12+ Best Place To Hide A Safe (Ideas From A Locksmith)

During a safe install, I see this all the time where a person gets a safe and automatically assumes it is going to protect them and plops it in the middle of a room without a second thought. Don’t be this person, a safe is an amazing device for protecting you but just as important is the location of the safe to add that extra protection.

Many thieves know what the most used locations are and look there immediately so we have come up with a list of the lesser-known places to hide a safe so you can have some great ideas based on the construction of your house.

Keep in mind it’s not necessary to hide your safe but it’s a great extra level of security since these days criminals can take your safe right out of your home on a dolly for future cracking.

Let’s get to the list below!

1. Under the Floor

The best places to hide your safe are the unexpected places. You can make a built-in floor compartment for your safety with basic woodworking skills.

You will need to remove a small section of your floor that is free of plumbing and wiring. Although it can be quite messy because making a hole in your floor is necessary. However, this may be the most secure location for your safe.

After you have installed the safe the easiest way to fully hide it is by putting a rug or matt over it.

2. Inside a Vent

Most houses nowadays have vent shafts. They serve as a channel for hot air to exit your home.

The concept of hiding safes in vents is quite old. However, the arrival of new safe designs brought this concept back to life.

One issue is, burglars can quickly access vent shafts. It has become one of the first places a burglar may look for valuable items.

3. Under Bed Safe

Some bed frames now include under-mattress storage. If you really want to get creative you can add in a lift mechanism that allows you to easily raise the mattress and insert your safe.

However, your room is the best place for burglars to look for pieces of jewelry and valuables A burglar might roam around your room and check your bed if you are not around your house.

4. Below the Stairs 

If you have stairs in your home, you can modify one of them to become a hidden drawer. You can find a space under it, where you can make a drawer to hide your safe.

This is dependent on the type of stairs you have. There is no universal solution, so you will need to use your imagination to make this modification.

5. Under the Sink

Safes can be stored in both the kitchen and laundry room sinks. To add more security, you can place a small safe in the back corner under the sink and screw it into the cabinet bottom.

You should place a few cleaner bottles in front of it to obstruct the view. Keep in mind this option may be dangerous for your goods inside the safe if there is a leak or the extra water nearby may cause humidity damage.

6. In the Stair Steps

You can also make a step in your staircase into a compartment big enough to fit your safe.

You may install a hidden drawer or modify a tread to open upwards. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so if you choose to use this method, you will need to be creative.

If you choose to modify a tread to your stairs, you will need to remove an existing stair tread. After that, slide your safe inside the step and reattach the tread with a piano hinge to allow you to lift or lower the tread.

Keep in mind that hiding the traces of the modification can be difficult. So if you are having a hard time you may hire a professional to do it.

7. Inside a False-Bottom Drawer

A burglar will quickly check a drawer to look for valuable items. However, when they see nothing valuable inside a drawer they will instantly skip it.

A false-bottom drawer might be handy. You will learn how to make your false-bottom drawer below:

How to make a false-bottom drawer

Step 1: Apply a small amount of industrial glue to one of the wine cork or wood’s flat sides. (1)

Step 2: Place the wine cork or piece of wood in one of the wood panel’s corners.

Step 3: Repeat with the remaining seven wine corks or woods, spacing them evenly so that there are four on each side of the wood sheet.             

Step 4: Dry it, before you flip it over.

Step 5: Using industrial glue, stick the handle of your choice in the center of the wood.

Step 6: Remove any excess immediately and let it sit for 24 hours.

Step 7: Insert the wood into the drawer. Now you have a false-bottom drawer to hide your safe.

Reference:

8. Inside a Fridge Safe

You can also place your safe inside your refrigerator’s freezer compartment, there are custom-built devices that can handle the humidity this may cause. (2)

Place your safe inside the freezer compartment in a bag. Put a lock on the freezer door to have extra security. This can be an effective way to secure your safe.

9. Inside a Kibble Container

If you are a pet owner, you are certainly familiar with kibble containers; it makes an excellent disguise for a safe.

Simply add a smaller safety deposit box within the kibble container and insert the kibble, it becomes almost impossible to know that this dog food has a safe inside!

10. Kid’s Room Hideaway

No reasonable burglar would look in a child’s room for valuables. It’s just full of toys and useless junk.

You can hide your safe somewhere in there where a burglar won’t be able to find it. Some ideas include under the floorboards and inside old puzzle boxes.

11. In the Attic

The attic in your house might be an excellent spot to keep your safe or valuables hidden.

Burglars usually begin their search for valuables in the master bedroom. The attic is one of the least visited areas. You can make the attic even less appealing by making it more difficult to access. You should keep ladders away from the attic entrance or simply lock them.

However, it could be difficult to reach your safe in the attic. As a result, if you need to open the safe on a regular basis, I suggest you choose a different location.

12. Behind a Hidden Door

Investing in a hidden door in your house might become handy. This might not be very easy, but it may be the best place to hide your safe.

A hidden door’s advantage to the other places is that it’s easily accessible to you that knows about it, yet almost invisible to the others.

What to Consider When Hiding Your Safe

With the possibility of burglary on the rise, it’s essential to be prepared in case you’re ever the victim of a break-in or burglary.

I prepared steps to guide you:

1. Choose a spot that is hidden from view and difficult to get to.
2. Choose a place on a level floor and away from any windows or heating pipes.
3. If necessary, select a location that is near an electrical outlet and has easy access to power equipment for drilling through concrete or metal walls.
4. Close off any nearby rooms where intruders might be able to obtain entrance from the outside of the room.

Conclusion

There are many ways to keep your valuables inside the safe secure. You can either purchase an expensive safe where burglars will have a hard time breaking it or you can just hide your safe from the burglar’s sight.

Burglars believe that the more time they spend looking, the more likely they are to get caught. If you pick a tough hiding area, you can drastically decrease the chance of a burglar’s success.

Always remember to keep your valuables safe. A burglar will always have a hard time, with a responsible homeowner.

References:
(1) wine – https://www.foodandwine.com/wine/25-bottle-guide-wine-mastery
(2) humidity – https://www.britannica.com/science/humidity