Why You Should Take A Picture Of Your Oven Before Traveling

Before you leave your home for an extended visit elsewhere, whether you're traveling for work or for pleasure, you typically have a laundry list of items to double-check before taking off, some of which might be kitchen-related. This can include clearing out the fridge of items that will go bad while you're gone (for example, beef broth only takes five days until it can start to spoil), taking out the trash — and maybe even giving the can a good cleaning, too — and washing those last couple of dishes in the sink, so you don't come home to food seemingly super-glued to the plates and bowls. You might snap a picture of your oven before you go, too. Why? To affirm that you have, indeed, turned off everything related to the appliance, including the stovetop.

It's a simple step that can give you peace of mind as your plane takes off or when you're 200 miles away from your house, especially if you used your stove or oven to make, say, a traditional country breakfast before you left. We all have moments of utter panic when the thought strikes us: "Did I leave the stove burner on?" But being able to pull up your photo gallery on your phone that definitely proves everything is off can help lessen that anxiety.

There's also the fact that while you're taking the photo, you're actually double-checking to make sure this large appliance is completely turned off. So if you notice that either the stove or the oven is still on (heaven forbid), you can shut off that element then and there.

If the photo doesn't do it for you, or you need even more assurances that you have, in fact, turned off the stove-oven combo before heading out for the long-term, you can also try making a memorable moment. Stand in front of your oven and say something out loud, like, "The oven is off." Or do something, like a little jig, so that when the panic-moment hits you hours later, you can remember you danced in front of it, and it was off while you did so. Get a family member to join you, so you can both have the memory!

If your mind doesn't like to function in the short-term, you can also rig up an indoor camera to face the appliance, so you can actually see the oven from wherever you are. Just be sure to give a trusted friend or family member access to your home, so that if, by some chance, you did leave the oven on at 500 degrees Fahrenheit, they can get inside and turn it off.

Now, if you've left the stove or oven on one too many times in the past and just cannot seem to remember to turn it off, it might be time to invest in a smart oven. These upgraded appliances give you the ability to adjust timers and heat, but more importantly, let you remotely turn them on and off. They're not cheap, but the assurance they offer might be worth it.