15 Clever Ways to Hide Valuables Around Your Home

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In real life, hiding valuables is not as dramatic as in movies. It’s more about being sneaky, practical, and clever. Burglars tend to go for the obvious places, and the truth is they’ll usually hit drawers, safes, and under the bed first. That’s why they should be outsmarted with some unexpected hiding places, right?

Below are some out-of-the-box ways to keep your dear items safe and sound.

Hollowed‐Out Books

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Some books make excellent hiding spots because they are so common and innocuous. Pick a thick old book and cut out a cavity in the middle of the pages. Put the book back on your shelf, blending in with the rest of your collection, and put your small valuables inside. As long as it’s not one you want to read any time soon!

Old Food Containers in Your Pantry

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A box of old cereal or a can of coffee is boring. That is exactly why they’re such great hiding places. Empty out a container, fill it with your valuables, and put it back on the shelf with the rest of your food. An old can of beans, or a half empty bag of rice, will not be looked at by most people.

Curtain Rod

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Anyone looking for hidden treasure, I mean, who searches for hidden treasure, won’t search curtain rods. They are long, hollow, and overlooked. Pop the end cap, slide your valuables in and pop the cap back on. Hiding something in plain sight without using extra space is a smart way to do it.

False Bottom Drawer

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If you have one of your drawers you can convert it to have a false bottom. The trick behind this slide out drawer lies in the placement of a hidden panel only a few inches higher up than the real bottom of the drawer. If most people rummaging through your drawers don’t think to pull out the base, your valuables will stay hidden.

Fake Air Vent

If you want to hide something valuable in a sneaky and effective way, a fake air vent is one of your best bets, as this Freedom For All Americans article attests. As with the fake wall socket, you can purchase vents that appear legitimate but open up to allow you to see a little compartment behind them. Mount it on your wall or floor, and your valuables will be safe and out of sight.

Picture Frame

Picture frames aren’t just for memories; they can hold valuables too. Certain frames, though, have a hidden compartment behind the photo where you can store small things like cash or papers. If someone lifts the frame, they won’t even know there’s something hidden inside until they flip it over.

False Food Package in Freezer

Frozen peas and waffles aren’t what burglars are going to go through. Cut open an old box or bag, put your valuables inside a sealed bag, and reassemble the packaging to create a decoy package of frozen food. Put it in the back of your freezer, and it will be as good as invisible.

Hollowed-Out Candle

Candles are a common household item that doesn’t really get noticed. Hollow out a big candle and stuff it with your small valuables, such as jewelry or cash. Make sure to pick a candle that you don’t plan on lighting, though.

Potted Plant

If you have plants in your home, they will be great hiding spots. Place small valuables in a waterproof container underground under the soil. The only thing to be sure of is that it’s not a plant that you have to move or repot often. An extra layer of security, camouflage from above, comes from the soil.

Unused Children’s Toy

And if you have kids, you’ve seen the pile of toys that can be built up in no time. Who would look inside an old stuffed animal or toy car? Most people wouldn’t. Just open up a toy, put your valuables in, then sew or glue it shut — you’ve got a hidden compartment.

Loose Floorboard

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It’s one of those classic hiding places that never go out of style. If your floor is hardwood, see if there are any that are loose or easy to remove floor boards. The board can be slipped off and your valuables can be placed under it and then locked back in place. A simple and very effective hiding spot.

Fake Wall Socket

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A wall socket that’s fake may sound like something out of a spy movie, but it’s actually a great way to hide small items like cash or jewelry, according to theboomerinsight.com. There are ready made fake sockets, which are exactly the same as the real thing. Take off its lid, put your valuable in, and screw it back.

Storage Box Disguised as Everyday Items

Whatever its final form, there will be all sorts of cleverly disguised boxes designed to look like everyday household objects—a can of soda, a hairbrush, or even a cleaning spray bottle. These can have shallow compartments where to store up your valuables. Put them back where they belong, no one will ever know.

Laundry Room

One of the most neglected spots in a home is the laundry room, so it’s a great place to hide valuables. You can hide things behind the dryer in an old detergent box or even inside a rolled-up towel. The chances are that only a few burglars would poke around in there.

Hollow Stair Tread

If you live in a home with wooden stairs, one of the treads can be turned into a hidden compartment. Once you’ve lifted the tread, you simply place your valuables inside and close it back up. It’s also a sneaky hiding place but relatively easy to reach when you need to.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.