Average person forgets 3 essential items at home after leaving for vacation

Does your vacation checklist read more like a suspense novel, with forgotten items playing the roles of villains ready to sabotage your perfect getaway? It can be mightily frustrating to realize you left something at home after you’ve arrived at your destination. But guess what? It’s quite common. According to a poll of 2,000 adults, nine out of ten Americans admit they’ve had their own “Home Alone” moments, minus the burglars and booby traps!

So what do people find themselves leaving behind more often? Results show about a third have forgotten their phone charger (34%), along with toiletries and beauty products (32%). More than a quarter (27%) wound up having to buy new sunscreen on vacation, while 18% forgot to bring their medication! It’s a scene straight out of a traveler’s horror story if you haven’t been there yet.

The survey, commissioned by Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water and conducted by Talker Research, reveals that 37% of Americans become more forgetful when traveling. It’s as if crossing state lines triggers some sort of memory-erasing forcefield, causing an average of three items to be left behind every trip.

Unfortunately, 42% of vacationers and holidaymakers find their adventures negatively impacted by these forgotten essentials. They’re forced to embark on side quests, spending more money (27%) and settling for alternative products (25%), all while not feeling their best (10%).

But fear not! Our intrepid travelers are learning from their misadventures. A whopping 89% say they’re more prepared than ever before this summer before they head out, thanks to their previous woes.

Yet, even as they conquer forgetfulness, it turns out they also give their healthy habits a vacation when they’re on the road, too. Those smart practices include healthy eating (51%), budgeting (44%) and regular hydration (31%). In fact, less than half (46%) admit they drink more water when traveling, compared to almost two-thirds (65%) who eat more snacks.

Staying hydrated is crucial for maintaining energy, regulating body temperature, and keeping your skin glowing for those vacation selfies. Watch out for signs of dehydration like dark urine, dry mouth, fatigue, and headaches.

Indeed, staying hydrated while traveling proves to be a formidable challenge for 40% of Americans. They blame their usual routines being disrupted (32%), simply forgetting to drink (31%), being too focused on having fun (31%), or being busy with other activities (31%).

But others are more focused on having fun (31%) or are too busy doing other activities (31%). Thankfully, 23 percent of respondents have a “mom friend” when traveling, or someone who keeps the group together, happy and healthy, and another 26 percent admit that they are usually the “mom” of the group.

According to the results, “mom friends” showcase their role by keeping supplies on hand, such as napkins or bandages (40%), reminding everyone to eat and drink (35%) and offering good advice (34%).

Mom friends also know to keep a bounty of bottled water available. Survey results show it’s one of the biggest needs for traveling. Almost three-quarters (72%) still rely on bottled water when on vacation and 35 percent are likely to purchase those bottles as soon as they arrive at their destination in an effort to stay hydrated.

This may be because almost two-thirds (65%) are concerned about the quality of the tap or sink water at their destination when traveling. 

Almost one in three (29%) of Americans brush their teeth with bottled water vs the tap water at their destination. 

“With Americans concerned about consuming tap water or forgetting to drink water in general, it’s no surprise that staying hydrated when traveling is difficult for so many,” says Anne-Charlotte de La Porte, Vice President of Marketing for Crystal Geyser. “Nonetheless, it is important that consumers monitor how much water they are drinking each day (survey revealed only 22 percent of Americans are doing so), plan ahead for how much water they will need based on their itineraries, set reminders to keep on track with their water intake, and to educate themselves on the quality of their water source.”