Ever had that sinking, inevitable feeling that visitors, in-laws or even trick-or-treaters were going to be making their way to your home even though you're just not in the mood to see any of them? Or maybe you're just looking forward to turning in early at eight in the evening and you're hoping to not be disturbed? Well whatever the reason, keeping your lights off is one of the key ways to prevent such annoyances from happening.



Turning off all your lights, and this includes outdoor lights like porch lights and post mounted lanterns in addition to your regular indoor lights like table lamps and wall sconces will surely fend off visitors during the night hours. In keeping them on, not only would you be inviting these guests, pests, what have you, to your home. You could also get a little creative with this tactic; for instance, you could look into getting motion sensor outdoor lighting installed outside your porch or front door.

Think about it, how many times have you been disturbed by someone who didn't even consider giving you a phone call to see if you were available? With a motion sensor light, you'll know when someone is coming up to your home, giving you enough time to decide whether you want to invite the visitor in or completely ignore them. Speaking from experience though, there is one downfall to motion sensor outdoor lighting: anything that can and will move, such as a person, car or even a cat will set off the motion sensor detector. As such, this may become an inconvenience to some but truthfully, I've come to know the difference between a walking human being to an all-wheel drive vehicle pulling up to my house.

But to ensure that you get no visitors, keep your lights off and put a note stating that you are not to be disturbed on your front door. The only risk is that you'll have a handful of angry trick-or-treaters who will probably egg your house, along with angry in-laws that will give you an earful about how they feel about your unapologetic note. But look on the bright side, at least you're doing your part to save energy and cut the electricity bill!