The One Simple Step That Ensures You Never Forget Anything In A Hotel Safe

One of the best perks of staying in a hotel vs. a rental like Airbnb is the treasure trove of free stuff you can snag and take home. You might not know this, but you can actually ask the concierge for freebies, including toiletries, laundry bags, hygiene products, and more. Sure, you can't take the robe from the hotel room (unless you're willing to pay for it), but you can usually keep the keycard as a little souvenir. Just don't forget to check out — it's a common mistake even seasoned travelers make. But as much as guests love to take things home, they also have a knack for leaving stuff behind, including valuables like jewelry and passports, which are often forgotten in the safe. A nifty hack to avoid that? Put one of your shoes in the safe. It sounds weird, but it works!

You'd be amazed at the variety and the sheer volume of stuff people leave in hotel rooms. According to Travelodge U.K.'s Lost and Found Audit, along with everyday items like chargers, smartphones, e-readers, smartwatches, and clothing, travelers leave behind some seriously bizarre things. We're talking about a five-generation family cookbook, a life-size cut-out of Jürgen Klopp, and even a pair of Japanese Chin puppies named J.Lo and Ben. Whether your belongings are mundane or important (or cute), you never want to forget them. A flight attendant swears putting your shoe in the safe will save you from losing track of your stuff. Maybe skip the puppies, though.

Whenever you leave your hotel room, you probably stash all your valuables in the safe to keep them, well, safe. The downside to this is they're so well-hidden that you might completely forget you shoved them there when checking out. To dodge this rookie mistake, Esther Sturrus, a flight attendant for KLM who went viral on TikTok for her hotel tips, has a clever hack: "Worried about forgetting something from your locker? Put your heel/shoe in it so you won't forget it!," she advised. And it makes total sense, especially if you use one of your favorite shoes or the only pair you brought along. You wouldn't check out of your hotel wearing just one shoe, right? It's actually pretty genius.

As for the rest of your belongings that can't be locked up in the safe? Travel expert Patricia Hajifotiou has a tried-and-true method: Check the three important B's — bed, bathroom, and balcony. "Look at and under your bed and check under the sheets," she told USA Today. "In the bathroom, check behind the curtain to see if you left your shampoo or your shaving device. And on the balcony, make sure you didn't hang anything out to dry." Oh, and always trust your gut. "Did you forget something in your room?" travel writer Christopher Elliot suggested asking yourself. If your intuition is saying yes, it's worth doing another sweep of the room.