The One Thing to Do Before You Leave for Holiday Travel That Prevents the “Did I…?” Spiral

The Uber is five minutes away. Your suitcase is zipped, your passport is probably in your tote, and your airport outfit feels like a small victory. But as soon as the door clicks behind you, the thoughts start creeping in.

Did I turn off the stove? Did I unplug the iron? Did I close the windows upstairs?

This mental spiral has followed me on nearly every trip I’ve ever taken. I’ve spent flights half-checking my boarding pass, half-imagining my curling iron setting the apartment ablaze. It’s not a cute way to kick off a holiday—and it turns out, I’m not alone.

So a few years ago, I adopted a small habit that changed everything. One simple thing, done right before I walk out the door, that stops the spiral in its tracks. It’s not an app, not a gadget, not a mood board. It’s a 60-second ritual that now feels essential. And once you try it, it might become the smartest pre-travel habit you didn’t know you needed.

The Habit: Take a Video Walkthrough Before You Leave

Yes, it’s that simple.

Before you grab your coat and lock the door, take out your phone and record a short video of your home. Start at the front door and walk through each room, narrating what you're doing out loud.

“I’m turning off the kitchen light. Oven is off. Coffee machine unplugged. Back window is locked. Bedroom heater’s off. Living room candle is blown out. Front door is locked—yep, definitely locked.”

That’s it. Just a voice note to your future self, with receipts.

Why It Works (and Why It’s Not Overkill)

We live in a culture that glamorizes mindfulness while quietly feeding low-grade anxiety—especially around time off. Holiday travel ramps that up: you’re managing logistics, weather, gifts, family dynamics… and still trying to remember if you emptied the fridge.

The video walkthrough isn’t about paranoia—it’s about mental offloading. It allows your brain to stop looping through tasks because it knows they’ve been logged. Think of it as a calm-down tool with a built-in memory function.

Psychologists call this technique “cognitive offloading,” and it’s well-studied. A 2021 study published in Nature found that participants who recorded or wrote down tasks significantly reduced post-decision anxiety and second-guessing. The more detail, the better the relief.

Your video is essentially a real-time record of completion. And unlike a checklist that can be lost or misread, it shows you exactly what was done.

How to Do It Like a Pro (Without Feeling Like You’re Filming a Real Estate Tour)

Start by deciding which rooms and items are worth including. You don’t need to film inside every drawer—but you should hit your personal anxiety triggers. For most people, these include:

• Stoves, ovens, hot tools
• Windows and doors (locked or closed)
• Electronics and space heaters
• Candles, wax warmers, incense
• Thermostats or smart home settings
• Pets’ areas (if applicable)
• Alarm systems or timers

Narrate calmly and clearly, like you're walking a friend through the house. This creates a grounded, intentional rhythm that future-you will appreciate when you’re watching it at gate C32.

Keep the clip under 3 minutes. You want it to be quick to reference, not a documentary.

Bonus: It Helps Even If You Never Watch It Again

Here’s the beautiful irony: just taking the video is often enough. Once your brain registers that the tasks were seen, said, and saved, it stops spinning worst-case scenarios.

The physical act of walking through and speaking the actions out loud engages both your short-term and long-term memory, so your brain logs it more deeply than if you just thought about it. It’s like locking a drawer and also writing down the combination.

And if you do find yourself mid-trip wondering, “Did I unplug the Christmas lights?”—you can open your camera roll, watch yourself do it, and get back to your champagne spritz.

Why Not Just Use a Checklist?

Checklists are great. I love a well-formatted list. But lists are passive. You still have to rely on your memory of whether you actually did the thing. And sometimes you check a box out of habit, not because you genuinely confirmed the task.

The video habit is a step further. It’s a living list. One that shows—not just tells—you what happened. And in that vulnerable post-departure brain fog, that kind of visual confirmation is gold.

Plus, if you're traveling with someone else (partner, roommate), watching the video together becomes a quick, shared ritual—no finger-pointing about who was supposed to lock the patio door.

Turning It Into a Ritual (That Actually Feels Good)

Here’s what surprised me most after doing this for a few trips: the habit became a form of self-soothing. Something I looked forward to, not dreaded. Like a final breath before boarding.

You’re not just checking for fire hazards—you’re saying goodbye to your space. Acknowledging the stillness. Noticing the light through your kitchen window or the way your duvet falls just right. It feels intimate, grounding, kind of cinematic.

It’s a moment of presence before the movement.

And that pause? That’s what so many of us are missing in the holiday rush.

Common Missteps (And How to Avoid Them)

A few quick things to watch for when starting this habit:

• Don’t rush it. You’ll end up missing key items and wondering if you really turned off the flat iron. Give yourself a full minute or two—this isn’t a race.
• Don’t overcomplicate it. No need for angles or edits. It’s a utility video, not content.
• Don’t forget your voice. Speaking the actions out loud matters—it’s what turns the video from a tour into a tool.
• Don’t store it in the cloud alone. Keep it in your device’s camera roll (no Wi-Fi necessary to access). You don’t want to be searching for a signal mid-panic.
• Don’t delete it too soon. Give yourself until you’re back home. The need for reassurance often shows up mid-trip.

Like any new ritual, it gets easier—and more satisfying—with repetition.

This Habit Isn’t About Being Anxious. It’s About Being Prepared.

If you’re someone who already feels emotionally overextended before travel, this is your quiet armor. Your pre-flight calm. Your gentle flex of control in a season of chaos.

It’s not obsessive. It’s elegant. Consider it the emotional equivalent of an upgraded seat: same trip, but more space to exhale.

You’re not just protecting your space. You’re protecting your energy.

The Radiance Recap

1. Take a video walkthrough before leaving. Narrate each room, lock, and appliance—your future self will thank you.

2. Say it out loud. Verbalizing helps your brain log actions and reduces mental spirals.

3. Keep the clip short and stored locally. You want quick access without the tech fuss.

4. Make it a ritual, not a task. Let it mark the end of the prep phase—and the beginning of your holiday.

5. Remember: it’s about peace, not perfection. This habit doesn’t mean you’re worried. It means you’re wise.

The 60-Second Habit Worth Packing

Leaving for a trip doesn’t have to mean taking anxiety with you. With one small, thoughtful habit, you can replace spiraling questions with grounded confidence.

The video walkthrough isn’t about paranoia—it’s about presence. It gives you a moment to say, “I’ve got this.” Not just the flights and the gifts and the Google Maps directions—but your own peace of mind, too.

So before your next trip, take a breath. Walk through your space. Speak what you’re doing. And walk out the door knowing everything you needed to do? You already did.