Free Home Safety Checklists to Print

A new apartment, a dorm room or a home you now run on your own all come with a short list of safety jobs. These three free checklists turn those jobs into one walk through your place. Print one, grab a pen and tick things off as you go.

There is nothing to sign up for. Each list is two pages in plain words, with a space to write down the numbers you want close by. Every list starts with your way out, because a lock or an alarm should never stand between you and an exit in a fire.

First Apartment Security Checklist

For renters in their first week. Check your doors, keys, windows and alarms, learn your way out of the building, and fill in the numbers worth keeping on the fridge.

Download the First Apartment Security Checklist (PDF)

Read more: Apartment Door Security: 7 Upgrades That Won't Cost Your Deposit and Ground-Floor Apartment Security: A Renter's Complete Guide.

Dorm Safety Checklist

For students in move-in week. Find your exits, check your alarm, keep power strips safe, and see what to look up in your housing handbook before you bring anything for your door.

Download the Dorm Safety Checklist (PDF)

Read more: College Dorm Safety Kit: What Helps (and What's Banned).

Living Alone: Home Safety Checklist for Older Adults

For older adults, and for the family and friends who help. It's set in larger type and covers daily check-ins, smoke alarms, falls, visitors and phone scams.

Download the Living Alone Home Safety Checklist (PDF)

Read more: Living Alone? A Calm Home-Security Checklist.

For housing offices, senior centers and neighborhood groups

You're welcome to print these, hand them out, copy them for your residents and link to this page. Your building's own rules and your local fire department come first. If a line needs to change for your campus or building, write to support@tremshield.com.

Where the advice comes from

The lists are written by TremShield, a home security store. The fire and alarm lines follow public guidance from NFPA and the U.S. Fire Administration. The fall lines follow the CDC's Check for Safety brochure, and the scam lines follow the FTC. None of these groups reviewed the lists.

When you're ready to add a layer

Once the list is done, some people want one more step. A door stop alarm sits under an inward-opening door and packs small for trips, so check your housing rules first if you live on campus. You can also browse our door security and window security picks.

Got several doors and windows to cover? Our peel-and-stick vibration alarm comes in a six-pack for $99, which is $16.50 per alarm.