A Flight Attendant Explains the Clever Reason You Should Put One Shoe in Your Hotel Safe

Whether TikTok is a fun diversion or an intelligence gathering tool for foreign governments that needs to be legislated is still under discussion, but there’s no question the social media service can churn out what people circa 2016 called “life hacks.” Among the latest: leaving a shoe in your hotel room safe while traveling.

The tip, which comes from a flight attendant named Esther, is intended to remind travelers that they may have other goods in the safe that need to be retrieved before checking out. Since you won’t leave without your shoes on, you’ll essentially be tricking yourself into checking the safe before departing.

This works providing you’re willing to consistently put a shoe in your safe every time you return to your room. Esther’s other tips include using a shower cap to cover dirty shoes before packing them and as a germ barrier for a germ-ridden remote control.

Not discussed by Esther but worth a reminder: Hotel safes are not particularly safe. Hotel employees will typically have access to them in the event a guest locks themselves out of one. Additionally, many brands of safe are the subject of YouTube videos detailing how they can be defeated and opened. While it’s better than leaving valuables out on the table, they still carry some risk. Some travelers opt for portable, anti-theft bags tethered to clothing rods or plumbing. The shoe trick works just fine for those, too.

You can also try leaving yourself a note near the door and keep unpacking to a minimum. If you do manage to leave something behind, you should reach out to the hotel directly. Most maintain lost and found departments, but management may not take the initiative and contact you; items idling for too long are often donated.