Left behind

What did you forget to pack on your last trip?

How about your phone?

“I was just about at the airport when I realized that my mobile phone was still on the charger,” remembers reader Char James-Tanny. “My husband gave me his, but communication was a bit wonky for three days — I had to call myself when I wanted to talk to him, and he spent a lot of time giving folks his mobile number so that they could get hold of me.”

Oh, the things we fail to pack.

Since travel season is just around the corner, I thought a reminder of our forgetful ways might be useful.

But first, an admission: I overlook things all the time. Once, I even neglected to pack underwear. Yes, it’s true. You can read all about it here.

But I’m in good company. Reader Alec McClure left his pants at home, “as opposed to the one pair of shorts I wore to travel — couldn’t show up at clients in that,” he recalls.

McClure also has left his keys, iPod, debit card, glasses and laptop at home. Now I don’t feel so bad …

Laptops are popular item to leave behind. And not just at home, but at the airport, too.

Donna Sevilla left her portable PC at the TSA security checkpoint in Seattle. “I didn’t realize it was missing until I arrived home in San Diego late in the evening and went to take it out of my carry-on bag,” she says. “Instantly, I had a vision of the laptop sitting in the gray bin back in Seattle.” (She eventually was able to track down the computer and get it shipped back to her.)

Perhaps the most remarkable story of forgetfulness comes from Sharon Adcock.

“Because I live close to LAX I usually take cabs to and from the airport, because it’s cheaper,” she says. “However, one trip was a same-day trip which meant the airport parking was cheaper. But because I take cabs so often, when I landed on that trip I automatically walked out to the taxi line and took a cab home. It wasn’t until I put the key in my door that I remembered I had driven to the airport that day — and my car was still in the airport parking lot!”

How do you not forget?

Keep a list. Hey, even the pros do it. They keep a checklist of the must-pack items and go through it every time to make sure it’s all there.

Pack light. The less you pack, the less you have to track. Don’t take the kitchen sink.

Double-check. Rather than putting everything in the bag, leave it out so you can take one last inventory before putting it all away. You’d be surprised at the missing items you’ll find.

Do a ‘walk-through.’ Check bathrooms and drawers to make sure the things that should be gone actually are gone. For example, is your electric shaver still plugged in? Well, that means it isn’t packed …

And remember, it’s travel — so no rules are foolproof. That’s what Mark Terry discovered when he thought he grabbed the wrong bag at the airport conveyor belt recently. “I knew it was my bag because it had a red belt around it. And it was shaped like my bag. So I grabbed it and walked out of there — no one asked to seem my claim stub,” he remembers. But he neglected to check the tag. And for a moment, he thought he had the wrong one. (Turns out it was his after all.)

I can do one better. I actually did grab the wrong bag off a plane a few weeks ago. I caught the mistake within a few seconds.

It helped that the owner was pursuing me down the Jetway.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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