This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Disclosure, visit this page.
Yesterday, I was in New York City attending a media event for Airbnb. I’ll share those details later today once the embargo is lifted. But since I was going straight to New York’s LaGuardia Airport immediately after the press event, I brought my bags with me. Something the bellman said to me and something that happened immediately after was the inspiration for this tip. RELATED: Brilliant: How a Simple Picture Can Prevent Headaches and Hassles if an Airline Loses Your Bag
If you get my travel tip newsletter (sign up here, it’s free) then you know I like to take photos of pretty much everything. Including the foods I eat while traveling. I also always take photos of my car rentals before and after to prove I didn’t do any damage.
I photograph my parking spots and hotel room numbers so I don’t forget where I parked or the room I’m in. And I take photos of my checked luggage so if my bags go missing, I can show the airline representative exactly what they look like. This is another reason not to travel with this kind of bag.
So yesterday, after I gave my bags to the bellman to store and he handed me a tag, something very interesting happened. As I started to walk away, I reached to grab my phone from my pocket to take a photo of it. The bellman said, “I recommend all our guests to take a pic of their tag so if they lose it, they won’t have any trouble getting them back.” I replied with a smile, because that’s exactly the kind of thing I do and it’s exactly the kind of advice every traveler needs.
I told him I also do this when I get a valet stub for my car at hotels, then I ‘favorite’ the photo so I’m not scrambling to find it.
Less than five minutes later, I walked out of the breakfast room to go outside to call my kids. A woman came up to me and said, “Excuse me, sir, you dropped this ticket stub.” It happened when I pulled my phone out of my pocket. How funny is that? It’s proof that this tip works and is the reason I’m sharing it with you.
Again, I take photos of almost everything and I say ‘almost’ because I know some people even take photos of their stoves, coffee makers and irons to remind themselves that they turned them off when they leave for a trip. Instead, of worrying, I have one of our indoor security cameras pointed at our stove so I can have peace of mind.
Speaking of peace of mind, I also have this garage door device that allows me to open and close it while I’m away. I can also see if it’s closed or not and most importantly, it sends me a notification if I accidentally leave it open for more than 10 minutes (you can set the time limit). Here’s more information on it.
KEEP READING:
–8 Ways To Make Sure An Airline Doesn’t Lose Your Bag … And That You Don’t Get Robbed or Stalked
–The Trick For Getting Airport Luggage Carts for Free
–Airline Lost Your Luggage? Do This If You Want to Get Compensated
–Why Frequent Fliers Use Apple AirTags or Samsung SmartTags When They Travel
–An Airline Executive’s Number One Tip for Avoiding Lost Luggage When You Fly
Want more travel news, tips and deals? Sign up to Johnny Jet’s free newsletter and check out these popular posts: The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without and 12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees. Follow Johnny Jet on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for all of my travel posts.
My wife and I also have wifi garage door control. However, Until recently, I hadn’t set the reminder notification. Prior to that we went on vacation and accidently left one of the doors open. The next day I received a delayed notification that our garage door #2 had opened at a time that would have been almost 18 hrs before. I checked the phone app and saw that door indicated open. After verifying via a garage camera, I immediately instructed the door to close via the app. When the app screen indicated it was closed, I again verified it via the camera. And then relaxed. I have since changed notifications such that I receive an open status much quicker!!