Homemade Spy Gadgets to Hide Stuff In

Books

• The book safe is one of the most common gadgets used to hide objects in. You can order book safes from catalogs, find them online or make them yourself. If you already have a great number of books in your home, this may be the best diversion safe type for you. Make one to match the most common books on your shelves, or create one from a phone book or old textbook and hide it in plain sight. Hollow out the middle of all but the first and last 30 pages of the book, glue the pages together into a block and put your valuables in the resulting empty space.

Toiletries

• Diversion safe companies create whole lines of gadgets designed to look like common toiletries like shaving cream, soaps and deodorant cans. Make your own version by going through your bathroom and inspecting your personal items. Look on the bottoms of the container to see if you can create a space in which to hide items. Pull out a solid block of deodorant to slip money underneath. Bury a roll of cash in a large bottle of aspirin. Wrap your jewels in foil, then sink them into a conditioner bottle.

Stuffed Animals

• Teddy bears have been doing double duty as nanny-cam holders for years now, and they make ideal receptacles for hiding items as well. Open up a seam in the back of the bear, insert a zip-top bag containing your valuables and stitch the bear back up. If you want the items to be more accessible, replace the stitching with some Velcro strips.

Candles

• People have been hiding objects in candles for centuries, mostly by burying them in the wax. You can make a candle safe to hide your belongings that allows you to retrieve your things more easily. Use a very thick pillar candle and hollow out the entire inside core. Create an empty tube inside the interior of the candle. Leave about 1 inch of solid candle at the top and 1/2 inch on the side walls. Fill the hollow core with the items you want to hide, place the candle on a decorative plate, light the candle and blow it out. Place the candle and plate on a side table or shelf as decor.