Nightly ritual

Oh yes....I arrange my important items (passport, purse, phone/iPad) so they are easy to grab and layer my clean clothes for the next day either on my suitcase or the back of a chair so they are easy to don and I don't have to go out in my pjs.

Someone on here a few years ago said they point their shoes to the exit stairs but I'm usually staying in hotels where that is straightforward so I've not got that as a habit.

editing to add: Oh yes...and room key! I stash that back in my crossbody as soon as I come into my room so it's ready for a quick exit.

@Pam:

and room key! I stash that back in my crossbody as soon as I come into
my room so it's ready for a quick exit.

I do something very similar. I either hang the super heavy European hotel room key on the door knob, or put it in my wallet if it's a modern card key. By the way, why are these hotel keys always so bulky and heavy? It still baffles me to this day.

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Edit:
@Pam
A few years ago I commented when you posted your 10,000th comment. Gosh you have now reached 16,937 comments :)

You both are way more organized than I am! I guess I need to start doing that as well. That makes sense. I'm not sure why I didn't think about that before!

That said, most of my important documents are always in my crossbody bag, so I don't need to try and open a safe in the middle of the night, thank goodness! I'd have a hard enough time doing that during the day!

By the way, why are these hotel keys always so bulky and heavy?

So you remember to leave them at reception before you go out for the day.

"@Pam A few years ago I commented when you posted your 10,000th comment. Gosh you have now reached 16,937 comments :)"

Awwww, that is so sweet!

And Mardee...I, too, have been awakened in the night by a false fire alarm. I was fairly well organized with stuff but not clothing so I started doing that. Pretty easy to lay things out after an evening shower!

Pam, you've convinced me. I will start doing that. You know I actually should do something like that here. I've heard of people having a go bag, and that makes a whole lot of sense. If there was a fire in the middle of the night in your house, it would be helpful to have some clothes to get into, especially if you couldn't leave your bedroom. And also car keys, license, passport, etc.

@Frank II:

So you remember to leave them at reception before you go out for the day.

This actually makes sense to me!

@Mardee:

I've heard of people having a go bag, and that makes a whole lot of
sense

I have a go bag in the closet right next to my home entrance that has all my important documents, a bit of cash and clothing. It's definitely a good thing to have.

We've had hotel fire alarms in the US (late evening) and in the Highlands, Scotland (middle of the night). In the highlands, I grabbed my computer and purse, but not the rental car key. So, with our car handy in the nearest space near the hotel, we had to stand in the pouring rain with everyone else (except a few who DID have their car keys). We now always have shoes close at hand, but we need to be better about preparing everything else for an emergency exit.

Hi, I am a huge safety advocate when traveling- one of the reasons my husband was comfortable with me traveling solo. Here’s what I do:

Tom Bihn travel “tray” (it’s a bag)- the larger sized one is always on the bedside table. If the table is really tiny, I leave the drawstring somewhat closed & don’t roll down the bag. These things are always placed in it when I return for the evening:

• Reading glasses
• Phone being charged
• Tiny flashlight
• Room key
• Money belt that always has my passport, credit cards, ATM card and large Euro bills.
• Tiny pad of paper & pen.

Shoes are next to the bedside table.

If an alarm goes off, I unplug the charger and wrap it back into the TB tray, cinch up the drawstring and walk out the door.

ALWAYS TAKE YOUR ROOM KEY WITH YOU. Ask for two keys if the room needs one to control the lights. If your exit paths become unusable, you need to be able to escape back into your room.

Some of the hotel layouts can be very quirky! Glance at the map on the room door, when available, or at least check which direction is the exit.

I don’t want to turn this into a money belt discussion, but something to think about - if your hotel has a fire while you’re out, you may not be able to retrieve your passport. We had a fire alarm goes off off in Stuttgart last year during the day.

@Jean:

if your hotel has a fire while you’re out, you may not be able to
retrieve your passport.

I carry my passport and extra credit card with me in a crossbody sling bag when en route to the next town. When out and about in the city I keep them in the hotel safe; instead I carry with me my 'old passport, a passport photo, a laminated copy of my current passport data page' as precaution in case an emergency passport is needed.

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Edit:

Everything is possible but not everything has the same probability. Everyone should do whatever they feel most comfortable with.

Quote from Google search:

Based on travel experts consensus, carrying your passport with you all
the time has a higher probability of loss or theft than leaving it in
a hotel safe and having the hotel catch fire. Daily handling increases
risks of misplacing it, pickpocketing, or damage, whereas hotel safe
theft or destruction is statistically rare.

Ah, proactive emergency prep whether at home or away- a favorite topic for me, along with packing!
Living in the great PNW having a "go" bag is a necessity. By the back door, two- one with documents, some clothes and toiletries and one with actual supplies.
I did experience a real, albeit thankfully small, fire in Italy years ago in a creaky old hotel with a lot of stairs and very small, squeaky elevator. We all were ushered outside. Fortunately it was summer and we were allowed in after an hour or so.
I like the Tom Binh cinch holder, too, because it holds so much. I use a money belt and have it stuffed in my little crossbody hanging on the room door and also have my clothes/coat/shoes ready to go.
I do check for room sprinklers, alarms and escape maps upon arrival. My compliments to the country of Scotland! (Those are the biggest fire extinguishers and best signage of anywhere I have been!)
I, too, think about something happening to keep me out of the hotel if gone for the day, remote as it seems.
Safe travels to all!

Also think about medications…. My son has some without which he would be in serious trouble, and a few are very difficult to obtain (specialty pharmacy drugs). So I always have a few-day supply in my crossbody bag that goes everywhere with me, which also includes passports. I figure if the hotel burns down while we are out for the day, at least we can get home without a medical crisis.

DebVT, ah, thank you for mentioning medications! I moved mine from the toiletry kit during my trip in Spain in February over to the Tom Bihn bag. I’ll add that change to my packing list today. : )

Mindfulness, my passport is about as secure as possible, living tucked away in the money belt, under my clothes. If someone is able to retrieve it there, I have bigger issues than a lost passport! ; )

Since I started traveling for work in the 80s I have followed the same routine. Every night I put the pants I wore that day on the hotel room chair. In the pockets are my wallet, car keys, room key, and passport. These days the cell phone is on a charger.

I’m certain that under any circumstances I will grab my pants as I leave the room. Had to do it once in London.

@ DebVT:

Having redundancy is critical for important stuff such as passport (old passport, copy of new passport, passport photo and driver license are needed to apply for emergency passport) and medications. Instead of having all of them in my carry-on bag now; I will pack extra supply in my sling bag like you suggested. Thanks for this great suggestion!

Every night after being out all day, I empty my day bag then replenish needed items, such as tissues, wipes, next day’s tickets, etc.
Everything goes back into the same pockets, every single time.
I always carry a wee bag with some meds and bandaids in it, in the daybag.
Money belt goes into the bag till the next day.
Day bag hangs on the back of the chair where the next day’s clothes are laid out ready.
Shoes are ready near the door.
Devices are charged before going to sleep and unplugged ready for use.
Routine, but helpful.

My passport is never in the safe, it stays in my jacket or neck pouch. Inside my pants are the wallet, the 4 credit cards, the hidden pocket, but the neck pouch stays on me. In the wallet, neck pouch hidden pocket and waist belt is the money, ie Euro cash, (bills in 20s and 50s) .

My plastic room key is on the desk, plain to see. In Paris and other 2 or 3 star hotels elsewhere in France where I stay, one of the rules is to turn in the key before stepping out.

What Google says about losing one's passport if it is in daily contact with your hands, that's me. Almost everyday, I handle the passport. One reason I put Euro cash there too. I reject that view, the reasoning is fallacious . never came close to losing my passport ever. In 2024 I thought I did in Paris but the passport was secure, safe and sound all the time, only I didn't know it.

Applause for all of the good work above, of course, depending on the time of year, your outerwear also needs to be on this magical chair, my only experience with a fire alarm was a January night in Boston.

For non crisis room departure, for years I threaded my phone charger thru my Birkenstock
Never left a charger behind!!

Interesting discussion and ideas! I also live in the Pacific Northwest so I have a go bag at home and in the car. I also have a portable fire safe with valuables and it holds a checklist for what to grab room by room through the house. It occurs to me a travel specific checklist stored on my phone might be handy so I don't leave anything behind if I am alert enough to think of looking at it!

I have been a solo traveler so much of my travel life, I got into the habit early of keeping neck wallet with passport and debit cards etc and my purse on the bed next to me at night. Shoes ready next to bed so at possible fire alarm I’m good to grab it up and go. Also leave coat hanging as near the door as possible. Lately room keys have been the credit card type stuck next to the door to keep the lights on.

I agree with Jean, I keep my passport under my clothes at all times so anyone trying to lift it will definitely be noticed!

And I will add the only time a fire alarm went off in my hotel, I was in the shower! Fortunately I had been warned they had a very touchy fire alarm that reacted to dust in the air and they were doing building maintenance so I didn’t run out in the hall with only my coat and shoes on while dripping wet.