I’ve never done it personally, but I’ve heard lots of stories about people forgetting they’ve put things in their hotel safe and then leaving them behind after they check out. Passports. Jewelry. Electronics. Money.
Based on some Googling, it looks as if although hotel chains have protocols for when this happens, the chances of your ever seeing your stuff again is still iffy. So it’s probably better to not forget it in the first place.
Fortunately, a flight attendant shared a simple trick to better your chances of not leaving something behind.
Whatever shoes you’re going to be wearing on the day you leave the hotel, put one of the shoes in the safe.
British Airways flight attendant Ty Opoku Adjei told this to Business Insider a while back and yep, I could definitely see this working. When you’re ready to put your shoes on and are taking your shoe out of the safe, use that opportunity to empty the safe of all your other stuff and pack it away, so you don’t forget it.
It’s genius!
By the way, just as a reminder, we really don’t recommend using a hotel safe to begin with. They’re just too easy to break into. We have one of these that we use instead and so far, so good (plus it’s usually out in the open, not hidden in a closet where it’s easy to overlook before we leave. Plus it’s always in my head to pack it when we’re leaving, so…).
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8 comments
You don’t even need to put the shoe in the safe. On top of the safe will do. Another way is to pack before going to bed. The chance of someone breaking in while you’re sleeping and you not waking up from the noise is very remote.
I often put junk in the safe and keep my semi-valuables in the locked suitcase (which isn’t really secure as breaking a lock is easy). Psychologically, if some gets into the safe and finds just the toothpaste tube and bra or condom (depending on your gender), they may think that those are the only valuables.
“On top of the safe” will work unless the safe is built in to something. But yes, same general thing 🙂
Over the years I have left a lot of things in a lot of rooms. you hold the door open, have another look and still .
The latest being about $500 and my passport in the safe at a Sheraton. went back and they had it at the desk in a envelope waiting for me.the shoe trick is good unless its not the pair your wearing,
Yay for that Sheraton…not everyone is that honest. But yeah, I think you need to make sure it’s the shoe(sO you plan to wear on the day you check out 😉
I like safes. They prevent crimes of opportunity where the maid leaves the door open and somebody just runs in and out. Never had anything stolen from one. That said I don’t think I’d put a shoe in the safe at night. You might need it to exit quickly in the event of a fire. Typically I empty a safe at bedtime the night before checkout as I like to have everything packed up. Have only once left something (a laptop) which I discovered missing at the airport checkpoint, and then had shipped back to me.
This is one of reason why virus are so active. People are shearing germs through their dirty shoes that were touching restrooms floors. Or is the shoe inside a plastic bag? If so, maybe brilliant idea.
But what if you forget where you put your shoe?
(Said the old guy…..)
I’ve been leaving a shoe in the safe for years and it works. And as a Tour Director, I suggest to my guests on every trip they do the same. It really does work….