The simple trick to stop panicking about your home while on holiday
Holidays are a sacred time that should be filled with plenty of rest and relaxation while you are away. Unfortunately, there can be times on your holiday when thoughts about how you left your home can creep into your mind and cause panic.
Did you lock the doors? Did you turn off the stove? Was the fridge door closed properly?
Although these thoughts may be irrational, they are stealing your time of rest and they may even prompt paranoid reactions like asking your family to check on your home.
One simple trick has been discovered that will put those annoying doubts to rest while you are away.
Nicole Dieker at Lifehacker recommends taking photos of various things around the house before leaving the house for your holiday.
This trick works because it not only forces you to carefully check everything around the house but you also have hard evidence on your phone or camera if you are ever having doubts.
“I take photos before I go on long trips to give myself proof that the oven dials are in the right place and the thermostats are turned off,” she wrote.
“The funny thing is that I’ve never once wanted to look at this proof after I’ve photographed it; it also turns off the part of my brain that gets anxious about accidentally leaving something on.”
Items around the house to take photos of:
- Switches and dials on air-conditioning units, heaters, thermostats, radiators and fans.
- Small appliances that are fire risks (E.g. hair straighteners, clothing irons). Make sure the photo shows them unplugged and in a safe location.
- Dangerous items in the kitchen that show the switches and dials set to “off” (E.g. stovetop, oven, kettle, coffee machine, toaster).
- The fridge and freezer doors to prove they are correctly closed.
- Windows and doors including the garage door to prove they are closed and locked.
- Candles to prove they have been snuffed out.
Image: Getty