Murphy’s Law for Travellers: If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong while you’re on vacation.

Combine this the fact that the rate of break-ins soar at Christmas time, and you really do need to take all possible precautions to make sure that Santa is the only one sneaking under the Christmas tree this year. Coming home and discovering, not only your possessions gone, but all the presents under the tree as well, can be downright devastating.

But it’s not just limited to break-ins. Basic preventative measures (which take only minutes to complete) can work wonders to help you avoid power surges, broken pipes, home invasions and more. Continue reading 9 simple ways to keep your home safe on vacation →