Take A Picture Of Your Oven Before You Travel, It's Smarter Than It Sounds

Imagine that you're on your way to the airport, ready to hop on a plane and explore the many travel destinations around the world that belong on every food lover's bucket list. You've been planning this trip for months, but just as you're about to embrace the vacay mood, a thought starts to gnaw on you: Did you switch off the oven? Yes, surely you did. You always do. But what if this time, maybe, you didn't? And so, the spiral begins, causing major panic and stealing your peace of mind. Spare yourself the worry on your next trip and take a picture of the turned-off stove before you leave — bring receipts, as the kids would say.

Aside from calming your worries, this simple action also acts as a safety net, ensuring that you will actually turn off the oven. If you get into the habit of taking a quick photo before you leave for a trip, you're much more likely to catch an accidental oversight that could cause a kitchen fire. Leaving for a longer stretch of time, such as a few weeks or months? In that case, an extra layer of protection might be useful, just in case a gas leak or an electrical issue were to happen while you are gone. Consider investing in an indoor security camera, and install it in your kitchen to periodically check that everything is still safe.

The stove might be at the center of your concerns, but there are other items in your kitchen that could be a fire hazard if you forget to unplug them. Toasters, waffle makers, and electric kettles are all at risk, especially if you're using them to make a rushed breakfast just minutes before you have to leave for your trip. Take a picture of the appliance's unplugged cord, so you don't have to second-guess yourself once you're hundreds of miles away from home. Another safety measure could be found in small smart kitchen appliances, some of which allow the option for remote control through an app. Or, as a cheaper option that doesn't involve replacing your existing non-smart appliances, get yourself a few smart plugs that connect to your outlets.

Some issues that can happen while you're away might not be as obvious as a fire, though. If your house loses power for a certain amount of time due to an outage, the items in your freezer can thaw and you might never know that it happened. That's why it's a great idea to place a penny on top of a fully frozen cup of water, right before you leave for vacation. When you come back, the penny should still be on top — if it's lower in the glass or at the bottom, the freezer has thawed at some point, meaning risking food safety.