palmettoprincess

Over the years I have had a few casualities. I left a beloved pillow. I lost one shoe. (Security did say that they had reports of a one-legged thief.) More recently I left a phone charger that cost more than a new phone.

Still smarting over the cellphone charger incident, I pledged to do better. I considered re-packing my suitcase against the list that I used to pack it, but I had a mixture of clean and wet clothes, yuck.

I considered adopting a zone defense of checking sections of the room/condo and then I hit a solution. All through our trip my kids had been playing a treasure hunt game where they hide various happy meal toys in the car and condo. I would make it a game. I hid the cherished pieces and I offered a prize $1 for each of our possessions that I had failed to pack. The toys were found and the hunt was begun. Two socks later (separate pairs of course) we concluded that we indeed had done a good job repacking and we were on the road in record time.

When we got home we talked about the things we did and saw and guess what the treasure hunt was one of the highlights of the trip.

How do you remember to take everything back home?

FainaAgain

I try to use as less draws as possible, and check and double-check the hotel room(s) before leaving.

Try not to spread out your posessions, suitcase, closet, bathroom counter, and that's it.

When the kids were small, sure, we left things behind. Now, on my own, it's more of a "what have I forgotten to bring from home this time" game

bugswife1

First I pack and get the suitcases ready by the door. Then I go down and have breakfast and a few coffees. I take a 2nd, 'fresh' look before I leave. I find that breaking up the 2 searches is better than just checking an rechecking right after each other. I have been known to miss the same thing twice when doing it that way.

Ike

Common sense is the best way to make sure you don't leave something. But that doesn't always work. My wife has left jewelry, make up mirror, et al but luckily we always got most of it back. Back before 9/11 I left a Brown ing Auto Pistol in a very nice hotel in FL but we were only a short drive away when I realized it and went back to retrieve it. Now days I just do like they do in the Marines, go around and cover your tracks but you still might leave something under the bed or similar. My wife hid her purse behind the curtains in a hotel room in NYC last year with the room safe key in it. She found it after security opened the safe and gave her a new key. Just play it safe each time and you should be all right.

Dayle

If you do leave something behind, call and ask if they found it. Usually they have and will gladly send it to you.

I got a down pillow back and I was able to get my boss's cell phone, charger back another time.

Sunshinesue

Always put a colored pillowcase on your pillow. It will stand out against the white ones on the hotel bed and you won't forget it.

Anonymous

In addition to a systematic search strategy that includes drawers, outlets, and behind curtains (window and shower), our main defensive strategy is to spread out as little as possible and to keep things visible: when plugging in a charger, choose an outlet that will be harder to overlook in the morning. If you set something down, put it on a table or bureau, not on a chair where it can hide behind the cushions.

happytrailstoyou

Hang items only in the closet and place items only on flat surfaces. (Don't hang anything on the back of a door or put anything in a drawer.)

Put dirty clothes in the plastic laundry bag provided by the motel or hotel.

Double-check flat surfaces and closet before leaving.

If I have to get up extra early for a flight, I triple-check.

GoTravel

I thoroughly check the room.

Silly I know but easier than having kids

P_M

I make one last check of the room.

Then I check again.

Then I check again, it's the last time, really.

I walk to the door with my suitcase, look back, and check the room again.

Then I look under the bed.

I've never found anything of mine under the bed, but you'd be surprised at some of the things I've found under the bed left by others.

Samsaf

Whenever I am charging my phone, I put the phone itself (plugged in) in a suitcase, bag or purse. Then when I take the phone off the charger, I immediately put the charger in a bag. If I didn't do this, I would surely forget the charger.

cfntmpn

I always put my phone charger in the same place, no matter what city or hotel i'm in - the bathroom. This way, I have trained myself to always grab it - ALSO - i have a big piece of pink paper around the cord so it sticks out.

I never put clothes in drawers - unless my stay is longer than 7 days (which is frequent, believe it or not).

Everything else I keep in the closet - including the suitcase itself (on the luggage rack) and my shoes.

I have a separate (small) case that I put all of my bathroom esentials - including curling iron, etc... This stays in the bathroom, under the vanity - that way I can dump everything back into it. If it is impossible to put leave the "makeup bag" in the bathroom, I keep it in the closet as well.

It's all about habit for me.

And it took only one time of leaving 3 of my favorite shirts in a drawer and not being able to get it back from the hotel to train myself!

happytrailstoyou

I finally get to use LOL: I thoroughly check the room. Silly I know but easier than having kids

I forgot to mention. I don't put clothing or other items on chairs or other furniture and I don't drop clothing on the floor. Items dropped on the floor in a large room are sometimes hard to see because floor coverings in hotel rooms designed to hide dirt also "hidd" dark clothing.

toedtoes

I use my suitcase as my dresser. When I change for bed, I neatly fold up the clothes I was wearing and return them to the suitcase. Worn socks and undies go in a plastic baggy in the suitcase. When I get up, I take out that day's clothes, change, and put my nightclothes back in the suitcase.

All my toiletries (except shampoo, conditioner and body wash which stay in the shower) stay in my toiletry case in my suitcase - each morning I take the toiletry case to the bathroom, do my thing, and return it to the suitcase.

My electronics get plugged in each night to charge on the desk, and in the morning when I grab them to go out, I put the cords back in the suitcase.

The only items on the bedside table at night are the book I'm reading, my wallet, and my watch - which I take everywhere I go. Everything else stays in the suitcase.

While I'm there, anything that doesn't go out with me, is locked away in my suitcase.

Before I check out of the hotel, I put the 3 toiletry bottles back in the toiletry case which is in the suitcase. I check the bathroom, the bedside table and the desk - if there's nothing in those three places, I'm good to go.

So far, I have never left anything (knocking on wood).

suze

I've yet to leave anything behind in a hotel room...

I start packing the night before, kind of collect things up gradually, never pack in a hurry, rush around, or while drinking(!) & then check the room several times once I'm really ready to go out the door. I'm no genius but am (possibly overly) organized by nature. It's a gift.

happytrailstoyou

It is a true blessing to be gifted and organized by nature. Mazel tov.

One of my favorite travel items is a toothbrush holder that adheres to the bathroom mirror by suction cups. I have left it behind twice--both times when overly tired.

But no longer. I give special attention to it when I pack up toiletries.

HonestAbe

The best two points have already been made:

1. use your suitcase as your dresser. Your "stuff" should be limited to 2 spots: the bathroom sink and your suitcase. Add the desk if you are a business person, in which case most of the junk should stay in your briefcase.

2. pack the night before. It is the hurried rushes out of the room that get you, every time.

LucieV

I'm like P_M. I check, check, and check again. Then my husband checks and checks and checks again.

Sometimes, if I know I'm going to be rushed or something in the morning, I make a list the night before. Which works great, as long as I remember to check the list.

Dukey

Pack everything but absolute essentials the night before departure.

Check in all the drawers by OPENING THEM...why have drawers if you can't use them?

Look BEHIND all the loose cushions AND under the bed

Open the closet doors all the way and actually stick your head inside.

LoveItaly

Dukey'a plan of attack is what I do. I pack the night before checking out except for leaving out what I will wear the next day. I check every drawer carefully etc.

The next morning I just have to put my nightclothes in the luggage and also my toilitries after getting ready.

I always, without exception, put my jewelry in my purse each and every night before I go to bed so no fear of leaving that in the room while staying at the hotel or when I check out.