Warmer weather is coming which means you will be spending more and more time outside with your family. Most families use the garage as the main point of entry into the house and tend to leave it open so they have easy access to toys, chairs, and any other items need to enjoy the Minnesota sun. However the garage is where you house some of your most expensive and resellable possessions –– and yet, it can be a security blind spot in many homes. And even worse, it can provide easy access to your home and loved ones.  Learn how to make your garage more secure in just 7 steps:

1. Cover Your Windows

When burglars can see all your high-value tools, vehicles, and other resellable items, they’re much more motivated to break in and steal them. Prevent them from peeking by covering your glass with sheer curtains or translucent film to let light in but keep eyes out!

2. Strengthen the Service Door

That door from your garage to the outside (commonly called the “service door”) is a crucial security point. Make sure it is just as reinforced as every other exterior door in your house. Equip it with a strong deadbolt and heavy-duty strike plate.

3. Guard Your Garage Door

It’s easy to forget, but leaving your garage door open exposes a major vulnerability in your home’s security system. Thieves can easily pull up to an open garage in a truck and start loading up your valuables without the neighbors taking notice. Keep your garage door closed whenever you are not physically in it.

4. Secure Your Entry Door

The door from the garage to your home is a door to the things you value most: your loved ones. Protect them by keeping that entry door locked. You can also install a wide-angle peephole in your entry door. If you hear strange noises, you’ll be able to see what’s going on in your garage instead of opening the door to it.

5. Keep Your Clicker

Where do you keep your garage door remote clicker? My bet is that it’s clipped to the visor inside your car in the garage. So if a thief gains entry to your garage once, they can steal that clicker and gain entry again and again. Protect yourself with a small keychain version of your garage clicker. Keep it with your keys, and bring it with you into the house.

6. Use Motion Detecting Lights

Stealing is a lot more comfortable under the cover of darkness.  Brighten up a burglar’s life by installing motion-detecting lights. You’ll save energy by not leaving them on all the time

7. Install a Security System

A security system is your best defense against foul play in your garage. You can open and shut your garage door with a click of a button on your smart phone, tablet, or desktop. Connect one to your home security system and have it monitored 24/7 by a local security company.