About 2 months ago I stashed a loaded pistol in the garage within 3 seconds’ distance of exiting the car....follow-homes seem to be getting a little trendy.
Don’t discount hiding sharp knives in easy reach but hidden all over the place. Home invaders will typically corral the family into one area under one guard, and he can get distracted. If a knife is in reach on top of the fridge, book shelf etc, it can be a close-range game changer, and silent to boot. A pack of razor-sharp serrated “Ginsu” type knives costs next to nothing.