How to Keep Your Valuables Safe Whenever You Travel
By Kathy Steinemann| Every time you devise a way to keep your things safe - then post the information online - crooks read your posts and learn how to circumvent what you have done. So, you might not want to follow some of these tips. However, use them to spark ideas. Are you looking for ways to keep your valuables safe while you travel? Here is a selection of ideas that have been used by travelers in the past. Although you might not want to follow some of the tips (because savvy crooks will already know about them) use this article as a springboard to develop your own security measures. Once you have discovered something that works for you, keep it a secret! Tips that everyone should read carefully are marked as Important in bold type. Important: Although the hotel safe is the best place to put valuables, in some areas of the world the "safe" is just a desk drawer that can be accessed by any of the hotel staff. Use your best judgment and avoid anything that does not feel right to you. It is impractical to take valuables with you. You should not leave them in your hotel room, either. So, what are you supposed to do if you are in a hotel without secure safes? Important: Do not leave the room until after it has been cleaned. As you exit, put the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the outside handle. Cleaning staff are more likely to avoid the room, thinking that it is occupied. Places Where You Might be Able to Hide Valuables You can place small valuables under the mattress once the room has been cleaned. Put them right under the center of the mattress (not under an edge where it is easy to see something by lifting a corner). Set some clothing or luggage on top of the bed. Using a utility knife, you can turn an old pocket book into a hiding place. Carefully carve a square hollow into the center of the pages, leaving several of the first and last pages intact. Place the book in plain sight. If it is in a small pile of paperbacks, it is not as likely to be disturbed. Other Tips Important: Keep your suitcases locked when you leave the room. Most thieves will be after small objects that they can hide on their person. Walking out of a room with a suitcase would arouse suspicion, especially in hotels with security cameras. If your room has a small fridge, you can hide valuables in food containers. Use your imagination - and don't forget where you stashed things when it is time to leave. Tape an envelope underneath a flat surface, to the back of the television, or to the wall behind heavy curtains. An envelope can also be stashed between clean towels stacked up in the bathroom, or under an unused wastebasket (since there is no need for cleaning staff to touch it). Place valuables in a sock and pin inside a back fold of heavy drapes (between drapes and wall - not in front of the window). Consider the tips mentioned, then try to devise something new and unique that will foil would-be thieves. About the Author: You will find hundreds of travel tips in Kathy's recent eBooks: Top Tips for Travel by Air and Top Tips for Packing Your Suitcase. No eReader? No problem! Most eBook sites provide free reader apps for your PC, Mac, tablet, and smartphone. Article source: 111 Travel Directory: Triple1.com (triple one dot com) |