Getting locked out of your house or car is one of the most frustrating things that can happen to you. Depending on how prepared you are for the situation, this blunder can turn into an hours-long ordeal. Fortunately, there are a few measures you can take to avoid being locked out in the first place.
Make Your Keys Noticeable
Keeping your keys noticeable by attaching them to a bright keychain or lanyard is a simple but effective way to avoid forgetting them when leaving the house. The added visibility ensures that you are more likely to see and remember your keys before leaving.
This can be especially helpful when you are in a rush and prone to misplacing items. Using a distinctive keychain or lanyard can also make it easier to locate your keys if you do happen to misplace them.
Know Where Your Keys Are
This may seem like a simple tip, but it is also the easiest way to ensure that you don’t walk out of your house or car without your keys in hand. Practice creating this mindset by asking yourself where your keys are before leaving your house or car, even if they’re in your hands. This will help you remember to think about your keys every time you use them and make it less likely that you will forget them in the future.
When it comes to your house keys, you can also help yourself by keeping your keys in the same place in your home, preferably near your door. Don’t get in the habit of dropping them off on any available space when you get home. Keeping them in the same spot will help you remember to grab them on your way out the door, and avoid frantic moments when you can’t find them.
Set Up Reminders
If you find yourself forgetting your keys in your house or car often, try setting reminders for yourself. If you leave your house at the same time every day, you might find success in setting an alarm on your phone. You can also place sticky notes on your doors and dashboard to remind you to grab your keys.
Make Spare Keys
It’s always a good idea to have one or two spare keys for your home and car. If you lose or misplace your main set of keys, having a spare set can save you time and hassle. You can get spare keys made by a locksmith or at many hardware stores and supermarkets.
However, if you have spare keys, you will need to be extra diligent about where you keep them. You don’t want to compromise your security by allowing one of these keys to get into the wrong hands.
There are many different ways you can store spare keys safely. One way is to keep yours in a lockbox attached to your home. This can be opened by a code that you will need to memorize.
You can also keep spare keys in a hide-a-key box. These can be attached to your house or car, so you have easy access to a spare key whenever you need it.
You may also want to consider keeping a spare key at a safe location you visit frequently, such as inside your gym locker or in a locked drawer at your place of work.
Enlist the Help of Friends
Keep finding yourself pounding on your door in frustration because you locked yourself out again? It might be time to get some friends or neighbors to help out.
If you know some of your neighbors well and trust them, ask if they would mind keeping a spare key at their house for you. This solution won’t always work (if they aren’t home, there’s not a lot you can do) but it can be helpful to have the option.
You can also ask friends or family members who live nearby if they are willing to hold onto a spare key for you. Again, this won’t always solve your problem, but it will give you one more option to try before calling a locksmith.
Everyone dreads the moment they find themselves locked out of their house or car. The entire experience is frustrating and it can be time-consuming to enlist a locksmith for help. By taking a few preventative measures, however, you can reduce the likelihood of it happening in the first place and move along with your day.
