According to travel experts, placing your luggage on the floor of a hotel room is one of the most common mistakes a traveler can make.
Are you making this common mistake with your luggage in a hotel room?
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These days, there are many things to keep in mind when packing, from airline carry-on regulations to how many pairs of socks to bring. However, once you arrive at your hotel, the precautions don't stop. You must be mindful of where to safely put your luggage to keep it clean and pest-free – especially from troublesome bed bugs. While most people know to avoid putting their suitcase on the bed, it turns out you should also reconsider leaving it on the floor.
LaDell Carter, a travel consultant and the founder of Royal Expression Travels, shared her professional advice, stating, "Personally, I always use the luggage rack to unpack and then store my luggage in the closet." She advises against leaving bags on the floor to avoid unwanted pests.
Carter recalled a personal experience, saying, "For example, while traveling in Jamaica, I once left my luggage on the floor for a short period." She later discovered that small lizards had crawled into her suitcase and inadvertently traveled home with her.
This practice isn't uncommon among seasoned travelers.
Kelli Tolliday, a wellness travel expert and the founder of Rising Nature Retreats, also explained her rationale. "After traveling to 45 countries and living across four continents, I have seen it all – the good, the bad, and the downright unsanitary," she said. She warns that bed bugs are known to be "notorious travelers" and can easily infest your luggage, clothing, and personal items, hitching a ride back to your home. "Once they settle in, bed bugs can be incredibly difficult and costly to eradicate, causing a significant headache for travelers."
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While bed bugs are Tolliday's primary concern, they aren't her only reason for keeping luggage off the floor. She pointed out that "hotel room floors, despite regular cleaning, can still harbor dirt, bacteria, and other unmentionables – especially hotel rooms with carpet. Floors are exposed to the shoes of previous guests, spills, and cleaning chemicals."
Beyond the "ick" factor, Tolliday also notes that leaving luggage on the floor can lead to disorganization, reinforcing Carter's suggestion to use the closet. At the very least, she recommends placing your bag on a hard, clean surface to minimize the risk of picking up pests.
Tolliday adds that travel "should be a time of enjoyment and discovery, free from the worries of pests, dirt, and damage to your belongings. By simply keeping your luggage off the hotel room floor, you can enhance your travel experience, ensuring that your belongings remain safe, clean, and organized."
For even greater peace of mind, some experts recommend leaving your luggage in the bathtub, a lesser-known but highly effective method for protecting your belongings from bed bugs. When you're traveling, remember that planning every detail, from how you park around airport to finding the best airport car parking fees, can make your trip much smoother. Look for airport coupons from services like ParkingNearAirports.io to save money and reduce stress before you even get on the plane.
