Sleep Sounder With This Easy Hotel Hack Using An Item Already In The Room

When you're traveling, your hotel basically becomes your home away from home — except it's often way better, especially when it comes to the sleeping setup. You get a massive bed that feels like you're floating on clouds, high-thread-count sheets that feel heavenly on the skin, and dimmable lights that you can adjust to your liking to set the perfect mood. It's no wonder many of us sleep like babies in hotels. But there's one thing that even some of the best hotels still manage to mess up: curtains that refuse to close properly.

Despite many hotels boasting thick, light-blocking curtains, the way they're built into the window can be ridiculously counterintuitive. Even with the fancy built-in adjusters, these curtains sometimes won't close all the way, letting in those pesky slivers of light. And if you're fighting off jet lag, it becomes a big problem. But here's a not-so-little secret: the solution is right there in your closet — the humble clothes hanger.

You probably never think about those hangers just chilling in the hotel closet, especially if you're only staying a night or two and can't be bothered to unpack and hang your clothes separately. But those built-in clips on the hangers? Absolute lifesavers for those who can't get proper shuteye with even a little bit of light exposure. Just use the clips to pinch the curtains shut, and you instantly have total darkness, perfect for a better night's (or day's) sleep. Who knew something so simple could save the day?

This ingenious hack has been backed by travel influencer Emmaline Childs, who pointed out in a TikTok video the infuriating curtain gaps that let in unwanted sunshine. "Pull out a hanger with the clippies and use that," she advised, sharing the simple yet brilliant solution. In the comments, viewers praised the hack's effectiveness but also noted a common issue: some hotels don't provide those types of hangers, or if they do, they can't be unhooked from the closet. "Half the hotels don't give you the option to remove the hangers now!! But the other half I sleep well," one commenter lamented.

Because of this, you may want to pack some clips or clothespins as backup. Not only do they help close those stubborn curtains, but they also serve other handy purposes. "We always pack 4 wooden clothespins. The ones that have springs. Good for drapes, closing snack bags and whatever else," one Reddit user noted. They're perfect for hanging wet clothes in the shower to dry overnight for those times you decide to do laundry during your hotel stay, and resealing those snack bags you inevitably open during a late-night movie binge.

But if you find yourself hanger-less and clothespin-less, don't fret. You can always try asking the concierge. You probably had no idea that you could ask the hotel for freebies and all sorts of extra amenities you might need. Need a body pillow for an extra cozy sleep? They've got that covered, too.

If you've hit the jackpot and are staying in a hotel that provides unhookable hangers with built-in clips, you can use those for more than just closing curtains — they can enhance your safety, too. Just like using a towel to feel safer in your room, a hanger can boost your security. In a TikTok video, user Dr. Nose Best, a surgeon who travels quite frequently, demonstrated how she repurposes the hanger to make her hotel room lock more secure at night.

"I secure the usual locks, including the latch bar lock, and then I take the hanger, and I hook it over both the door handle and the latch bar lock," she explained. "This is just, to me, an added level of protection.. If someone's trying to break into your room, it's going to be much harder getting through the hanger."

For those who want to double down on protection, you may also want to consider placing your luggage by the door so any intruder will trip over it before attempting to get inside. A chair works for this purpose, too, as does the luggage rack. And when you combine all these tips, you're pretty much set for a night of uninterrupted slumber. Blackout curtains? Check. Secure door? Double check! So, the next time you find yourself in a hotel room, do yourself a favor and don't just toss those hangers aside. Put them to work and enjoy a safer, darker, and more restful night.