Fortunately, I have never been burglarized (excuse me while I find some wood to knock on), so I can only imagine how traumatic that experience must be. I like to think that I've been able to avoid it thus far by simply not having anything worth stealing - but that is probably not the case for you, though.

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It is important to know what to do with your most precious and/or valuable possessions, so those bad guys have a hard time finding them. Instead of suggesting where you should hide your items, here is a list of places where you should NOT hide them. According to Reader's Digest, the following 10 spots are the first places a burglar will look in your home, so maybe find somewhere else for your stash.

Under the mattress

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Putting money under the mattress isn't just a practice that our great-grandparents used to do. It is still a common hiding place these days, and burglars know it.

Bedroom closet

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A bedroom closet is most likely where your clothes can be found, especially expensive pieces of clothing, so you may not be able to avoid this spot. One way to deceive a would-be burglar in your closet is by hiding items in a box or bag that is intentionally mislabeled as having 'boring' contents.

Dresser drawers

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If you're going to keep valuables in a dresser drawer, at least don't make it obvious. Put them in a sock that is rolled up and tucked away in the back of the drawer.

Portable safe

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It's called a "safe" for a reason, so your stuff should be secure in a safe as long as the safe itself is secure. Make sure your safe is mounted to the floor or wall.

READ MORE: What to Do If You Hear "Code Brown" at an Indiana Walmart

Medicine cabinet

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Bad guys probably aren't checking your medicine cabinet for money or jewelry - they are looking for valuable medicine.

Freezer

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Did the phrase "cold hard cash" come from the fact that people hide money in the freezer? No, but that would have been cool. If you do hide goodies in the freezer, at least make them look like they belong there. For example, disguise those items in an old package of frozen peas - burglars HATE peas!

Office drawers

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A desk is an easy and convenient place to keep important documents, and burglars know that.

Vase

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If you're going to keep some spare cash or keys in a vase, you should at least fill the vase with some other items. Don't make it easy for some to simply knock over a vase to find your goodies.

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Liquor cabinet

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A seasoned veteran burglar may not bother to look in your liquor cabinet, but a youngster might. Make sure that a bottle of booze is the only thing they will find.

Suitcase

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Bad guys know that a lot of people use suitcases as another type of storage. Feel free to put stuff in your luggage, just not important documents or valuable items.

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