The principle of Chekhov's Gun says that everything you mention in the story must be necessary and irreplaceable. If you mention a rifle hanging on the wall in scene one, it absolutely must be fired later in the story. I don't particularly like Chekhov's original principle since it tends to take away from relative sensory detail.
However, over time the phrase has transformed into a story element in which a seemingly insignificant object takes on an important role later in the story. This is a principle that I can get behind 100% since it raises the stakes when done correctly. Here are a few ways that you can utilize a Chekhov's Gun in your setting.
1. You can foreshadow a later event. Foreshadowing is when the author hints at something that is to come later in the story. For example, you might mention a loose floorboard in the living room in Chapter 2. In Chapter 8, your characters might be searching for an item of value in the house. Where do you think that the item should be found?
2.You can create suspense. You can up the stakes in your novel by giving readers an important piece of knowledge before an event takes place. For example, a character might notice a crack in the foundation of a house. Later in the story, an earthquake hits and the house begins to shake. Your reader will suddenly remember that crack and worry for the MC's safety.
3. You can cause conflict. Conflict is vital to your story because it is the backbone of a good plot. You can set up a bit of conflict by having something in the setting get lost or destroyed. For example, a character might mention a beautiful painting in his grandmother's house when he first enters. Later in the story, that painting is stolen. Doesn't the use of a Chekhov's Gun provide an interesting twist to your story's plot? Just remember to be subtle; you wouldn't want your Chekhov's Gun to be too obvious to the reader.
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My Writing Guide
RandomWriting guidelines I found on different sites compiled by me.
