4. Check what has been left at your door
The fourth habit starts before you reach the lock: look down at your doorstep. A flyer tucked into the door, a newspaper left on the step, or a parcel that sits untouched for too long can advertise that nobody has come through the entrance. An overlooked object at the entrance can become a test of whether a home is being checked regularly.
Make a quick glance at the entrance a part of your evening routine, while you are already inside or before darkness makes the step difficult to see. Clear away leaflets and bring in deliveries. If bending is uncomfortable, use a long-handled grabber or ask a neighbor, relative or carer to help. There is no security benefit in risking a fall to pick up paper.
This matters more when you are away overnight. Ask someone you trust to collect mail, newspapers and packages rather than allowing them to accumulate. The principle applies after bad weather, when rubbish can gather around an entrance and make a property look neglected. A tidy threshold does not prove someone is home, but it removes one of the easiest clues that a house has not been attended to for some time.