“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”
No disrespect to whoever said that, but in the prepping world, that’s a load of bull.
You don’t want your home to scream “we’ve got valuable stuff up for grabs here.”
You want it to appear as normal and unremarkable as possible so that you won’t lose the survival supplies you worked hard to collect.
In this article, we’ll teach you exactly how to boost your home defense by camouflaging your property. Let’s get started:
Why Is Blending In Vital for Home Defense?
When SHTF, many folks won’t be prepared. They’ll struggle to find food, water, and other basic stuff. Desperate is the best word to describe them.
And if there’s anything we know about desperate people, it’s their tenacity. They’ll do anything just to stay alive, even if that means looting stores and breaking into homes.
The best way to stay out of their radar? Boost your home defense by camouflaging your house.
We don’t mean actually painting it camo (please don’t). Instead, it’s about making your home blend in with your surroundings. This lets everyone believe you’re unprepared like them, even when it’s the complete opposite and you have a smart SHTF plan.
They’ll move on to more promising targets, and your emergency stash stays intact.
Boost Your Home Defense by Hiding in Plain Sight
Concealing your home is straightforward and you don’t need to worry about the cost. As you’ll see below, it’s really a matter of common sense:
Don’t Spill Your Secrets
It may seem harmless to tell a good acquaintance about the water, food, and survival supplies you stockpiled, but that’s a big mistake. Keep your mouth shut.
The last thing you want is to have everyone in the block and the next town over bugging you for a handout during an emergency. Of course, it’s up to you to help but you definitely can’t take care of everybody.
Look and Act Average
To stop your home from being singled out in the first place, be the gray man and fit in with the neighbors.
You’ll need to:
- Dress like everybody else. If your neighbors dress in jeans and a top, don’t be the odd one out in tactical clothes.
- Drive an average-looking car. No loud, obnoxious colors. No bumper stickers that can raise red flags.
- Be friendly enough, but don’t let your guard down. Don’t get into any political arguments. Stick to pleasant, nothing-out-of-the-ordinary conversations.
- Act like you don’t know what’s going on or what to do. Like the average Joes, you want to appear desperate.
Build Fences
There are many reasons why building a fence is a home defense must:
- Fences are both physical and mental obstacles. They’re physical home defense barriers. They take time to scale and would-be thieves will think it’s better to go for a different home.
- It makes escaping harder. Since they can’t get a whole glimpse of your property, they won’t be able to escape right away.
- It keeps your personal business secret. You can build your underground bunker in peace.
But remember, your house should be indistinguishable from the rest of the homes in your ‘burb.
If you have a sky-high fence while your neighbors have simple picket fences, your home will become a target. It tells the bad guys that you’ve got tons of valuables you wanna protect.
Hide Your Lights and Backup Power
After a disaster strikes, your place may be the only one miles away with working lights and power.
Don’t let anyone find out, or else you may get into trouble.
You know those neighborhood gossips. They’ll get suspicious, be all up in your business, and squeal on you.
You can cover your windows with dark blinds and curtains to hide the light. And if you want to use a backup generator, make sure it isn’t so noisy.
Let Mother Nature Do Her Thing
What do plants like bougainvillea, honey locust, and rose bushes have in common?
Thorns. Lots of them.
Before sophisticated security alarms were invented, these natural deterrents were already around to keep unwanted people out.
No one would think anything out of the ordinary if you plant razor-sharp bushes and shrubs around your property. It’s the perfect way to boost your home defense.
Be Discreet About Your Stuff
Home defense isn’t all just physical deterrents. Part of it is being discreet. While your neighbors may not think twice about someone buying groceries in bulk, they’ll have lots of questions about the freeze-dried food you order every month.
It’s easy to sneak in your survival supplies if you buy them personally, but you’ll have a tougher time keeping your preps a secret when you buy online and have them delivered. If you can, have big orders sent when most people aren’t at home.
Also, be lowkey when you head out to practice your bushcraft skills. To avoid drawing stares, put your gear in a bag. Luckily, it’s easy to pack this foldable e-tool shovel with your other tools.
Watch What You Throw
Folks snooping around your trash, really? It’s true.
Some people would go to crazy lengths to gain intel on a potential mark, even if that means rummaging through the stuff you’ve thrown out.
So, you either shred receipts and old documents first before dumping them or toss them (along with the box that came with your brand-new espresso machine) somewhere else. Also, remove shipping labels from your orders. They may be used against you.
Get a P.O. Box
If your mailbox is stuffed with mail, you’re basically telling the world that you haven’t been home in a while. Don’t give unwelcome guests the opportunity to take advantage.
A P.O. box would be a smart choice. It’s more secure than a mailbox and doesn’t cost a lot.
Remember the Inside Matters, Too
If you think no one is smart or desperate enough to actually break into your home, don’t get cocky.
Prepping is about covering all your bases, no matter how unlikely a scenario may be. That includes securing your home by hiding valuables like jewelry, cash, and your survival stockpile in case of break-ins.
A safe is probably the first thing that comes to mind, but you can also get creative and hide these things in unusual places. Here are some examples:
- Diversion safes: You can find some fun ones online, like this fake shaving cream can, Morton salt container, and legit-looking hairbrush.
- Plush toys: Who would suspect a kid’s teddy bear?
- Empty food containers: We bet no one’s gonna touch those canned “anchovies.”
- Hollow books on a bookshelf: They’ll blend in with the rest of the books.
- Under floorboards: Here’s an article that teaches you how to make hidden floor compartments.
Whatever you choose, don’t put all your eggs in one basket…and make sure you remember where you hid them!
Final Thoughts
In every neighborhood, there’s always that one house that everyone talks about for whatever reason.
Don’t let that be your home.
If it’s not a secret that you have a whole reserve of survival supplies, folks will head straight to it when there’s a crisis like civil unrest.
The best lesson in home defense is to make your house look just like any average person’s.
No red flags raised = a better chance of keeping your preps and, more importantly, your family safe.
What do you think is the most important part about hiding your home in plain sight? Feel free to share your thoughts down below.
