Making a house look lived in when it isn't yet - any tips?

[Sarimillie]

We have bought a house, but can't move into it yet so need to protect it, as far as we can, from break ins.

We plan to put some curtains up at the windows, put some of the lights (with eco bulbs of course!) on a timer, go round when we can so there are people seen to be coming and going, and let the neighbours know the score - is there anything else we can do?

Leave some dishes in the sink. Not sure what you could put on them to look like they're dirty, but I'd leave some on the draining board and some in the sink.

Can you put the bins out?

let your neighbours park a car on your drive

bring some toys in, let a couple my 5 in for a couple hours.

Result, Lived in trashed look.

WAshing on the line.

Ooh, I like your thinking ninedragons - can certainly leave dishes around. Good idea re. bins, too. And Jampot, that's a great idea; I think the neighbour will like it, too!

get some of those plugin timers and have lamps, coming on and going off at set times, I do this when going on holiday

Might be worth getting some venetian blinds for the windows, I found them quite good for when we go on holiday as it is hard to tell if the house is empty or not, esp if you leave them half closed...

Liahgen - would love to borrow your five (!) but may just have to improvise with my two and a few of their mates...
Washing on the line a good one, too. Will also put a trike outside.

Am feeling much more confident about this now - thanks all!

Leave a half-full bottle of Fairy Liquid and a sponge on the kitchen windowsill, rumpled tea towel on the cooker door, shampoo bottles on the bathroom windowsill, a half-used bag of potting soil and a half-full recycling box somewhere sort of out of the way but not quite out of sight in the garden.

some flowerpots or hanging basket outside?

A couple of mugs in the living room, on a coffee table or wherever you'd be likely to have a mug! A few cans or bottles on the bathroom window ledge.

Second the dishes on a rack too, they can be clean ones!

radio on a timer too