note: i am not encouraging you to trespass or break the law. if someone clearly does not want you on their property (the place is boarded up, and someone has made an effort to keep you out), then maybe that house is not meant to be explored. i do not encourage breaking in, and i do not encourage vandalism. if you are stealing things of value, or lowering the value of the house in any way, you should be ashamed and this blog is definitely not for you. also, be safe and responsible and no one is to blame but yourself if you end up hurt or in trouble. if you want to enjoy this hobby right, i have the following tips:

1. Bring a Buddy: One of the most important things to have if you’re exploring an abandoned house is to have a friend. Preferably a strong one! Do not go alone. If you fall through the stairs and lose consciousness or something, you want someone to be able to call for help.

2. Stay Connected: We are fortunate to live in an age of technology. Always carry a cell phone that is fully charged in case something bad happens, and you can call 911. Also, make sure someone knows you are there! Tell someone when you are going, and tell someone when you plan to return. When you are home safe, tell them you are. It may seem silly but if something goes wrong, they know where to look first.

3. Safety First: Always look for holes in the floor, and avoid stairs in old houses. Check the ceilings of the rooms you’re in, because if the ceilings look iffy, you could fall through the floor. I like to avoid basements and attics because you never know what you could find. Also, don’t go at night. Not only will it be pitch black due to lack of electricity, but also you won’t see any danger.

4. Be Prepared: Don’t go to this house empty handed. Bring a cell phone, good shoes to avoid broken glass, a flashlight, and pepper spray. I say pepper spray because you may not be alone. The #1 question I get is “Are you scared of drifters or badly behaved teenagers or wild animals?” The answer is yes. I think this is somewhat of a misconception, and i’ve never heard of this happening to anybody, and I know a lot of people in this hobby. But i’m not going to say it’s impossible, so once again be prepared. I have seen drifter camps set up in abandoned houses. If you think someone’s inside, just get out of there.

5. Be Respectful: Don’t do drugs, drink, steal, or vandalize. Note when I say steal, I don’t mean that taking a little trinket is wrong. I collect little items such as broken metal, old magazine pages, recipe cards, and things like that. But when you’re stealing the TV or boxes of stuff, that’s wrong. Some may say that taking anything is wrong, but i’m letting you the reader make the judgement call ethically. Also if the police do come, they’ll be more likely to let a respectful urban explorer off with a warning than a drugged up person with spray paint all over them, you know?

Basically, follow your gut, be nice, and if you have a bad feeling then just leave. I’ll answer any questions you have, but i’m hoping this clears a lot of things up for potential explorers.