Keeping things safely locked

Boy... its been a while hasn't it? I honestly don't know how the heck I've been so busy for nearly a YEAR that I haven't posted anything new, so sorry! However I am still here, and finally getting around to getting things back updated! So today I wanted to talk about keeping things nice and secure in our facilities.

I went to drop off a licensing application to a facility nearby (ok, like an hours drive, but I needed an excuse to really get out of the house) and they invited me in to take a look at their facility. The home was gorgeous, beautiful corner lot, HUGE dining and living room, the most beautiful chef's kitchen I've ever seen in a residential home, and just a really, really nice facility. One thing they asked is if I have any suggestions on keeping things safely locked away so the residents wouldn't accidentally get into places like storage of meds, or the laundry room, or cleaning supply closet, or the garage, etc. Of course you could just put in the regular door knobs with a key lock.... but what a pain in the neck would that be having to carry keys around all the time? Or what if those keys get lost? What if an employee accidentally takes the keys home and they live an hour away?

There is absolutely an easier way! Keypad door locks!

Here is a simple one, no bells and whistles, just a regular lock with a keypad attached. You can use the key, or you can use the special number combination. It has an average rating of 4.5 stars with over 800 reviews, that seems pretty solid in my book!

You can program up to 20 different codes, though I wouldn't recommend every staff having a different code, you can if you want to. You can also set it to auto lock, so you don't have to worry if someone accidentally forgets. It boasts a one year battery life and takes 4 AA batteries. There is also a neat low battery alert so you won't be surprised by a dead battery out of the blue.

Here's one that doesn't take up any more space than what you probably already have installed. It has a fingerprint reader too which might be kind of cool and easier than pushing buttons, but buttons are also there. I kind of wish my front door lock had both options because for some reason my fingerprints are always causing trouble and I end up just using my key each time. Ugh!

This is a smart lock and has a companion app which allows you to manage access, set up new users, view access history, etc. It has 4.4 star rating with over 550 reviews. This one also comes in different colors to match your other hardware.

Of course I can't leave you hanging with just interior locks, so here's an option for your exit doors. This one has 4.4 star rating with over 3,000 reviews, so it seems like a solid choice. I like that it has both options for fingerprint and keypad and looks pretty slick. This one also comes in 3 color choices, and has the auto-lock feature which you can turn on for extra safety to ensure that no one accidentally walks off forgetting to lock up the facility.

I'm a big fan of Kwikset brand, because most (if not all) of their locks are easy to to re-key yourself, and we might need to do that once in a while. Yes, its more expensive, but it pays for itself the first time you need to change the locks. This one has a keypad and a companion app. The app lets you program everything you need, and sends you real time alerts when a door has been locked or unlocked. It has a 3.9 star rating with nearly 7,000 reviews. You can also sync it to your smart device like Alexa and set up cool routines like having the porch light turn on when you unlock the door or whatnot.

I am also including the fingerprint option lock here because this is the one I personally have and use every day. Like I mentioned earlier, my fingerprints for some reason aren't great (oh no, am I getting old???) but my mom and friends who have the same exact lock have absolutely zero issues with it. I really like how slick it looks and it perfectly replaced the lock i had that came with the house, so no touching up of door paint, yay!

As always, all pictures are links to Amazon products. As an Amazon Associate I get commissions from sales, so help a girl out, use my links to place your orders.