Checklist · 20 items
Before bed checklist
Updated November 3, 2026
You're in bed, lights off, almost asleep, and then the question arrives: did I lock the back door? Getting up to check takes a minute. Lying there deciding whether to get up can take twenty.
A short routine at the same time each night fixes most of this. Walk through the house once in the same order, lock up, switch off, and finish in the bedroom with the alarm and your phone. When the doubt shows up later, you'll have a clearer memory to answer it with.
Tips
Do the lock-up walk before you brush your teeth, not after. You're more alert, and once you're in pajamas you're less likely to go back downstairs.
Start at the farthest door and work back to the bedroom, so you never pass an unchecked room on your way to bed.
If you take evening medication, keep it next to your toothbrush. Doing both in the same spot ties them together.
When the doubt hits after lights-out, ask yourself whether you remember checking that specific door tonight. If you can picture it, stay in bed.
Questions people ask
Why do I always wonder if I locked the door at night?
Locking up is so routine that it barely gets stored as a memory. Lying in a quiet, dark room gives worry plenty of space, and a faint memory can't push back.
What should I check before going to bed?
Doors, ground-floor windows, the stove and oven, space heaters, candles, and your alarm. Add evening medication if you take any.
Is it safe to leave a space heater on overnight?
Most safety agencies advise against it. Switch it off before bed and, during the day, keep it away from bedding, curtains and anything else that can catch fire.
How do I stop getting out of bed to check the locks?
Check them once on a fixed route before you start getting ready for bed, with full attention. Some people take a quick photo of the locked door so they can look at their phone instead of getting up.
The ones people doubt later
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