Choosing where to put a safe seems like a simple decision, but once you dig into it, you realize thereās a lot more to consider. Every home is different, every familyās needs are unique, and every safe serves a slightly different purpose. Some people want fast access, others want maximum security, and many want a mix of both.
In this episode of Safe Space, we break down the most common questions, mistakes, and myths about safe placementāfrom garages and bedrooms to stair closets and wall safesāso you can pick the spot that works best for your daily life and what youāre protecting.
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Episode 33 Topics
0:51 ā Put a Safe Where Youāre Going to Use It
2:44 ā The Variables to Where to Install a Safe
4:06 ā What Law Enforcement Says
4:49 ā Consider Splitting Up Your Safes
5:53 ā Floor Safes
6:35 ā Wall Safes
9:20 ā Strange Places People Have āHiddenā Safes vs Safes that are Deterrents
10:08 ā Under the Stairs
10:55 ā Outgrowing Safes is VERY Common
11:45 ā Worst Place to Install a Safe as a Delivery Guy
14:55 ā Put the Safe Where You Want It & Buy the Right Safe
Episode 33 Discussion Synopsis
0:51 ā Put a Safe Where Youāre Going to Use It
Choosing the āworstā place to put a safe isnāt as simple as it sounds, because every home and every personās needs are different. Thereās no one-size-fits-all answer. What really matters is how you plan to use your safe. Some people worry about how hard a location might be for delivery, but that part is our jobānot yours. Your focus should be on convenience and daily access.
People often say things like, āNever put a safe upstairsā or āNever put a safe in the garage,ā but the truth is that it depends on the safe and the situation. A huge, 5,000-pound high-security safe usually belongs in the garage. But someone building a new home might design the upstairs to support a heavy safe and have it craned in during construction.
The biggest mistake people make is hiding the safe so well that it becomes hard to reach. If itās inconvenient, you simply wonāt use it as often as you should.
2:44 ā The Variables to Where to Install a Safe
There are a lot of factors to think about when choosing where to put a safe, but one thing you taught me years ago still stands: pick a spot thatās convenient for your daily life. For some people, thatās the home office.
For others, like me, itās the garage because Iām in there every day, especially when Iām hunting or shooting. Many people think the garage is a bad spot, but it really depends on how you use your safe and what youāre protecting. The key is to buy the right safe first, then put it somewhere youāll actually use itānot just the one spot you assumed it had to go.
4:06 ā What Law Enforcement Says
When you talk to law enforcement, theyāll tell you that the master bedroom is one of the most common places people keep their safes. Itās also one of the first places a thief checks. Most burglars head straight to the master bedroom closet to grab easy-to-find items like jewelry, cash, and electronics.
So based on crime statistics, the master closet can seem like a risky spot. But at the same time, we install hundreds of safes there every year. For some people, itās the perfect location because itās convenient and easy to access. For others, it might not be the best choice. It really depends on your needs.
4:49 ā Consider Splitting Up Your Safes
Another thing people should consider is splitting up what they store. Many people want one big safe for long guns, handguns, and precious metals. That makes sense, but sometimes it means giving up the level of security or fire protection their valuables really need.
Instead, you can use two safes: a more affordable safe for long guns, and a smaller high-security TL-15 or TL-30 safe for precious metals or cash. This setup can actually protect your items better.
If youāre storing wealth you donāt use every day, keeping the high-security safe in the garage can work well. You can bolt it to the concrete, and being slightly separated from the house may even help with fire protection.
5:53 ā Floor Safes
Another thing that comes to mind is floor safes. A lot of people like the idea of hiding their valuables in a safe built into the floor. But we usually try to guide people away from that option because itās very inconvenient.
Getting into a floor safe means getting down on your hands and knees every time, which gets old fast. While floor safes can be good for hiding something long-term, most people choose them because they think āno one will ever find it.ā That part might be true, but you lose a lot of everyday convenience.
For daily use, a floor safe is honestly one of the worst places to keep your items.
6:35 ā Wall Safes
Another type of safe people ask about all the time is a wall safe. There are situations where wall safes make sense, but most of the time theyāre not a great choice. Many people want to hide a wall safe behind a picture or inside a closet, but wall safes usually have no fire protection. Theyāre made from thin sheet metal, so if someone does find it, itās easy to break intoāand in a fire, the contents will likely be destroyed.
The same concerns come up with floor safes. Some people think a āfloor safeā is just a short safe that sits low to the ground, but a true floor safe is actually built into the concrete. These safes sit below the surface with a cover on top. While they arenāt insulated for fire, they get strong fire protection simply from being surrounded by concrete. That makes a real floor safe great for long-term storage of precious metals or emergency cash.
From gun safe cloaks to gun safe cover disguises, discover the best ways to conceal your safe ā even to the naked eye!
9:20 ā Strange Places People Have āHiddenā Safes vs Safes that are Deterrents
Weāve heard all kinds of stories about people trying to hide safes in attics or strange corners of their homes. The truth is, thereās no one-size-fits-all answer for where a safe should go. Some people donāt want a safe out in the open, while others happily keep a beautiful safe in their living room.
We think of a high-quality safe, like a Fort Knox, as a piece of furniture. Thereās nothing wrong with placing it where guests can see it, as long as itās the right safe for what youāre protecting. If you buy a cheap, entry-level safe but store expensive items in it, then yesāyou should probably hide it.
But a strong, high-security safe can actually be a deterrent. If a criminal sees your home has a serious safe and your neighbor has nothing, theyāre more likely to choose the easier target. A good safe makes you the āhard target,ā which often keeps thieves away.
10:08 ā Under the Stairs
Another spot we see more and more people using is the space under the stairsāthe little āHarry Potter closet,ā as some call it. Itās a strange, cramped area, and it can be a hassle to get in and out of. Still, many people like to tuck a safe back in that nook.
Personally, I wouldnāt use that space unless the safe was high-security and meant for long-term storage. For everyday use, itās not very convenient. You donāt want to be squeezing into a tiny corner every time you need something from your safe. So while it can work for certain items, itās not ideal for regular access.
10:55 ā Outgrowing Safes is VERY Common
One thing customers should keep in mind is that itās very easy to outgrow a safe. Most people end up putting way more inside their safe than they first planned. You might think the spot you choose wonāt be inconvenient, but once you start using the safe, it often becomes part of your daily or weekly routine. Because of that, the location matters more than you might expect. Choosing a spot thatās easy to reach will make using your safe a lot more comfortable over time.
11:45 ā Worst Place to Install a Safe as a Delivery Guy
The main thing to remember is that your safe should be easy to reach and simple to use. Another topic worth talking about is delivery. Youāve delivered tens of thousands of safes, so you know how much this matters. Most companies only offer curbside delivery, which means they drop the safe at the end of your drivewayāno matter how long it is. They wonāt bring it inside, up stairs, or into a basement.
Our team handles full in-home delivery, which includes basements, upstairs rooms, and tight spaces. And in the Pacific Northwest, homes often have daylight basements, hills, small pathways, and lots of steps, which can make delivery challenging.
Surprisingly, the hardest deliveries arenāt the big, heavy safes going into garagesāthose are usually straightforward. The toughest jobs are the small spaces: crawl spaces, narrow hallways, or multiple flights of stairs.
If you ever move, keep in mind that garage-to-garage moves cost far less than moving a safe from an upstairs closet to another upstairs location. But in the end, we want you to place your safe where you will use it most.
14:55 ā Put the Safe Where You Want It & Buy the Right Safe
At the end of the day, there really isnāt a single āworstā place to put a safe. You canāt make one rule that fits every home. What matters most is choosing the right safe for what youāre protecting and then placing it somewhere that fits your daily routine. Pick a spot thatās convenientānot just a place you think you should use.
For example, if you want quick access in the middle of the night, a large safe in the master bedroom isnāt the best choice. A smaller, dedicated quick-access safe is usually a better option, while the bigger safe can live wherever it makes the most sense.
No matter where you want your safe, we can install itāeven in tricky locations. And if youāre unsure, we offer site inspections to help you decide the best spot in your home or business. If you have questions about placement or choosing the right safe, just reach out.