Losing things

Thankfully, just a cheap pair of sunglasses on my latest trip, which I think in the rental car.

I thought I lost a few things, but I found them in a compartment in my suitcase when I got it out to pack for the next trip!

A favorite scarf in Santiago Chile, slippers in Sicily, favorite water bottle in Madrid. Probably more. 🙄

The worst was leaving my phone in a restaurant near the Grand Canyon last fall. I was super lucky and was able to retrieve it the next day when they opened. Yikes.

What I do. I keep a bag (often my hat) on the nightstand or a table in the hotel room. Every evening I unload all the little stuff I had out that day into the bag, so I have it all to ready to pick through in the morning. End of stay, the bag goes into luggage.

I try to keep close track of things when I travel, I have a routine for clearing out of hotel rooms. I left a little alarm clock in one 35 years ago, but that's about it. But I know your trip to Paris didn't go as expected, Tammy, and that must have been more than a little disorienting. If you were stuck in a hotel for days and days, it would be easy to lose track of where things were, and maybe so excited when you could leave that you might not have been as systematic as usual about getting stuff together.

On to the next trip!

In Ireland I went to a Medieval Banquet and left my Nikon camera on the table! The next morning we drove back to Bunratty castle, in Shannon, and the cleaning people had put the camera on a shelf with a note that someone might come looking for it, I can not tell you how relieved I was to get it back. It is easy when your having a good time while traveling to misplace something.

I have just started this since I began traveling again last July! On that trip, I never could find my plug adaptors I was sure I had packed - found them still in the bag exactly where they should have been when I was packing for my Sept. trip…..
Then in Dec., I walked off and left my 2 Binax Now tests plus my neck pillow in the Paris hotel (didn’t miss the tests till I was going to see about taking them with me in April).
Then in March, I left my sweater at a concert the night before I went to Barcelona.
THEN, I washed a bra and left it drying in the shower in Petra last month (wondering what someone thought about that….)

I do NOT have ADHD issues - ha! - but this is getting a little crazy! I am sure glad I am not the only one! This is definitely new.

Last week was our first international trip for over 2 years. Both my partner and I managed to lose our room cards - thankfully on different days. Couldn't believe it we NEVER lose things like keycards - must be lack of practice!

I'm really bad about leaving credit cards behind after paying for something. I hope the switch to the hand-held devices is going to make that less common, but on one recent trip my primary credit card didn't even make it onto the outbound flight; I left it in the restaurant receipt folder at Dulles Airport! Others have been left behind in Pisa (train station ticket counter) and Bilbao (probably in bus-ticket vending machine), once on either a bus or a train somewhere in France (fell out when I was looking for something else) and once here in DC. Needless to say, I now start each trip with three credit cards.

I also left a charging cable and plug on a bed in a rural B&B in Romania (white sheets, white cable, not a good place to have put that down).

I left a black rain jacket hanging inside a very dark toilet stall at a rail station in France; that I got back after paying SNCF's recovered-item fee of 5 euros.

I managed to drop my brand new senior rail card somewhere in the Glasgow train station on the way to the turnstile. That never turned up even though the station wasn't busy at all at the time.

I left a nice, lightweight folding umbrella in a restaurant in Bulgaria and didn't realize it in time to go back for it.

Actually, given how much I travel, I haven't done all that badly except for the credit cards. It is such a pain to have to deal with a lost credit card. I have a lot of things set up for auto-pay, and that goes by the boards fairly quickly when a card is reported lost or stolen.

I hope this makes you feel better, Tammy -

I once lost TWO Panasonic LUMIX cameras in one trip to Florida. First I lost mine at a pizza parlor. Then, I lost Ron’s at some sort of home we toured.

The one I lost at the home was taken in by a new family who, somehow, located me and then mailed the camera home to me in Washington!!!!!

Ron still likes to tell the story of me losing two $400 cameras in a matter of days:)

found them still in the bag exactly where they should have been when I was packing for my Sept. trip

I recently "lost" a mask and a pair of glasses that I thought I had already packed. I dumped out my backpack several times and didn't find them ..... until I did. Right where I had packed them and right where I thought I had looked for them half a dozen times.

was taken in by a new family who, somehow, located me and then mailed the camera home to me in Washington!!!!!

That is an incredible detective story. Wow!

CWSocial - that is EXACTLY what happened with those goofy adaptors!

Valerie, I think your story wins the prize!

As the result of a tip I read a few years back on the forum, I pack a little 2-compartment plastic tray (a microwave food dish in its former life) that I decorated with red duct tape for visibility. I set it on the beside table and put in it all the little things that I'm likely to lose.

Of course, that doesn't help when I leave my (fortunately cheap) reading glasses on a table in Milan. Yep, did that.

My marbles? I have "lost" a number of charging cables, glasses - both prescription and sun - jewelry (including a watch stolen in Florida and earrings in New York). Fortunately I have not lost my children or spouse. And I think if we can all manage to not lose our sense of humor we'll make it through this pandemic.

This is a little different story. About 3 days after returning on a flight from Baltimore, I discovered my license was not in my wallet. I remembered putting it in my back pocket after going through security. I remembered washing my jeans as soon as I got home, so I checked the washing machine and the dryer. No license. Oh, well, I just applied for a replacement. Annoying, but easily done online.
Fast forward 6 weeks later. Took a load of laundry out of the dryer and there was my license kind of stuck in the dryer drum. I had washed/dried several loads in the meantime and never saw it. I now believe dryers eat both socks and driver licenses!

Remember that trip report where some guy left his carry-on a plane and ended up in Germany with nothing but the clothes on his back?

I can't think of a single thing I have ever lost on a trip. Also nothing ever stolen except for a laundry bag I left in a Paris lavarie while I went across the street for a coffee while waiting on my clothes to dry. Probably dumb luck, but I am very organized. I also never "lose" or misplace anything at home, like keys, phone, etc.

@Dave - LOL, I will never forget your story about that. It was awesome! Hey - you moved somewhere new?

And then there's the guy who picked up the wrong bag and had to wear an American guy's clothes for the week!

Trotter stole my answer (marbles/mind). I've also lost my sense of humor a couple of times. And recently, at home, I've misplaced more than a few items I intend to travel with soon including the thingy that allows me to plug earbuds into my phone. I'm hoping my pre-losing things will help offset any during-trip losses!

Ha, glad I’m not the only one. I know these items will not be found. They were all lost when I was out and about.

Yep, Valerie yours may be the most expensive lost. And Valerie, if Ron loves telling people that story, it’s probably because of the ribbing you give him about packing only 2 pair of underwear on your trips!

Squirrel!!! I lose stuff all the time. The joke with my husband is "why am I always looking for S!%&?" It's not dementia. I attribute it to sensory overload. I'll be doing something but something else will catch my eye, there will be a distraction, or interruption and before I know it, whatever was just in my hand I'm spending 30 minutes looking for it.

@Tammy - I deserve any ribbing Ron dishes out, for sure!

And on a similar note, when we got back from France last fall, Ron promptly took his CDC card and then it disappeared. I told him that we absolutely needed it for concerts, restaurants etc. and he must find it. He could not locate it. In desperation, I went through the garbage and then, finally, our huge blue recycle can in the garage.

I found it in the recycle. And now, when I ask him WHY he would throw away an invaluable CDC vaccine card, he smugly replies: I didn’t throw it away - I recycled it.

I have a dedicated place to put every single thing and stick to it or zI would loose a lot of my things! The only thing I ever lost was a necklace I left in a hotel on the nightstand. Now I put all jewelry away and do not take my good jewelry when I travel. I take a travel purse with many zippered compartments made by Baggalini, a carryon and a 22” piece of luggage. One trip that involved a change of climates so I took a 25” bag and it was a mess, couldn’t find anything when I needed it. A smaller bag makes it much easier for me to keep track of things.

Yes, I have lost things over the years!

I'm still looking for my favorite nightgown that I must have left behind on a trip somewhere.

On one of my last international trips, I managed to lose my blow up travel pillow on the plane. Since then I realized I never really needed it any more anyway. (I love the wings on the back of the seats.)

Many years ago, my husband (then boyfriend) left his camera in a shop in France where we had stopped for something. Somehow we were able to go back and it was still there.

I did manage to get my purse pickpocketed once in Amsterdam. l was being very lazy on a business trip. Luckily I still had my passport. Many months later after I was home and had replaced my credit cards and drivers license, I received an envelope in the mail and someone had found my drivers license on the street and mailed it back to me!

I have been using a small, USB charger with built in adapter plugs for just over two years. It's not one of those big, boxlike things but a small, fit in your palm adapter/charger. I loved it. I used it at home. It had two USB-A ports. While traveling it came out of my bag every night to charge my phone, tablet, Kindle, etc.

I left it in the Finnair lounge at Helsinki airport last week. The plug was below the table. I had plugged in my phone to charge it knowing the plane didn't have plugs on board. I got up to get a cup of coffee and unplugged the phone because I never leave it unattended. I did, however, forget to replug it back in.

I sat down, took a few sips and realized it was time to head to the gate. I packed up thinking I had everything.

When I got to my hotel in Manchester, I went looking for the charger but it was nowhere to be found. I then realized I had left it along with the USB cable with a red velcro cable tie.

I was bummed. I tried to find a way to contact the Finnair lounge to see if they found it but that was a waste of time. It cant be done.

The charger can't be replaced until I get back to the USA. Amazon in the UK had something similar but instead of two USB-A ports it has one USB-A port and one USB-C port. It's also slightly larger. I ordered one. It wasn't bad. I then ordered a second one. Both arrived the next day. This newer charger isn't available in the USA.

So, while I miss my little charger, I was able to replace it with something newer.

@Valerie... same general area but new place.

It wasn’t on an overseas trip but I left a nice Eileen Fisher linen shirt in a hotel. I never hang stuff on door hooks anymore because of that.

On the Best of Paris tour I left my black wallet with all my Canadian money in the black safe in the room. Put it in the day I arrived, but didn’t see it when emptying the safe on the morning of departure. Didn’t look for it until I arrived home. I had also bought a red heart shaped “Pilgrim’s Purse” for loose change. Had my leftover Euro coins in it. I think I lost it in the lobby on departure.

I contacted the RS hotel when I arrived home, and they immediately sent me the wallet. Cash intact. They couldn’t find the Pilgrim’s Purse. I could have bought another wallet, but the Pilgrim’s Purse was to be my best souvenir of St. Chapelle and Paris.

Most places I forget my nightlight. Some hotel rooms are very dark. A nightlight helps me to orient myself as to where I am in the middle of the night. Unfortunately the same light doesn’t light up during the day of my departure.

I bought some neon-striped duct tape several years ago the width of regular scotch tape. I wrapped anything that might get left behind because it’s white - adapters, phone plug, etc. The color is obvious.

When I traveled for work and brought a small down pillow, I used a flannel plaid pillowcase, so I didn’t accidentally forget it, or the cleaning staff inadvertently take it.

I usually keep everything in my suitcase, so I don’t forget something in the closet. Bathroom doors that open against a wall with a hook behind them is another hiding spot I try to avoid.

Never lost anything valuable or not important.

I came close once when I checked out of the hotel in Minden an der Weser, located just opposite of the train station, not in any hurry and rolling my spinner, but I then realised that I had left my carry-on in the hotel room.

I had checked out taking only half my luggage, walked back to retrieve it, don't remember what I told the hotel clerk.

Never left anything except a pocket notebook in a telephone booth once in Germany, I remember that, walked to get it and luckily it was still inside the phone booth....got it, exactly where it was left. Lost was the umbrella in Berlin, which I had just bought one hour before by leaving it on the tram.

On one London trip lost a small Canon G4 camera on the plane. No clue how.

I also mailed a package of my clothes back to my CA home from Lake Como. That was a decade ago. Still waiting.

A friend gave me a square leather catch all tray as a gift. Goes with me on all my trips.

At home it’s where I keep my change, small pocket knife, and St Christopher medal. On my trips it holds keys, room card, leather coin purse, safety pins, and twist ties. Great practical gift. Since receiving it nothing has gone astray.

Will say prior to getting the leather catchall I used a Hillshire Genoa Salami Small Plates plastic tray. Did double duty. Ate the salami, cheese and toasted rounds for a snack on the flight, then kept the tray to use in my room.

I have a printed and digital check off list. Use before I fly out and before my return flight. Truly beneficial!

Now we just blame it on Covid and our lost travel years. We are almost like newbies when we travel. We are currently in Germany on our first international trip so I’ll let you know in 3 more weeks how this goes…

Okay, Tammy. Thanks for reminding me of some of the things I have walked away from and had, happily, forgotten about 😂 I don't know where I've left more stuff, on airplanes or in hotel rooms. Over the years, I've tried and tried to keep track of everything, but it doesn't always work. A friend traveled with me and said I was the most disorganized organized person he knew. . . . I am careful to put everything in its place, then forget which place everything is in.

I did manage to lose my credit card in a Starbucks toilet in Barcelona with another 2 weeks to go in Spain. Capitol One was great and replaced it within 72 hours. And I left my only international ATM card in an apartment in Budapest last year. The manager found it and mailed it to me.

Swimsuits. I always lose swimsuits. Leave them to dry on the bathroom rack... and there they stay. I had one mailed to me once because I noticed soon afterwards, but on other occasions I only noticed when it was time to pack for the next trip!

One benefit of having a packing list, even on the tour. My travel kit has been standardized for years so I've got the inventory memorized. And I have tried to reduce the number of things I carry to only a few critical items. But I can still easily misplace or drop some that get handled often or taken in and out of pockets.

Just me: Don't lose your phone! I carry a small camera instead of relying on the phone's camera. More than a passport or wallet, the phone's value is almost incalculable because of its contents and advanced functions; the whole trip is in the phone. I do not wish to wave it around for every photo. I have seen folks drop their phones taking pictures; sometimes it is irretrievable.

One tip I learned on this forum for not leaving behind stuff you put in the hotel safe. Its to put one of the shoes you are going to wear on leaving in the safe (just one). That way when you're looking for it in the morning, you'll remember to check the safe.

I had never lost anything until our trip in February. We were in Iceland at the Sky Lagoon and I set me gloves down on a table as we were getting ready to leave. I did not realize until just as we were to board to bus back to Reykjavik. These were my beloved Marmot gloves that I use for snowshoeing etc. I figured they were long gone. Then two days later I realized I might as well email them and ask. This was the day we were leaving. I lucked out and they emailed back with a photo and asked if those were mine. YES! They shipped them home for me for $16 US dollars and they arrived in about 5 days. I was beyond thrilled to have those back!!!

the phone's value is almost incalculable because of its contents and advanced functions; the whole trip is in the phone

Couldn't agree more! And this is why I keep my just-prior phone to use during my travels as both phone and camera; my current phone acts as a carefully guarded "backup" during my trips. I'm less concerned about losing either phone, but I'm notorious for dropping them.

I lost a favourite bracelet on an end of the season ski trip once.
Couldn't find it anywhere and figured it was in a snowbank somewhere.
The following autumn I was getting out my ski clothes, and there it was , in the sleeve of a fleece I had worn on the day I "lost" it.
I take cheap jewelry on trips now, and at night put my earrings etc. in the top of a brightly coloured yogurt or peanut butter jar lid.
I do the shoe trick with hotel safes too.

My friend I travel with has lost a ton of things on our trips; including her new prescription eyeglasses, her phone charger, she left her daybag on a train, which fortunately we realised before it left the station again.
She left her new puffer jacket in its stuff bag under her bed in an airbnb...I was staying on longer, so I found it when I looked in her room after she had gone home.
The worst was leaving her passport in her scanner at home and arriving at her local airport and then realising when she went to check in, necessitating three taxi trips instead of one to go and get it in time to fly.
So not only am I keeping track of my stuff, I'm keeping track of hers too!
This is why I don't travel with groups of more than 4 people.

My most memorable lost item is an umbrella. We were having dinner at Augustiner in Munich and there was a huge rain squall. The German couple that we ended up sharing a table with insisted that we take their umbrella with us, since they had a car and we were walking/using public transit. We were taking the night train to Venice that night, so I can only assume that it was lost somewhere in the Munich HBF train station, since I remember browsing through some stores and buying snacks before our 23:XX departure time.

Tammy, I haven't lost anything (yet) but it's partly because I am so frigging paranoid that I check the hotel at least 4-5 times before I leave. I actually get stressed about losing things.

Glad they weren't too important!

I left the one and only mini pillow that has ever worked for me in my hotel room in Matera. I was on the Best of Southern Italy tour and left the white pillow on the bed with the white sheets. Lesson learned--no more white anything.

I have been lucky in that I usually do not lose/leave things when I travel.

I'm very jealous of all those who responded that they never lose things. It's been an ongoing story of my life, but thankfully, I am MUCH improved, although this last trip was a whopper!

In hotel rooms what works for us is for each of us to pack our own “stuff” and put the luggage by the door. Then individually we each check the bathroom and room, especially for chargers we may have plugged in, though now we don’t plug in by beds if possible but only by larger places like a desk or counter where the cords are more visible and don’t fall on the floor.

Admittedly, there was something else plus the umbrella above since I've thought about this: didn't really lose it per se but left it on the seat as I rushed off the train. This was in 2001 , my Canon Sure Shot 35 mm camera. The train had already pulled in at Lüneburg, quickly recognised the station, and rushed off without checking. I don't remember where I had gone for this day trip as I was staying in Lüneburg, either Hannover or Lübeck.

On a bus yesterday my husband walked out without his one hat he’d brought for our month long trip. Walked straight into the town we were visiting for the day and bought a new, even better one. He now has a great souvenir from Germany. We will get him a little carabiner hook so he can attach it to his backpack not put it over his knee when he sits down. Now to not walk off and forgot the backpack…

I have lost things. Short story long: The last big thing was on day one of Oktoberfest. I arrived without reservations, tried calling a few places I knew and they were all full (really, should I have been surprised?).

My first back-up was the TI so I strolled over there. It looked like the trading floor of the Chicago Mercantile. No way was I getting to the front of the line, let alone a place to sleep.

Back to the drawing board, I went back to my travel guides (Lonely Planet/Rough Guide?) and sat at a payphone with a phone card. Eventually I found a nice pension at the normal price.

Point being, when I got on a bus to go to the pension. I was frazzled, distracted and far from keeping track of my stuff. Later, I realized I'd lost a nice camera on the bus ride. I really can't say if it was stolen, or I'd just left it behind in my distracted state of mind?

Moral of the story: Since then, I stick with what I call my "One Handle Rule". Whether It's a travel day or I'm shopping. I keep everything I carry in one bag with one handle to worry about. I'm convinced it makes me less of a target for thieves and much less likely to leave something behind.

Someone in the forum recommended the Small Travel Tray by Tom Bihn so I bought it for my recent 5-week Europe trip. It was a lifesaver. It "stands' up so I always had it by my bedside to throw in everything including chargers, phone, chapstick, keys, glasses, ear phones, etc. The bottom flips to zip the tray close and it squishes down to fit in my back pack. It has a small leash on it so I could hang it on my airplane or train seat. It kept me from having to constantly look for things. I especially liked it on tray of my plane seat since in the past, things had rolled off the tray. I am buying one for all my family members for future presents.

I had purchased a Magellan’s bedside tray several years ago, not so much to keep from losing things, but to keep my hearing aids and other things corralled. Keeps me from having to crawl around on the floor when they get knocked off the bedside table. I also take a pillow on road trips, have left it behind several times…the cream colored case was not noticeable, I guess. The last time I did, the hotel fedexed it to me at my expense…more than $20. My road trip pillow now has a dark gray cover.