Just after college, when I lived alone for the first time, I would occasionally get paranoid about intruders. Aside from a rather loose deadbolt, my home security "system" was of the DIY variety. I used a large metal bowl containing metal kitchen utensils as an alarm – my logic being that, if placed by the front door, it would make enough noise to wake me during a break-in and enable a swift back-door escape.
 
Ah, the ingenuity of a young mind.
 
Thankfully, there are more reliable home security options these days. And “do it yourself” home security systems almost never include kitchenware. Believe it or not.
 
Here’s a short breakdown of your home security options, as published on doityourself.com (and as truncated by us)...
 

Magnetic Door Alarms
 
Magnetic door alarms are inexpensive, starting at just a few dollars, and are an easily installed home security device. Magnetic door alarms can be used on any window or door to alert you when it is opened.
 
Breakage alarms
 
Breakage alarms are home security devices that alert you to just what the name suggests - window breakage. These inexpensive alarms are attached to any window. When an intruder tries to break the window, the vibrations in the glass trigger the alarm, alerting you to danger and scaring away the criminal.
 
Door Stop Alarms
 
These home security products look much the same as any other doorstop you might use to keep a door open or to keep one from smashing into the wall behind it. Door stop alarms are wedged behind and beneath the bottom of a closed door; when an intruder tries to open the door or force their way in, a high volume alarm will sound.
 
Door and Window Jammers
 
Door and window jammers come in a variety of forms. These inexpensive home security products do just what they say - jam something from opening. A door jammer may be a long, metal rod made of an unbreakable, heavy-duty metal designed to be propped under a door handle or in the track behind a closed sliding glass door, prohibiting the door from opening.
 
Motion Detecting Devices
 
Motion detecting home security devices are beneficial because they are inconspicuous, yet can alert you to the presence of people and animals before they get to your front door. Motion detectors vary in range and coverage; some can alert you only when a person passes directly in front of the security device, while others will be activated by any motion in a room or area of your yard or garage.
 
Surveillance
 
Sometimes, all it takes to stop a potential home invasion is the idea that the criminal will be caught. Of course, installing a very real, functional camera is a great way to protect your home and family. The investment in a camera is quite small in the long run, but can give you a very good idea of what goes on around your home and yard whether you are home or not.

 
[Read the full article at http://www.doityourself.com/stry/securehomeoptions]