Random question of the day: Have you ever accidentally left a chainsaw in a hotel room? One traveler recently did exactly that at a Four Seasons Hotel in New York. It may sound bizarre, but a recent survey found that every day, people leave hard-to-forget items in hotels and airports across North America. Items that include everything from a chainsaw, to a live turkey, to an urn filled with human ashes.

So, why do we forget stuff when we travel, even a live turkey? Dr. David Meyer is a University of Michigan psychology professor. He says your brain is wired to like routine. That’s why you probably leave your keys, or cell phone in the same place at work and at home. But when you travel, there’s no routine and suddenly, your brain goes into “chaos mode” adapting to a new environment, typically while at a rushed pace……Which creates the perfect recipe for forgetfulness.

The good news is, experts say that you can keep from leaving stuff behind on your next trip by creating a new travel routine. For example, use the routine flight attendants do when they travel from city to city.

They conduct a sweep every time they move from one location to the next to make sure they don’t leave anything behind in a hotel, bathroom, taxi seat, or bin at a security checkpoint. The routine will help stabilize your brain, so you’re dramatically less likely to forget, say, the gobbling turkey that’s the special guest for Thanksgiving dinner.