Imagine you’re getting home from a long day of work. All you want to do is plop on the couch, unwind, and marathon Stranger Things for the umpteenth time. You get to your car door, reach for your pocket, and then you realize – you don’t have your car keys. You swear you had them earlier, but now they’re nowhere to be seen. Now, instead of rushing home to veg out, you’re calling a locksmith or trying to figure out the bus routes to get home. Losing your car keys can be beyond frustrating, but with a few simple steps, you can prevent a really frustrating loss from ruining your day.
Reminders & Habits
More than anything else, focus on forming habits that will stop you from forgetting your car keys. Fumbling through dirty pants pockets and checking under the cushions wastes valuable time and is preventable. This means first defining a place for your keys.
Create a Safe Space For Your Keys At Home
Having somewhere to put your coat, boots, and keys when you first walk through the door is a great place to start. Maybe you have a key dish or hook by your entryway. Wall-mounted key racks and holders can also be useful. It should be something that’s quick and easy for you to remember to do when you’re exhausted walking through the door.
This will train you to always know where your keys are at inside your home. Eventually, you may even go on auto-pilot when entering or leaving your house. Your mind won’t have to stress about your keys anymore and can focus on more important tasks. By designating a “home” for your keys within your own home, you will effectively minimize the likelihood of losing them and the frustration that comes with it.
Keep Your Key Spot Free Of Clutter
Decluttering your home can help keep the items you misplace easier to locate – like your keys. First, once you’ve designated your keys an official “home,” be sure to keep that area tidy and neat. With fewer items to search through and under, your keys will be easier to spot, and you’ll be out your door faster.
Lanyards And Clips
But what about when you’re not at home? Investing in a lanyard to keep around your neck, wrist, or in your pocket can help make sure your keys are always tethered to you. Then there’s the oldie but a goodie – the key chain. You can get hooks or clips to attach them to your pant belt loops. Even just adding a bit of weight to them will remind you if they are in your pant pockets or not.
Setting A Reminder On Your Phone
Are you always forgetting your keys at the office? Try setting an alarm on your phone that will go off right before you typically leave. The idea is to always be one step ahead of yourself. Figure out your own quirks, and you’ll be one step closer to solving the problem.
When You Lose Your Car Keys
Okay, so all the reminders in the world and your car keys are still becoming the next picture on the back of a milk carton. So, what can you do when you actually lose them? Track them down! There are countless great innovations that have come out over the last few years in this sector. If you have a smartphone, you can download an app like TrackR to locate your runaway car keys before they find a new home.
Key Tracking With Smartphone Apps
In today’s digital age, smart key management solutions have evolved beyond traditional keyrings. These innovative digital solutions help provide homeowners with enhanced security and convenience. Keyless entry systems, smartphone apps, and IoT devices are some of the cutting-edge options available today.
If you’re always losing your keys around the house, you can also invest in a key locator. Companies like JTD sell these relatively cheap devices that hook onto your keyring and sync up with a transmitter. This will emit a sound and light from your keys, making them easier to find when they’re stuffed between the couch cushions or hidden in your bathroom. Apps can be a great way to locate your keys via Bluetooth and control your vehicle remotely.
Locating Your Keys Using Voice Assistants and Smart Home Integration
Incorporating voice assistants into your home and daily life can benefit you in many ways – even helping you find lost keys. Some popular voice assistants on the market today include Alexa, Amazon, and Google Assistant. These voice assistant services can help you locate displaced keys by having them “beep,” signaling their current location.
An electronic tracking device that is growing in popularity and can be bought on Amazon is the “Tile.” This device is a small square unit that syncs to your phone and clips to your key chain. Keys, wallets, or whatever else you can clip it to can now be easily and quickly located. Pretty cool, right?
When They’re In The Car
Even with all the preparation in the world, accidents still happen. One of the worst things is seeing those shiny keys right in the driver’s seat while you paw at the window, trying to get in. It’s bad enough getting locked out of your car and even worse when you don’t have a backup plan. We’ve talked about getting locked out of your car before on this blog, but it’s a situation that warrants reiteration.
The Importance Of Having A Spare
Having a spare car key is essential in these cases. Of course, this is only helpful when you have the key handy or have someone who can drop it off to you. A hideaway key can solve this issue. These devices have a small storage space to put a spare key and/or money inside it. They typically have a combination to access the storage and can be placed around the exterior using magnetics or ties.
Investing In Keyless Entry
Requiring a physical key to enter or start your vehicle is a thing of the past. If you don't already own a vehicle with a keyless entry system, it's worth exploring the options available. With keyless entry, you can also make misplacing keys a thing of the past.
The Power Of Remaining Calm
One of the most important things to do when you’ve lost anything is to remain calm. Losing your cool is the worst thing you can do when you’ve misplaced your keys. When you begin to panic or become flustered, you stop thinking clearly. That means that even if your keys are staring you right in your face, chances are you won’t find them.
To remain cool under pressure and in the right state of mind, start by taking a moment to do nothing. That’s right. Stop everything and breathe. After a few deep breaths, start your search. Successfully locating anything begins with your ability to think clearly. Losing your temper or falling apart has never helped anyone find their keys faster. So, just don’t allow yourself to do it. Calm your mind, retrace your steps, and, eventually, you are sure to find them.
When All Else Fails, Call In The Pros
And in the case that none of that works out and you find yourself up a creek – don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Sevan offers automotive locksmith services, ranging from key replacement and reprogramming to ignition repair. But to prevent that day from happening, start preparing yourself with habits and apps today.
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