are strategic in their timing. They may even lure you by having a child or woman knock on the door to seem less threatening. Stay smart! There’s more information about this scary topic on the Department of Human Services website.

That said, don’t freak out every time someone knocks. Seriously. Often times it’s a mail carrier or door-to-door salesman. Just be smart and if you’ve got a bad feeling about a stranger at the door, don’t open it.

14. Get a Dog

I have some serious bias on this one, but if you’re new here, that’s half of what this blog is centered around. How to live an adventurous, fulfilling, healthy and safe life as an independent woman with your dog.

If you already have a dog, you know what a sense of comfort this can provide. Even if your dog is a little dopey or so friendly they’d welcome a stranger into the house, at least they can serve as an alarm bell. Albeit a welcoming alarm bell.

Remember how I mentioned I was so excited to set my own house rules when I got my first place to myself? I now encourage my dog to bark when people knock on the door or new people walk into the house. Sure, it might be annoying at first but could serve as a strong deterrent for a potential intruder. He makes me feel safer at home alone.

If you and your dog have the means to do so, you may want to look into protection dog training. This doesn’t have to mean training your dog to attack strangers. You could focus on barking at a target on command, keeping your dog close to you near strangers, or even just improving your dog’s ability to come to you when called.

Please don’t take the decision to get a dog lightly. They are a lot of work and a super long-term commitment. Do your research and if you decide it’s the right decision for you, I’m sure you’ll be glad you did!

What I needed to really settle in weren’t all things that would inherently make me safer, but rather make me feel safer. That said, here are a few more bonus tips.

Extra Tips for Living Alone for the First Time:

To help you feel more comfortable quicker, here are some extra tips and tricks that helped me feel so much better:

Hang some jingle bells on your entry doors. If you’ve ever held those things, you’d know it’s impossible to move them without creating a racket.
If you’re used to hearing other people in the house when you fall asleep, try setting the timer on your tv and leave it on in another room when you go to bed (but not in your bedroom! That may disrupt your beauty sleep).
Avoid watching, reading or listening to content that could scare you – at least at first. Horror movies, murder mysteries, crime podcasts – probably not a great idea while you’re still settling in (or in my case, ever).
Leave the radio or a podcast on your smart speaker when you’re away. This can make it sound like someone is home.
Put a “Beware of Dog” sign on your gate or door.
Create a bedtime and leaving routine (check the doors and windows are locked, candles are blown out, etc.) and stick to it so it becomes a habit.

Stay Safe & Enjoy Solo Living

These are my top tips for creating a safe environment while living alone for the first time! By actioning most or all of these tips, you’ll be feeling comfy and relaxed in your new place in no time. Above all, you’ll be creating an environment less likely to draw unwanted attention.

Living alone the first time can feel really scary. Be patient with yourself, take sensible safety precautions, and give yourself time to adjust to this new chapter of your life.

Sometimes, your mind can come up with some pretty wild hypothetical scenarios to be afraid of. Trust me, I know! I was worried about an alien invasion on my first night alone in my new house. Like what?!

Now get started on making your new place feel safe and like home! I’m so excited about the adventure you’re about to have.

Living alone for the first time will teach you so much about yourself. The time I’ve spent living alone has been some of the best of my life!

It’s totally normal to be nervous at first but give it a chance. My greatest hope for you is that you end up feeling the most independent, competent, and fulfilled you have so far.

Good luck!

Sincerely,

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