Here’s Why You Need To Cover Your Doorknob In Aluminum Foil When Alone
I think we have all experienced that sudden spike of anxiety when staying home alone for the weekend. The house gets incredibly quiet and suddenly every creak of the floorboards sounds like footsteps. It is totally normal to feel a little bit vulnerable when you are by yourself. I recently learned a surprisingly simple trick to help ease that nighttime worry. It involves a kitchen drawer staple you already have: aluminum foil.
A Low Tech Alarm
The secret to this trick is just a plain sheet of aluminum foil. When you are alone you want to know if someone is trying to open your door. If you wrap foil over the doorknob, it acts as a very cheap alarm system. Aluminum foil is incredibly crinkly and loud when it gets squeezed. If anyone tries to slowly and quietly turn that handle the loud crunching noise will instantly wake you up.
Leaving Behind Obvious Clues
The noise is helpful but the foil also acts as a visual alert system. Let us say you fall into a very deep sleep and do not hear the crunch. When you wake up in the morning you can simply look at the door. If the foil is flattened or torn you immediately know someone tried to get inside while you were resting. It gives you concrete proof instead of just wondering if you imagined things when you hear something go bump in the night.
How Much To Use?
Trying this out is super easy and takes barely a minute. You just need to rip off a square of foil from the roll in your kitchen. The piece should be roughly the size of a standard dinner plate. Do not worry about tearing it perfectly straight. You just need enough material to completely cover the handle with a little bit of extra overlap to keep it securely in place through the night.
How To Wrap The Doorknob
Take that square of foil and gently cup it over the doorknob. You want to squish it around the handle so it stays put but try not to smash it down completely smooth. Leaving a few air pockets and crinkles is actually the secret to making it work. Those loose crunchy ridges are what will make the most noise if a hand grips the knob. Just squeeze the very base tightly so it does not fall.
A Great Travel Hack
While this is great for your own house it is an even better trick for traveling. Sleeping in a hotel room or a strange vacation rental always makes me feel slightly uneasy. You never really know who else might have a key to that door. Tossing a small roll of foil in your suitcase takes up zero space. It gives you a little extra layer of security when you are sleeping in an unfamiliar bed.
Rest Easy
I know wrapping your doors in kitchen foil might sound a little bit paranoid at first. But feeling safe in your own space is incredibly important for getting a good night of rest. We do all sorts of things to feel secure like double checking the stove or leaving a porch light on. This is just one more simple tool to help quiet your mind. If it helps you sleep soundly then it is totally worth doing.
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Navigating nights when you’re sleeping alone does not have to be a scary experience. Sometimes the best solutions are the silly and cheap ones we can make ourselves. Knowing that your door will practically yell at you if someone touches it brings a surprising amount of comfort. So next time you find yourself alone for the evening, grab the foil and try it out. You deserve to sleep peacefully without keeping one eye open all night.
Bliss Donahue-Power
