This simple trick will stop you panicking about home during your holiday

Sit down, buckle your seatbelt, relax - and then the panic sets in. Photo / 123RF

There are few things worse than settling into your flight at the start of a much-needed holiday, and suddenly becoming overwhelmed by panic about the state you left the house.

Did you lock all the doors? Did you definitely turn off the stove? Do you 100 per cent, without a doubt, absolutely remember switching off the living room heater before you left? Do you think you did, or are you sure you did?

It's the kind of panic that, however irrational, will leave you feeling uneasy for the whole trip. It may even prompt some really paranoid reactions, like asking friends to drop by the house to make sure it's still in one piece, or obsessively scouring the news headlines back home for any mention of house fires or home invasions on your street.

Taking photographic proof of everything switched off and safe before you leave will banish that feeling of panic. Photo / Getty Images

But great news - there's a really easy way to making sure you never feel this way again.

Nicole Dieker at Lifehacker says she has started taking photos of various risky things around the house before she grabs the suitcase and heads for the door.

Not only does this trick force you to go around and ensure everything is as it should be - iron unplugged, stove switched to off, back door clearly locked - but having the hard evidence on your phone or camera will reassure you during any moments of crippling doubt.

"I take photos before I go on long trips to give myself proof that the oven dials are in the right place and the thermostats are turned off," she wrote.

"The funny thing is that I've never once wanted to look at this proof after I've photographed it; it also turns off the part of my brain that gets anxious about accidentally leaving something on."

Genius, right?

Here are some things around the house you could use this on:

• Small appliances that are fire risks, such as hair straighteners and clothes irons - make sure the photo shows them unplugged and in a safe spot

• The switches and dials on air conditioning units, heaters, thermostats, radiators, fans

• Risky things around the kitchen, such as the stovetop, oven and - if you're a really careful person - the toaster, coffee machine, microwave and electric kettle. Make sure the photo shows the switches and dials set to "off"

• Candles, to prove they've been snuffed out

• The fridge or freezer doors, to make sure they're properly closed and you'll have no nasty surprises when you get home

• Windows and doors, including the garage door, to ensure they're closed and locked.