Do you have a Home Safe - for papers, docs, etc.

[Aerides]

Thinking about getting a small safe for central storing of important docs, passports, etc., for our house, but not sure which way to go. Priorities are fire/water safe, and a reasonable size for documents and small valuables.

I like the idea of a small portable unit to pick up and go, link a bulky briefcase kinda thing, if there's an evac need (we live in a hurricane area). But then are those smaller units more attractive to a break in? We'd probably put it higher up in a closet in the office/bedroom either way.

I've looked at a few that say they are easily jimmied open - which then would cast doubt on their water resistance. Also most are plastic, so I'm not sure how realistic the fire protection is either.

I also like the idea of a key code vs. a physical key, kinda like the hotel mini-safes? But I really don't think I'd want to spend more than a couple hundred at most.

Recommendations please!

 

[pacergal]

Yes, we have one. It "could" be portable, but it is very heavy, about the size of a 2 ft x2 ft crate, big enough for our important things. It is a key lock and dial combo fire safe.

 

[easysurfer]

If you get a fireproof safe, they are really really heavy. Understandable tough as I guess the extra bulk is for the fireproof feature.

I just have a small metal (non-fire proof) safe. The safe I have probably wouldn't do much to deter someone who knows how to jimmy open the thing. I'd myself but must be doing something wrong .

 

[TrvlBug]

Thinking about getting a small safe for central storing of important docs, passports, etc., for our house, but not sure which way to go. Priorities are fire/water safe, and a reasonable size for documents and small valuables.

I like the idea of a small portable unit to pick up and go, link a bulky briefcase kinda thing, if there's an evac need (we live in a hurricane area). But then are those smaller units more attractive to a break in? We'd probably put it higher up in a closet in the office/bedroom either way.

I've looked at a few that say they are easily jimmied open - which then would cast doubt on their water resistance. Also most are plastic, so I'm not sure how realistic the fire protection is either.

I also like the idea of a key code vs. a physical key, kinda like the hotel mini-safes? But I really don't think I'd want to spend more than a couple hundred at most.

Recommendations please!

We recently had a burglary in the hood and they hauled off with the safe. Something to think about. We have also been thinking about installing a safe. In the meantime, we have 2 safe deposit boxes and store all important docs, PC backups and seldom worn jewelry there. When we go off on vacation, I make a trip to the boxes and add all jewelry, etc to the boxes.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Yes it is hidden in a place that only we know. You would have to tear the house apart to find it. It is a bit of a pain to get to, but worth it as we do not go into it much. It is not behind a picture that is too obvious.

All papers are sealed in zip lock type bags, not for water but to keep the Silverfish from eating them.

 

[Jerry1]

We have two of the type you are describing. DW hides them in a location that seems unlikely a thief will look, however, they are portable so there is that risk. Like you, our goal was fire and water protection. In our case, the only water would be from the firemen’s hose putting out the fire.

I agree, they may not be the absolute best security, but IMO, they are way better than doing nothing. You want real protection, get a full size fire/waterproof safe and put one of the small safes in it to take if you have to evacuate.

 

[Red Badger]

We recently had a burglary in the hood and they hauled off with the safe. Something to think about. We have also been thinking about installing a safe. In the meantime, we have 2 safe deposit boxes and store all important docs, PC backups and seldom worn jewelry there. When we go off on vacation, I make a trip to the boxes and add all jewelry, etc to the boxes.

+1.

Safe deposit box for papers and some cash. Likewise, prior to a trip, I'll go retrieve our passports and drop off any items we want secure.

 

[street]

Yes, we have one. It "could" be portable, but it is very heavy, about the size of a 2 ft x2 ft crate, big enough for our important things. It is a key lock and dial combo fire safe.

Yes
The one we have is like the one described above. It was jammed full till early this year, when I cleaned up and shredded some items I didn't need anymore.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

I think safes are like doorlocks and they keep honest people honest up to a point. But if they see a safe when ransacking your house, its leaving with them if it possibly can. I agree that a good hidey spot and a ziplock bag are along the same lines. Of note, shopping for real estate this past month one house had a vault door cedar closet. Just the door, not the walls as far as I can tell so you could just cut a hole in the adjacent room to enter. Important to note this was clearly not for firearms, it was shelved floor to ceiling. I suspect it was for furs and silver, old school. and one house had a MASSIVE safe bolted to the floor joists in the master closet. Modest house.

I have good insurance and don't keep massive amounts of cash and the days of bearer bonds are over, so I don't let things like this keep me awake. If they get my pearls, they get them. I think its a classic case of risk tolerance. Just read an article about how a fireproof safe exploded in a house fire. Fire PROOF is a high standard. Fire RESISTANT may be better wording. I also travel with good jewelry (except sketchy countries) and wear good jewelry (same). If they want it, they can have it. I will toss the diamonds in one direction as I depart in the other.

 

[Texas Proud]

I have one of those portable light brown units that has a key.... I keep the key in the lock and hope if there are crooks they will just open it up and see nothing in there they want...


I only have it to protect in case of fire... it is in the back of the closet behind shirts...


My mom has one also, but lost the key... luckily it was not locked and I think I can get new keys as there is a number on the inside... will have to check...

 

[brett]

No. We rent a safe deposit box at our bank. We keep papers in there, plus some jewelry, and a 2GB backup disk. When we go away for extended periods to put jewelry etc. in the box.

 

[kcowan]

Ours was large and bolted to the cement floor in the basement. My den was built around it leaving it in the back of a closet. Water and fireproof. With a combination lock.

In Mexico, also in the back of a closet in the guest room, bolted to the wall. Also with combination lock.

 

[FIREd]

I had a largish firesafe with key code. It worked great until the key code pad stopped working and I had to pay $$$ to have the safe cracked open. So for me no more key code.

Anyway, I went with a safety deposit box since.

 

[Fedup]

No, but we do have a safe deposit for important papers. Nothing is super valuable. I do have a decoy box in my house, in case thieves do come in, inside I store my seeds. Nothing valuable in my house anyway. Trust copy is at home but lawyer also has copy.

 

[Lsbcal]

Thinking about getting a small safe for central storing of important docs, passports, etc., for our house, but not sure which way to go. Priorities are fire/water safe, and a reasonable size for documents and small valuables.
...

People around here lost valuables in "safes" that could not survive last years terrible fires. I would not trust such things for really important items. One guy I talked to had his home pictures in the safe. He had nothing to prove to the insurance company when rebuilding.



Maybe use a safe deposit box in a bank that is not in the area of your home?

 

[Fedup]

People around here lost valuables in "safes" that could not survive last years terrible fires. I would not trust such things for really important items. One guy I talked to had his home pictures in the safe. He had nothing to prove to the insurance company when rebuilding.



Maybe use a safe deposit box in a bank that is not in the area of your home?

I would think the builder would have the plan for my home.

 

[foxfirev5]

No safe deposit box, just an unlocked firesafe box in our house. There's nothing in it that can't either be replaced or found online.

 

[SheitlQueen]

I have a large safe to store firearms, jewelry, and important papers. It weights hundreds of pounds so no one is going to walk off with it and it's in a place that isn't obvious. Someone would have to look really hard to find it.

I would advise getting a larger safe than what you think you need. It's amazing how fast they fill up

If I just had a few things, I would probably have a deposit box at the bank and call it good.

 

[RunningBum]

My priorities are fire safety and portability. Wildfires are a real possibility where I live and I want to be able to toss it in my car if needed. So I got the crate sized box someone else mentioned, though the briefcase size would probably work. If I had a safe bolted in, I'd just keep the important docs in one box or folder inside to grab quickly.

I'm less worried about break-ins, and mostly keep documents important to me and a backup drive rather than valuables. Often I just leave the key in the lock so if I was burglarized, they could open it and see there is little worth taking.

Hiding it is a good idea and I might consider that, but there's a trade-off of convenience to access. The smaller the safe, the easier to hide, and it can also be put in a cardboard box with other boxes of junk that would be skipped over. I also like the decoy idea.

 

[big-papa]

We do have a "portable" fire safe. In theory, but quite heavy. The most important things are kept in a safety deposit box, but we do keep things in the fire safe that we want to be able to get access to quickly.

 

[MOSAT]

We have a small fire box, I hesitate to call it a "safe". It's about 2.5 X 2 X 1.5 Feet small enough to hide in the back of the closest (not original and probably the first place a crook would look) it's very heavy DS and I had a hard time getting it up the stairs. We keep papers and other important stuff in there mostly for semi secure, relatively easy access. It has both a key and a combination lock.

We also have a gun safe that doubles as the primary secure storage, fire rated and waterproofed. It's the size of a refrigerator. The first time we moved it one of the four guys helping broke 3 ribs during the move, last time I blew a hernia moving it with three other guys. JUST to be sure it's not moved I've bolted it to the floor. Still, a determined crook, with the right tools and enough time will succeed in getting in.

All such "secure methods" just make the time and effort needed to steal something not worth it for your typical smash and grab home burglary.

 

[jollystomper]

We have a safe but it is mainly a decoy. A thief will think that is has something important while our real important stuff is held in things that one would not steal.


For important papers, one set in the house, one in the bank, and a scanned copy in the "cloud".

 

[easysurfer]

I had a largish firesafe with key code. It worked great until the key code pad stopped working and I had to pay $$$ to have the safe cracked open. So for me no more key code.

Anyway, I went with a safety deposit box since.

There was no master key in case key code stopped working?

 

[OldShooter]

@Airides, please go to a locksmith store that sells safes and get an education.

For example, the word "fireproof" means nothing. Safes that are tested and certified by a third party, usually UL, have ratings that you can use to compare. Size, weight, cost, ... all of that stuff you can compare but it the safe is not rated you are simply rolling the dice on fire resistance.

For example, one means of "fireproofing" is to line the safe with sheetrock. The water being baked of the sheetrock keeps the internal temperature limited until all the water is has boiled. It also fills the safe with superheated steam. Will your valuables and papers survive hours in 300 deg. steam? Diamonds probably will. Steel guns, maybe not so much. Papers? It depends.

 

[Lsbcal]

I would think the builder would have the plan for my home.

But what if you have your home insurance photos in the safe? OK, it's easy enough to save the photos in the cloud. One person I talked to did not and saved printed out photos in the safe.