Make a House a Home

Today, most of us own items that we consider to be valuable in monetary terms: computers, bikes, musical instruments, jewellery, to give just a few examples. We might even pay extra premiums on our home insurance for these pricey possessions so that we can replace them if they are ever lost, stolen or damaged.

But some things are irreplaceable – and they are often the items that carry little monetary value, such as photographs, cards and trinkets. The sentimental value attached to such things is beyond any financial calculation.

The question is, which things are most valuable, then, to UK homeowners? Price comparison site Confused.com wanted to know the answer to this question and conducted a recent survey of 2,000 households to find out what really makes our houses into homes.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, 41% of those asked said that photos were their most treasured possessions. Items inherited from relatives came second, being important to 13% of those surveyed.

The most popular ‘valuable’ item was jewellery, with 10% of the vote.

Given that so many items on the list were worth little in terms of cash (letters and children’s drawings were also high in the rankings), it is important to protect them in your home. If they were ever damaged or stolen, there would be no way of claiming for them, so it’s sensible to take some precautions when storing such items.

It’s always a good idea to have a burglar alarm installed. This can deter would-be thieves before they even set foot through your door. Inside the house, why not think about having a safe fitted? That way, you can lock away important items, safeguarding against them becoming damaged or lost.

Another important question is, have you ever changed your locks? Most insurance companies recommend that you have locks changed when you move into a property because you just don’t know who might be a keyholder otherwise, which can leave your home vulnerable (and many insurers won’t pay for losses if a burglar has entered with a key, meaning that you could lose your expensive items as well as your sentimental ones if someone was to let themselves into the place).

Being security conscious isn’t just about money; it’s about looking after the things that matter to us. It’s something that we should all bear in mind, whether we’re tenants or homeowners, because otherwise, we might not think about protecting those things that are precious to us before it’s too late.

Are you looking to improve security measures at your home? Why not contact our maintenance team? We will be happy to provide you with a free, no-obligation quotation for work.