A methodical final sweep can save you from a major headache.
The end of a hotel stay is often a rushed and chaotic affair, a mad dash to pack your bags and to get to the airport on time. This is precisely when the most common and frustrating travel mistakes are made. Leaving a critical item like a phone charger, a piece of jewelry, or even your passport behind can be a trip-ruining disaster.
Adopting a simple, methodical, ten-minute departure ritual can save you from this fate. This is the professional traveler’s checklist for a perfect, stress-free hotel checkout.
1. You should strip the bed completely.
This is the number one step that most people skip. It is incredibly easy for a small, flat item to get lost among the sheets, the blankets, and the comforter. People frequently leave behind their phone, their tablet, their e-reader, or their book after reading in bed the night before. By pulling all the linens off the bed, you will immediately reveal anything that has been left behind, as stated in BuzzFeed.
It’s a simple, two-minute task that can save you from the gut-wrenching realization that you have left an expensive and essential electronic device behind.
2. You need to check every single power outlet.
The most commonly forgotten item in a hotel room is a phone charger. We plug them in, often in an awkwardly placed outlet behind the bed or under a desk, and then we completely forget about them in the morning rush. A key part of the departure ritual is to physically go to every single power outlet in the room and to check it, according to Vitruvi.
You should unplug every single one of your chargers and immediately pack them into a designated pouch in your bag. This methodical check will ensure that you don’t have to buy an overpriced charger at the airport.
3. You should do a full, three-point check of the bathroom.
The bathroom is another hotspot for forgotten items. The three key places to check are the back of the bathroom door, where you may have hung a towel or a piece of clothing; inside the shower, where a bottle of shampoo or a razor is often left behind; and inside all of the drawers and cabinets, as shared by Tourism Tattler.
Many people will forget about the toiletries they have stored in a drawer. By making a conscious effort to check these three specific zones, you are much less likely to leave any of your personal care items behind.
4. You must open every single closet and dresser drawer.
It seems obvious, but a common mistake is to forget about an item of clothing that you have placed in a dresser drawer or on a shelf in the closet. The best way to avoid this is to physically open every single drawer and closet door one last time, even the ones you don’t think you used. Run your hand along the back of each drawer to make sure nothing has slid to the back.
This methodical sweep ensures that you don’t leave behind that one favorite shirt or a pair of socks that you had put away.
5. You have to double-check the in-room safe.
This is perhaps the most critical check of all, as the in-room safe is where you are most likely to have stored your most valuable possessions: your passport, your extra cash, and any jewelry. Leaving these items behind is a catastrophic and trip-ruining mistake. It is absolutely essential that you open the safe and visually confirm that it is empty before you leave.
Many seasoned travelers will even place one of their shoes in the safe with their valuables, as it is very unlikely that they will leave the hotel room without both of their shoes.
6. You should do a quick scan under the bed and the furniture.
It is very easy for a small item, like a single sock, a phone charger, or a child’s toy, to get kicked or to fall under the bed or a chair. Before you leave, you should get down on your hands and knees and do a quick visual scan of the dark spaces under the furniture. You can use your phone’s flashlight to get a better look.
This quick check can often reveal a small but essential item that has gone missing, saving you from the frustration of losing it for good.
7. You need to review your hotel bill for any errors.
Before you officially check out, you should always take a minute to review a copy of your bill for any errors. The most common error is a mistaken minibar charge, which can happen even if you haven’t touched anything. It is much easier to dispute a mistaken charge in person at the front desk than it is to try and get a refund over the phone after you have already left.
This simple review can save you from a frustrating and often unsuccessful battle with the hotel’s accounting department later on.
8. Do one final, slow scan from the doorway.
The very last step in the ritual is to put all of your luggage by the door, and then to turn around and to do one final, slow, 360-degree scan of the entire room from the perspective of the doorway. This final visual sweep is your last chance to spot anything that you may have missed in your more detailed checks.
This slow, deliberate look will often reveal an item that is sitting in plain sight that you have simply become blind to. It is the final, crucial step to ensuring a perfect checkout.