If you're a regular traveller, you are probably familiar with the small frustrations that come with staying inhotels. Plugs are never where you need them, the air conditioning is a mystery and every light switch seems to control something outside of the room.

Stacey Hamilton, an expert traveller withPrivate Tours England, has stayed in hundreds of hotels across the UK and overseas and she has shared the one trick she swears by when travelling. From safeguarding valuables to packing smarter and sleeping better, she said these easy hotel hacks have saved her time, money and more than a few early-morning panics. One method she uses every time might sound a little strange, but it's saved her more than once.

Stacey said: "For years, I avoided using hotel safes because I was convinced I'd forget what I'd put in there. It sounds silly, but when you're rushing to catch a train or heading out early with guests, it's very easy to walk out and leave valuables behind."

To fix this, she now always puts one of her shoes in the safe alongside her passport and jewellery.

She said: I physically cannot leave the room without realising something is missing," she says. "It's usually a heel for me because I need them for work, but the principle works with anything you wouldn't dream of leaving behind.

"If you travel with trainers, put one trainer in there. If it's winter, your coat works just as well. The point is to create a visual reminder you can't ignore."

Once it's time to leave the hotel, and you've grabbed your shoe from the safe along with your valuable items there's one more thing that Stacey always does. She said she never leaves a hotel without grabbing one of the free shower caps.

She said: "They're perfect for covering shoes when you're packing to come home."

If you've done a lot of walking or hiking, your shoes are likely a little grubby. Pressing them into your suitcase up against your clothing isn't ideal, and that's when the shower caps come in.

"Instead of wrapping shoes in plastic bags or hoping for the best, I slip a shower cap over the sole. It keeps everything else clean, and it packs neatly."

There's another use for the caps too. Stacey said: "I also use shower caps on TV remotes. Let's be honest, those things are filthy. It's a simple barrier that makes me feel a lot better, especially if I'm staying somewhere for a few nights."