A Tennis Ball Is All You Need To Protect Valuables At Home Or On The Go

Tennis balls might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to security, but they can come in handy if you're looking for an inconspicuous way to hide and store items around your home. Pickpockets or robbers are less likely to seek out an item that looks so mundane, so a simple piece of sporting equipment can decrease the chances of losing your stack of cash or valuable jewelry collection, especially when compared to simply keeping these items in plain sight.

Hiding your valuables might seem like overkill, especially if you're just getting a workout in at the gym or going about your normal nighttime routine at home, but it's always important to remain vigilant in the unfortunate case that something does happen. In 2021, the FBI estimated that over $733 billion worth of goods were stolen across the United States, and a bit of preparation can help ensure that your valuables don't end up as part of this statistic.

For this hack, all you need is a tennis ball and a knife or box cutter. Because tennis balls are hollow and relatively easy to puncture through, they're the perfect choice for hiding things in. Cut a hole in your tennis ball that's large enough to fit your items, and squeeze the sides to open the ball up, similar to a coin purse. Place your items inside and make sure the cut edges line up, and you now have an inconspicuous hiding spot. You can even take special care to smooth out the nap — the fuzzy coating — on your ball to create a perfectly seamless finish.

When choosing a ball to use as a hiding space, it can also be helpful to find one that's a bit more roughed up to make it even less appealing to would-be pickpockets. This added layer of wear can even help to disguise the cut a bit, making it look a bit less out of place and suspicious.

This hiding spot can obviously be used at home as a hiding spot for extra cash or jewelry, but it's especially helpful if you're headed to the gym or the beach. People walking by while you're splashing in the water or preoccupied with your workout might take the opportunity to snatch your wallet if it's sticking out of your bag, but they're significantly less likely to grab or even question a tennis ball.

For an added layer of security, you could also put the ball back into a container with other normal tennis balls. You're still able to easily access your valuables, but the container can disguise the cut and make a random tennis ball look less out of place. Wherever you decide to use this hack, just make sure you remember which ball you did this to in the first place. Decluttering and reorganizing your garage can become much more stressful if you accidentally throw out your grandmother's ring or give it to the dog as a new toy.