True, by law authorities need search warrant in order to thoroughly examine your property.
However, if law enforcement officer is able to view contraband or evidence on your property without entering it, no search has been conducted. To broaden the scope, police are allowed to close enough to overhear you conversations or to take aerial photographs - all those are not searches.
In short, if it's seen or heard, that's not a search and no warrant is needed.
Are we protected at all? We won't be delving into 4th Amendment to US Constitution here.
The important aspect to understand here is "reasonable expectation of privacy".
Doing something in public, on the street, placing items on the dashboard of the car or in plain view inside, failing to use blinds to cover windows - those eliminate such expectation and provide others with right to peek. By contrast, placing items in glove compartment or locked trunk, fences them against just peeking. In order to get to those, one would need search warrant.
Actually, not always, either. One's consent will do in most cases. So, when you consent to the search (of your vehicle, for example), you authorize such search and eliminate the need for warrant. Be careful what you consent to even if all it takes is a nod.
Reasonableness of privacy is something looked upon when search warrants are given. Not all public places are non-private, as well as not all personal private places can enjoy privacy. Just one more example, to record video in public restroom warrant is needed (expected privacy), but your unfenced front-yard is open for anyone to look at and record at leisure.
Think of "reasonable expectations of privacy", searches, and consenting to those.
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