Like so many of us, I grapple with bouts of anxiety, and, for me, it’s never so apparent as when I’m trying to get out the door. I have to run around and check the locks a million times, I worry about leaving the coffee pot on, I wonder if I remembered to close the garage door…
A healthy response would probably be to reassure myself that it’s fine, to not fixate on it, and to move on with my day. But sometimes, I just can’t get over it until I turn the car around and go back to check locks.
The great thing is, we live in a day and age when I can actually take steps to manage my anxiety about my house with technology that allows me to check in on my place even when I’m traveling.
Here are a few such purchases that I’ve made, how I use them, and where you, too, can get them:
Security System with Monitoring (& Camera)
I’m going to start with the most obvious one, because you probably saw this coming. When Dustin first said he wanted a security system, I balked at the price. But now that I’ve lived with one, I really understand the peace of mind it brings, whether I’m in the house or not.
Especially given that Dustin sometimes travels for work, I love having the added peace of mind when I’m sleeping alone.
There are tons of security companies out there, but we personally had ADT in the city house and now we have Simplisafe.
I would encourage you to get one that includes monitoring for smoke, carbon monoxide, and water leaks, especially if you travel a lot or have pets home alone when you’re away.
Smart Locks
Smart locks are great because you can monitor when someone comes to your house.
You can check if your cleaning person made it, or reassure yourself that nobody could’ve entered the house because the doors haven’t been opened.
I also love smart locks because I don’t have to worry about forgetting a house key. Though, of course, this applied more at the City House, where I could walk places. Now I always need to have my car keys.
We worked with a locksmith to install these smart locks at the City House, and we loved them. He recommended the brand but we bought the locks ourselves because it was cheaper than ordering through him.
Video Door Bell
A video door bell is great for checking who is coming to your home or if you want to check whether someone came in.
It can relieve my anxiety just to see who is there or be able to check that there has been no motion or activity all day if I’m worried that someone could have come in my house.
It’s also nice if you’re away from home but want to check if a package has been delivered.
Smart Garage Door
I’m not sure why, but one of the things I fixate on as I’m driving away from my home is the garage door.
I’ve pretty much always had somewhat faulty garage doors, the kind that wont close because a leaf got in the way. Know what I’m talking about?
This simple garage door monitor attaches to your existing opener so that you can open and close the garage from your smartphone. That also means that it monitors whether the garage is open or closed, so that you can double check (and close it if necessary) from anywhere.
I know it’s weird, but it’s been one of the biggest anxiety relievers for me and it’s actually kept me from turning around to check if I closed the garage.
You can also use it to allow for package delivery from Amazon, which might relieve your anxiety if package thieves are an issue in your neighborhood. I’ve never personally made use of that service.
Timer for Plugs
This is such a simple one, but if you’ve ever gotten anxiety at the prospect that you may have accidentally left your hair straightener plugged in (or your coffee pot, or really any plug-in electronic), you’ll understand what makes it so great.
This simple device basically sets a timer on the power going to your electronic.
Just plug in your curling iron, hit the little button, and in 30 minutes it will automatically turn off.
A life saver for me, who once actually did leave my straightener plugged in all day and left burn marks in my dresser. What a blessing it wasn’t a worse result!
Little Tools for Busting Anxiety
So there you have it—a few small tools to help alleviate anxiety.
What do you think? Would you use these kind of technology fixes to get some peace of mind, or can you calm yourself enough that you don’t need them? Let me know your thoughts!
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