Hiding your life's
treasures under your pillow or mattress won't safeguard
them from a thief. However, this doesn't mean that a
safety deposit box at your bank is the only place for
them.
In fact, the traditional approach of keeping one's valuables
in the home is an excellent idea, provided they are
hidden in really secret places.
The ten following ideas of where to locate a secret
compartment will offer maximum security. The first five,
because they do require some construction to the house,
are better for people who own their own homes. The second
five ideas can be effectively used by apartment dwellers
or renters.
1. WALLS
- because walls are hollow, there
can be hidden space behind every wall in every room.
- the ideal spots are behind solid, fixed items, like
coat racks, or boards along closet walls supporting
the clothes hanging pole.
- remove the attachment and hollow out a compartment.
- make sure you camouflage your handiwork well.
2. BEAMS
- ceiling and wall beams are popular
architectural features in homes.
- make one of the false beams (one which doesn't offer
much support) moveable, and hollow an opening out
of its top or back side.
3. BASEBOARDS
- one of the easiest-to-construct
compartments is one behind a baseboard. These strips
of wood that run along your walls next to the floor
are so common, no thief would give them a second glance.
- choose a short section of board, and carefully pry
it away from the wall with a crowbar.
- now hollow out a hole, and replace the baseboard.
4. PANELING
- wall paneling offers a method
of opening large areas of dead space
- your best choice is behind actual boards nailed
to the wall individually, not behind the four-by-eight
sheets.
5. MIRRORS
-
for a compartment offering little depth, but a large
area of space, you can construct a hollow right behind
a full-length mirror on your closet door.
- hollow out your compartment, then mount your mirror
with sliding tabs.
6. FURNITURE
- complicated secret spaces built
into furniture have for centuries been favorites.
- a simple approach is to remove the molding of a
table or desk, and make a hollow.
7. BOOKCASE
- a common source of easily overlooked
space is found at the base of a bookcase. The lowest
shelf is usually raised above the ground level several
inches, and this space is enclosed with a base-molding.
- if you can make the lowest shelf removable, you
can attach your valuables to the underside of this
shelf by means of magnets.
8. LIGHT
SWITCH
- an easy and highly deceptive secret
space can be constructed behind an electric outlet
plate or light switch plate.
- make sure the electricity is shut off when you remove
the plate to construct your hollow.
9. HOUSEPLANTS
- secret compartments can be constructed
in the base of your plant pots: this will be especially
effective if you have lots of plants.
- seal your valuables well in plastic if they can
be water-damaged.
10. BURIED
TREASURE
- finally, don't overlook the oldest hiding technique
in history, of burying your valuables underground.
- make sure you have an accurate map of where your
treasure is buried.
For maximum security in hiding your valuables in your
own home, make sure your craftsmanship is flawless.
And don't reveal your hiding place to anyone out of
your own family.