Master Lock Helps Homeowners With Five Tips for Safely Moving and Settling Into a New Residence

MILWAUKEE, WI--(Marketwired - May 4, 2015) - More than 35 million people move each year* and look forward to turning their new house into a home. But before your new residence becomes home sweet home, ensuring your move is safe and your new house is prepped with basic safety measures is of the utmost importance. In honor of National Moving Month, Master Lock is providing consumers with necessary safety precautions and useful products for moving and settling into a new residence.

"Moving into a new home can be an exciting yet stressful experience," said Rebecca Smith, vice president, marketing for Master Lock. "Our goal is to help new homeowners make their move as organized and safe as possible by providing them with some of the necessary tools to do so."

Master Lock recommends these five safety measures when moving and adjusting to your new residence:

• Secure All Valuables: Whether you're moving your own belongings or have hired movers, it is important to pack all valuables in enclosed, secured containers. For fragile or breakable items, use an added layer of protection, such as bubble wrap or shredded newspaper. In the midst of moving mayhem, remember to lock your trailer with a Master Lock 379DAT Universal Trailer Coupler Lock that resists picking and prying when not in use or in between trips to avoid possible theft.
  
  
• Inventory Personal Belongings: Label your boxes by room, number or color-code, and create a list of the items in each box. This will keep your personal possessions organized for when you begin the unpacking process. When you arrive at your new home, make sure to check each list to ensure all your belongings made it safely and securely. Investing in a Sentry Safe SFW123TTC Extra Large Digital Alarm Fire Safe will help ensure that your most important valuables and documents are safeguarded and protected as you settle into your home. While you may have heavy foot traffic between movers, cable providers and other vendors setting up your new space, this safe's alarm will quickly alert you if there is suspected tampering. 
  
  
• Install New Exterior Locks: Less than half (47 percent) of U.S. and Canadian residents changed or rekeyed the locks on their new home.** As a major safety precaution, you should change all the exterior locks on your new home either before or when you move in. Previous tenants, realtors and other people may have keys from the previous owner to the current locks. Replacing these old locks with new ones, such as the Master Lock BCCO0615 Entry Door Lock with Single Cylinder Deadbolt, will provide additional security and peace of mind, and ensure you are the only person who has access to your home.
  
  
• Change of Address: Before officially moving into your new home, make sure to visit your local post office or visit usps.com to fill out a change-of-address form. To avoid unintentionally giving strangers access to personal information, such as billing statements, credit card offers and insurance information, be sure and change your address before your move.
  
  
• Explore Your Neighborhood: Once you've settled in, make sure to familiarize yourself with your new neighborhood. Take a bike ride to meet your neighbors, locate the police and fire stations and find your local park district. Don't forget to lock up your bike with the Master Lock 8127TRI Keyed Cable Lock while out and about.
  
  

For more moving safety tips and products, visit the Master Lock website or connect with Master Lock on social via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or YouTube.

About Master Lock
The Master Lock Company is recognized around the world as the authentic, enduring name in padlocks and security products. Master Lock Company offers a broad range of innovative security and safety solutions for consumer, commercial, and industrial end-users. Master Lock Company LLC is an operating unit of Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc., a leading consumer brands company. Headquartered in Deerfield, Ill., Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), is included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information about Master Lock visit www.masterlock.com.

*According to the U.S. Department of Transportation

**According to a March 2015 Safety and Security Survey of more than 1,500 U.S. and Canadian residents conducted by Master Lock via SurveyMonkey.