You used to always lose {thing} but now you've got a system!
October 25, 2022 2:17 PM Subscribe
Tell me your tales of always losing your keys, wallet, shoes, hairbrush, earrings, purse, etc. etc. etc. and how now you NEVER lose that thing because you figured out how not to.
Thank you, you are not losers, you are winners!
Thank you, you are not losers, you are winners!
I was going to say something about having a landing strip by my front door, but I've fallen off of using it and now I have to hunt for my keys again.
But earrings! I don't lose them from my ears anymore because I bought a large quantity of those clear rubber earring backs on Etsy. I rarely lose them inside my house because I always put them on a table that gets used or else on top of my dresser, where they're all stored.
posted by purple_bird at 2:28 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
But earrings! I don't lose them from my ears anymore because I bought a large quantity of those clear rubber earring backs on Etsy. I rarely lose them inside my house because I always put them on a table that gets used or else on top of my dresser, where they're all stored.
posted by purple_bird at 2:28 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
I keep track of a LOT of stuff by making its home my everyday tote bag. It's easy enough to always keep the wallet and the sunglasses and a mask in there. The trick is ALSO returning things to it when I've used them in the house, such as: regular glasses, keys, headphone dongle for the phone, phone charger.
This means that when I need my glasses for TV, I know they are in the tote. They aren't on a bathroom counter or in the kitchen by the coffeemaker or (yes really) in the fridge. And when I need my glasses to read a far-away menu or train schedule they are ALSO in the tote, and not at home somewhere.
Should I just get a second pair of glasses? Probably. But then those would just get lost, because they wouldn't live in the tote.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 2:37 PM on October 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
This means that when I need my glasses for TV, I know they are in the tote. They aren't on a bathroom counter or in the kitchen by the coffeemaker or (yes really) in the fridge. And when I need my glasses to read a far-away menu or train schedule they are ALSO in the tote, and not at home somewhere.
Should I just get a second pair of glasses? Probably. But then those would just get lost, because they wouldn't live in the tote.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 2:37 PM on October 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
I bought an apple AirTag for my keys and while putting them back in their place works 95% of the time the AirTag is great for when they end up under a pile of stuff.
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 2:40 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by SpaceWarp13 at 2:40 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Try to put the stuff in the same location every time you put it down, or the same FEW locations (i.e. driving glasses are either by the keys in the hallway or in a case in my purse).
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:46 PM on October 25, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:46 PM on October 25, 2022 [10 favorites]
That's your Staging Area.
This is the spot you've selected where your keys and wallet live. So when you get home you don't just toss these items somewhere -- you deliberately place them in the Staging Area. Also, it's where you put things that you'll need tomorrow, as they come up. So when you leave, there they are, waiting. Right by the front door is a natural, ideal location for the Staging Area, although it can be anywhere convenient, just be consistent.
Tell me your tales of always losing your wallet,
Now we get more radical. After enduring the stress of misplacing my wallet too many times I decided I needed to diversify. Why keep all these bank and ID cards together with my cash and other ephemera when I rarely need more than one or two of them, at any time? And since its collection of business cards and notes (which used to be where I stored phone numbers) has been replaced by my phone's Contacts, I deleted the wallet. Now keys, cards and cash spend the night together in the Staging Area, and I just take what I'll need, when I leave the house, kept safe distributed among my various pockets.
posted by Rash at 2:47 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
This is the spot you've selected where your keys and wallet live. So when you get home you don't just toss these items somewhere -- you deliberately place them in the Staging Area. Also, it's where you put things that you'll need tomorrow, as they come up. So when you leave, there they are, waiting. Right by the front door is a natural, ideal location for the Staging Area, although it can be anywhere convenient, just be consistent.
Tell me your tales of always losing your wallet,
Now we get more radical. After enduring the stress of misplacing my wallet too many times I decided I needed to diversify. Why keep all these bank and ID cards together with my cash and other ephemera when I rarely need more than one or two of them, at any time? And since its collection of business cards and notes (which used to be where I stored phone numbers) has been replaced by my phone's Contacts, I deleted the wallet. Now keys, cards and cash spend the night together in the Staging Area, and I just take what I'll need, when I leave the house, kept safe distributed among my various pockets.
posted by Rash at 2:47 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Bowl on shelf by front door. Wallet and keys are not allowed to be anywhere but in my pocket, or in that bowl. Moving them from pocket to bowl or vice versa is a required part of the routine of going through the front door.
Cell phone is in my pocket, or on the nightstand where its charger lives.
Bulky fieldwork equipment is either in the car, or on its shelf in the garage. It can only move between those two spots (when not in use at work, obviously).
Small fieldwork equipment has dedicated pockets in my field backpack. If it is not in use in my hands, it must go back in its pockets. That way I know I can grab my field backpack and have all the gear that lives in it, without searching for individual tools.
The common theme here is that you are never allowed to put things anywhere but in their assigned spots. You may not set it on the coffee table. I can't even put things in the wrong pocket. Between cargo pants and a jacket, I have plenty of pockets to waste 10 minutes panicking thinking I've lost things. So make a space, and never, ever set the thing anywhere else.
posted by agentofselection at 2:49 PM on October 25, 2022 [10 favorites]
Cell phone is in my pocket, or on the nightstand where its charger lives.
Bulky fieldwork equipment is either in the car, or on its shelf in the garage. It can only move between those two spots (when not in use at work, obviously).
Small fieldwork equipment has dedicated pockets in my field backpack. If it is not in use in my hands, it must go back in its pockets. That way I know I can grab my field backpack and have all the gear that lives in it, without searching for individual tools.
The common theme here is that you are never allowed to put things anywhere but in their assigned spots. You may not set it on the coffee table. I can't even put things in the wrong pocket. Between cargo pants and a jacket, I have plenty of pockets to waste 10 minutes panicking thinking I've lost things. So make a space, and never, ever set the thing anywhere else.
posted by agentofselection at 2:49 PM on October 25, 2022 [10 favorites]
Stolen from an ADHD forum: I changed my phone case from plain black to mint green (choose other bright colors of your choice). I have not lost it for very long since, as I can scan the room for obnoxious color!
posted by teststrip at 2:50 PM on October 25, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by teststrip at 2:50 PM on October 25, 2022 [6 favorites]
Try to put the stuff in the same location every time you put it down
Definitely this. You want to make canonical locations for stuff, and make it easy to put things in those places. We installed a row of key hooks near our front door and have never misplaced keys since then. (Some say this makes your keys more likely to be stolen in case of a break-in, which is probably true. Nevertheless, nobody has broken into my house, and I have never misplaced my keys since adding the hooks.)
posted by number9dream at 2:51 PM on October 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Definitely this. You want to make canonical locations for stuff, and make it easy to put things in those places. We installed a row of key hooks near our front door and have never misplaced keys since then. (Some say this makes your keys more likely to be stolen in case of a break-in, which is probably true. Nevertheless, nobody has broken into my house, and I have never misplaced my keys since adding the hooks.)
posted by number9dream at 2:51 PM on October 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Seconding teststrip. I now buy as much of my field gear in blaze orange as I possibly can. It helps.
Also, if you are a pocket-user, know your pockets. On some of my pants, the pockets are such that things can slide out. If that ever happens with any of your pants, pay attention to it. Some of my pants have untrustworthy front pockets, but also have zippered or velcro cargo pockets, so they are okay, as long as I switch to the pockets with the closures before any vigorous activity.
posted by agentofselection at 2:54 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Also, if you are a pocket-user, know your pockets. On some of my pants, the pockets are such that things can slide out. If that ever happens with any of your pants, pay attention to it. Some of my pants have untrustworthy front pockets, but also have zippered or velcro cargo pockets, so they are okay, as long as I switch to the pockets with the closures before any vigorous activity.
posted by agentofselection at 2:54 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
I haven't lost an earring since I started using lever back wires like these.
I've been trying more or less successfully to discipline myself to put my keys in the one and only pocketbook I use and to hang it in a special place by the door. My pocketbook has slots for cards, I haven't used a wallet in years.
On road trips I wear a small waist pack that holds keys, driver's license, and debit card. (My car has keyless ignition.) It's big enough to hold my phone when I get out of the car. If I'm wearing jeans with belt loops I attach the keys to a loop with a carabiner. I'm planning a long road and camping trip soon and just got a couple of organizers that hang on the back of the front seats.
posted by mareli at 3:10 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
I've been trying more or less successfully to discipline myself to put my keys in the one and only pocketbook I use and to hang it in a special place by the door. My pocketbook has slots for cards, I haven't used a wallet in years.
On road trips I wear a small waist pack that holds keys, driver's license, and debit card. (My car has keyless ignition.) It's big enough to hold my phone when I get out of the car. If I'm wearing jeans with belt loops I attach the keys to a loop with a carabiner. I'm planning a long road and camping trip soon and just got a couple of organizers that hang on the back of the front seats.
posted by mareli at 3:10 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Hooks! Get ones you like and hang them up by the door for purse, coat, keys, etc. Having a place where I know I'll hang my keys makes all the difference.
(Also, smart tags for when all else fails.)
posted by kingdead at 3:13 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
(Also, smart tags for when all else fails.)
posted by kingdead at 3:13 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
I have a wallet in my phone case, so I really only have to keep track of my phone and my keys.
I have a tile on my keys so I can call them from my phone, and vice versa.
posted by geegollygosh at 3:13 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have a tile on my keys so I can call them from my phone, and vice versa.
posted by geegollygosh at 3:13 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have my keys attached to my wallet. When I had a transit pass, it was attached, too. My home address is not in my wallet!!! The wallet/keys live in a particular pocket of my backpack.
Special ID for the gym lives in a special pocket of my bag. A pen is the only other thing in there.
I have 3 hairbrushes—upstairs (bathroom), downstairs (bathroom), and bag (same pocket as my wallet).
I have 2 phone chargers—home (living room) and work (desk). I want to get a third one for my bag (used to be in a third pocket but it broke).
I have an extra dose of my AM medication in my backpack in case I forget to take it at home.
My laundry card lives in a tote bag with my detergent. This whole bag goes into my closet as a unit.
I only have one box of pending papers (bills, etc.) at home, so there’s really only one place an important paper could be.
posted by 8603 at 3:18 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Special ID for the gym lives in a special pocket of my bag. A pen is the only other thing in there.
I have 3 hairbrushes—upstairs (bathroom), downstairs (bathroom), and bag (same pocket as my wallet).
I have 2 phone chargers—home (living room) and work (desk). I want to get a third one for my bag (used to be in a third pocket but it broke).
I have an extra dose of my AM medication in my backpack in case I forget to take it at home.
My laundry card lives in a tote bag with my detergent. This whole bag goes into my closet as a unit.
I only have one box of pending papers (bills, etc.) at home, so there’s really only one place an important paper could be.
posted by 8603 at 3:18 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
• Keys, near the front door. They’re on a swivel latch hook so I can clip them to my handbag as I go out. • I use the same handbag 90% of the time (yay classic Coach) stays on floor near my bed (oh god, I’m my mother!!) and contains the wallet. If I have to temporarily take anything out of my handbag, I leave the bag on the foot of the bed so I’ll see it as a reminder to replace those items. • Shoes are stored in a cupboard by the front door, I don’t wear them inside the house. • Earrings, I wear the same small silver discs all the time. They are leverbacks, won’t fall out and and don’t hurt when I sleep in them. All drop earrings can be converted to leverbacks. • Hairbrush, don’t use as I have very short hair but it’s on the bathroom shelf just in case. • Phone, I don’t carry it around with me. Normally rests on a tabletop where I can hear it ring, near the bowl with my AirPods. • Glasses, have accumulated enough pairs now thanks to cheap online vendors so there are pairs near sofa, desk, armchair. Same with charging cords.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:25 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:25 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Tile is good. They have small stickers you can attach to smaller items as well, and you can use any of their items with a button to locate your phone.
My most important means is a mantra, learned over time and religiously repeated upon leaving the house, work, and any other place where I have settled in - phone, keys, wallet, glasses, mask, watch, headphones, umbrella. I have it on a post-it on the door. It takes time though.
I also have a table by the door dedicated to important house-leaving items.
Lastly, I use only two bags, one smaller and one messenger bag, and the crucial items each have a dedicated place in those bags. It might be useful to have a laminated (with tape) list of the same in there.
I would also start with the most important items first rather than trying to remember the laundry list. All of these are habits learned over time.
posted by lookoutbelow at 3:35 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
My most important means is a mantra, learned over time and religiously repeated upon leaving the house, work, and any other place where I have settled in - phone, keys, wallet, glasses, mask, watch, headphones, umbrella. I have it on a post-it on the door. It takes time though.
I also have a table by the door dedicated to important house-leaving items.
Lastly, I use only two bags, one smaller and one messenger bag, and the crucial items each have a dedicated place in those bags. It might be useful to have a laminated (with tape) list of the same in there.
I would also start with the most important items first rather than trying to remember the laundry list. All of these are habits learned over time.
posted by lookoutbelow at 3:35 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
brightly coloured phone case that also holds my credit card. My kid’s phone holds her bus pass. I have a bag with an embroidered rat on it that holds all my work computer peripherals and I’m religious about keeping them there. By my bedside is a small box where I stash anything crucial. And three pairs of glasses so I can find at least one. My essential cards and meds are always in the small bag of stuff that goes from backpack to tote to bag.I bought a dozen pairs of scissors so I could find one somewhere.
I try to convert paper into pdf as fast as possible because otherwise I lose them. I have mostly given up on actual library books and turned to library ebooks because I lose so many.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 3:36 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I try to convert paper into pdf as fast as possible because otherwise I lose them. I have mostly given up on actual library books and turned to library ebooks because I lose so many.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 3:36 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I solved the wallet issue (theoretical issue, I guess, because I'm not a stuff loser to begin with) by getting rid of a wallet - mostly by scanning membership etc cards into an app (StoCard) on my phone and now my phone case is my wallet.
But, really, the solution to not losing and/or not forgetting everyday stuff really is simple - always, always, always put it in the same place. My keys are always hanging on the toolbox handle beside the garage door (or hanging from my belt/pants top if I'm not at home) and I only have one set of keys that includes everything. My glasses are always on my face, hanging from the neck of my shirt, on the bedside table or on the end of the kitchen island bench. Always. Similar with my phone - it's always in one of a few places. I do have a tile thing on my keys, just in case, but I've never needed it. Yet.
When I was commuting between cities every day, I had a messenger bag that held all my daily essentials and the same thing applied - everything that belonged in there was always in there unless I was actually using it at the time. I carried phone/tablet charging cables and a battery bank in there, which were separate ones to those in the car, those beside the bedside table and those in my travelling suitcase. My travelling suitcase always has a toiletries bag in it that contains everything I need for up to a week, including spare contacts. For either bag, if anything runs out, the bag gets left on the end of the bed until I replace it.
The problem is that this doesn't seem to work for everyone - my wife is constantly asking me to call her phone because she's forgotten where it is or asking if I know where her car key is. The idea of being rigid about where you put things is just completely foreign to her for some reason. It seems some people are just built to not know where their towel is. <shrug>
posted by dg at 3:59 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
But, really, the solution to not losing and/or not forgetting everyday stuff really is simple - always, always, always put it in the same place. My keys are always hanging on the toolbox handle beside the garage door (or hanging from my belt/pants top if I'm not at home) and I only have one set of keys that includes everything. My glasses are always on my face, hanging from the neck of my shirt, on the bedside table or on the end of the kitchen island bench. Always. Similar with my phone - it's always in one of a few places. I do have a tile thing on my keys, just in case, but I've never needed it. Yet.
When I was commuting between cities every day, I had a messenger bag that held all my daily essentials and the same thing applied - everything that belonged in there was always in there unless I was actually using it at the time. I carried phone/tablet charging cables and a battery bank in there, which were separate ones to those in the car, those beside the bedside table and those in my travelling suitcase. My travelling suitcase always has a toiletries bag in it that contains everything I need for up to a week, including spare contacts. For either bag, if anything runs out, the bag gets left on the end of the bed until I replace it.
The problem is that this doesn't seem to work for everyone - my wife is constantly asking me to call her phone because she's forgotten where it is or asking if I know where her car key is. The idea of being rigid about where you put things is just completely foreign to her for some reason. It seems some people are just built to not know where their towel is. <shrug>
posted by dg at 3:59 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Echoing tile. I have one in my wallet and in my keys. My driver's licence is in my phone case and my phone does pay wave, so as long as I'm not needing to insert my card I don't even need .y wallet. Keys mask phone are my essentials.
And then I have a nappy bag with essentials and scary real world consequences if I don't keep it stocked!
posted by freethefeet at 4:17 PM on October 25, 2022
And then I have a nappy bag with essentials and scary real world consequences if I don't keep it stocked!
posted by freethefeet at 4:17 PM on October 25, 2022
Keys: go in a bowl right beside the door. I unlock the door, keys go from my hand right to the bowl.
Hairbrush: I have a hairbrush for each location I might brush my hair, so I never have to remove it from its spot. For me that is the bathroom; and the shelf beside my computer (I often put my hair into or out of a bun while sitting there, depending on whether I'm working and aggravated or relaxing and ready to give my scalp a break) and I keep a travel-size brush in my purse.
Phone: I rarely set my phone down when I'm not in the house, so I've never lost it while out somewhere (knock wood). Normally it is either in my hand, lying right in front of me on a restaurant table, in my purse or I'll tuck it under my bra strap if I take it to the restroom and need to free a hand to take care of business. I misplace it in the house all the time though. I use Google "call my phone" a lot.
Train ticket: years ago I used to take the train to work, and at first I kept misplacing my ticket. But I trained myself to always stick it in a particular little pocket on top of my work tote as soon as it was punched, and I never had a problem with losing it (or disintegrating it in the washing machine) again.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 4:27 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Hairbrush: I have a hairbrush for each location I might brush my hair, so I never have to remove it from its spot. For me that is the bathroom; and the shelf beside my computer (I often put my hair into or out of a bun while sitting there, depending on whether I'm working and aggravated or relaxing and ready to give my scalp a break) and I keep a travel-size brush in my purse.
Phone: I rarely set my phone down when I'm not in the house, so I've never lost it while out somewhere (knock wood). Normally it is either in my hand, lying right in front of me on a restaurant table, in my purse or I'll tuck it under my bra strap if I take it to the restroom and need to free a hand to take care of business. I misplace it in the house all the time though. I use Google "call my phone" a lot.
Train ticket: years ago I used to take the train to work, and at first I kept misplacing my ticket. But I trained myself to always stick it in a particular little pocket on top of my work tote as soon as it was punched, and I never had a problem with losing it (or disintegrating it in the washing machine) again.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 4:27 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I have my version of the Red Bag. It's a large belt purse, doesn't match anything and I do not care.
It goes on my hip and usually does not come off while out of the house unless it's on the floor or chair while eating or in the floorboard while traveling.
I've done the "hands-free" thing since my daughters were little -- if you can get more than two children across a busy street without stressing out, you can safely walk several kids across.
The last time I didn't put my cell phone away in the Belt Purse after taking pictures, the sweet husband and I spent over an hour tearing the lakeside cottage apart trying to find it amid all the construction nonsense -- it was between the mattress and the chest at the end of the bed. Phone calls did not work because we get poor reception out there.
Lesson learned.
My husband had a doctor's appointment Monday and all his paraphernalia went into the Belt Purse. His cell phone stayed on the clip on his belt.
That was amazing! He has two loaded key chains and a heavy leather wallet. It all slid right in.
This also made sure that a cyclonic blast of wind would not have me flying off like Mary Poppins.
Well grounded, I am.
My keys have their place. My prescription medications have their place. Headlamp? Check. Coin purse? Check. Two wallets (the old one was of Discworld proportions)? Check.
The side pockets originally contained twin 20 oz water bottles. Water bottles sometimes go back when I am on a walk, but usually the side pockets house Buffs/bandanas and a secure space for my glasses.
I need my glasses on to find my glasses. They are always on my nose, in the Belt Purse, or on the counter in the bathroom while I take a shower.
My glasses have no cell phone reception. You'd think there would be an app for that.
I've done the old-school ginormous organizer bags. I'd rather have a couple of zippered outside pockets and make my own system rather than trying to track down which pocket houses what -- things never go back into the same place twice.
My husband is... hesitant... to get into the Belt Purse. He is smart.
Now, the most important question -- where did I put the blasted Belt Purse?!
...
...
...
The box by the couch (at home). The box by the couch (lakeside cottage). The pillow on the bed (inlaw's house, homes of daughters, other houses where I spend the night, hotels). Some space by a couch (any other homes).
In a locker while swimming in a pool, or locked in the vehicle while swimming or snorkeling in the lake/beach/river (a waterproof vehicle key holder is in a tiny belt purse on my waist).
Or the Belt Purse is on my hip. No exceptions.
The Belt Purse is usually some shades of black and grey, or grey and grey, or blue and grey if nothing else is available. And it is definitely in the "place your personal item under your seat" size range. It is not subtle.
The Belt Purse does not hold everything. Ball caps and windbreakers are fastened to the outside during walks.
Back in the day I could have carried SLR camera gear inside, but not much else.
The Belt Purse does get a reputation for being so darned heavy, but it does the trick.
It also makes an adequate weapon during a dog attack. Multipurpose and functional, yay!
When I die, cremate me and just transport my ashes in the Belt Purse. I'll feel right at home.
posted by TrishaU at 4:28 PM on October 25, 2022 [4 favorites]
It goes on my hip and usually does not come off while out of the house unless it's on the floor or chair while eating or in the floorboard while traveling.
I've done the "hands-free" thing since my daughters were little -- if you can get more than two children across a busy street without stressing out, you can safely walk several kids across.
The last time I didn't put my cell phone away in the Belt Purse after taking pictures, the sweet husband and I spent over an hour tearing the lakeside cottage apart trying to find it amid all the construction nonsense -- it was between the mattress and the chest at the end of the bed. Phone calls did not work because we get poor reception out there.
Lesson learned.
My husband had a doctor's appointment Monday and all his paraphernalia went into the Belt Purse. His cell phone stayed on the clip on his belt.
That was amazing! He has two loaded key chains and a heavy leather wallet. It all slid right in.
This also made sure that a cyclonic blast of wind would not have me flying off like Mary Poppins.
Well grounded, I am.
My keys have their place. My prescription medications have their place. Headlamp? Check. Coin purse? Check. Two wallets (the old one was of Discworld proportions)? Check.
The side pockets originally contained twin 20 oz water bottles. Water bottles sometimes go back when I am on a walk, but usually the side pockets house Buffs/bandanas and a secure space for my glasses.
I need my glasses on to find my glasses. They are always on my nose, in the Belt Purse, or on the counter in the bathroom while I take a shower.
My glasses have no cell phone reception. You'd think there would be an app for that.
I've done the old-school ginormous organizer bags. I'd rather have a couple of zippered outside pockets and make my own system rather than trying to track down which pocket houses what -- things never go back into the same place twice.
My husband is... hesitant... to get into the Belt Purse. He is smart.
Now, the most important question -- where did I put the blasted Belt Purse?!
...
...
...
The box by the couch (at home). The box by the couch (lakeside cottage). The pillow on the bed (inlaw's house, homes of daughters, other houses where I spend the night, hotels). Some space by a couch (any other homes).
In a locker while swimming in a pool, or locked in the vehicle while swimming or snorkeling in the lake/beach/river (a waterproof vehicle key holder is in a tiny belt purse on my waist).
Or the Belt Purse is on my hip. No exceptions.
The Belt Purse is usually some shades of black and grey, or grey and grey, or blue and grey if nothing else is available. And it is definitely in the "place your personal item under your seat" size range. It is not subtle.
The Belt Purse does not hold everything. Ball caps and windbreakers are fastened to the outside during walks.
Back in the day I could have carried SLR camera gear inside, but not much else.
The Belt Purse does get a reputation for being so darned heavy, but it does the trick.
It also makes an adequate weapon during a dog attack. Multipurpose and functional, yay!
When I die, cremate me and just transport my ashes in the Belt Purse. I'll feel right at home.
posted by TrishaU at 4:28 PM on October 25, 2022 [4 favorites]
- Most of the time the phone never leaves the home. I only lost a cell phone once, and that was when it left the home with me. Someone returned it.
- My latest bike is a trike and it is so weird that nobody thinks it's worth the bother (and they wouldn't be able to ride off with it if they tried)
- My wallet is a wallet-sized camera bag from like the 90s or something. This means it comes with a strap. Like a mini purse but without concerns about ergonomics. Haven't lost it since, knock on wood. People usually returned my wallets when I lost them.
- Don't have keys, can't lose them. I have a combination U-lock for my bike. It is the only way. There is a combination lock to get into the apartment (these can be bought from the hardware store for like $100 which is too much for me but I figured I'd mention it in case someone reading realizes the brilliance of number pad locks and wants to make the switch).
- I've never lost my dog, my dog lost their previous human and keeps alert at all times to make sure it doesn't happen again.
- Things around the house, got a partner. He always knows where I left my things. If he ever gets hit by a bus, I'll be back to losing important things for months at a time, in spite of extensive searching. The only solution for this is to relocate occasionally.
posted by aniola at 5:15 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
- My latest bike is a trike and it is so weird that nobody thinks it's worth the bother (and they wouldn't be able to ride off with it if they tried)
- My wallet is a wallet-sized camera bag from like the 90s or something. This means it comes with a strap. Like a mini purse but without concerns about ergonomics. Haven't lost it since, knock on wood. People usually returned my wallets when I lost them.
- Don't have keys, can't lose them. I have a combination U-lock for my bike. It is the only way. There is a combination lock to get into the apartment (these can be bought from the hardware store for like $100 which is too much for me but I figured I'd mention it in case someone reading realizes the brilliance of number pad locks and wants to make the switch).
- I've never lost my dog, my dog lost their previous human and keeps alert at all times to make sure it doesn't happen again.
- Things around the house, got a partner. He always knows where I left my things. If he ever gets hit by a bus, I'll be back to losing important things for months at a time, in spite of extensive searching. The only solution for this is to relocate occasionally.
posted by aniola at 5:15 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Always putting things in the same place is the best advice--for when you get home. The problem for me, historically, has always been misplacing something while out and about, and technically my solution there is basically the same, it's just that the place is on my person somewhere.
If I'm on a regular day trip, wallet, keys and phone go into specific pockets, and when they're not in one of those pockets they're either in my hand, or in a designated spot in my car (e.g. phone holder, cup holder, ignition). If I need my wallet for something, my wallet stays in my hand as long as any card that usually is inside it is outside of it (e.g. handed to cashier or in the POS terminal), or in the rare case that I'm waiting for change, when I receive that change. Glasses are always being worn or in my hands (not that I'd really be able to forget about them if I'm not wearing them).
If I'm traveling and staying overnight or plain just need to leave stuff in a place that isn't my own, one of the first orders of business when settling into that new space is to designate where things will live in that space. For me, I usually mimic my home setup when possible and put my keys/wallet/phone/glasses on a desk or nightstand when possible, or I'll put them in my luggage when this isn't possible. This needs to be a conscientious and mindful decision; ask yourself when you're about to leave these things in your new space, "where is the first place I'd look for this?" And put it there. Don't try to be clever about it, and definitely don't just leave it somewhere without making this decision. Being in a hurry and leaving stuff wherever is the surest way for me to lose it absent any external factors.
On an airplane or similar transit, resist the temptation to put anything in the seat-back pocket (or any similar vehicle-attached storage) that you don't want to lose. Either store it in your pockets or in your personal carry-on. The one time I lost something in an airplane it's from leaving a tablet in a seat-back pocket. The only reason I recovered it was because I reported it lost and it had my email address on the lockscreen (also a good idea, generally) and no one stole it before it could be turned in to lost and found.
posted by Aleyn at 5:21 PM on October 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
If I'm on a regular day trip, wallet, keys and phone go into specific pockets, and when they're not in one of those pockets they're either in my hand, or in a designated spot in my car (e.g. phone holder, cup holder, ignition). If I need my wallet for something, my wallet stays in my hand as long as any card that usually is inside it is outside of it (e.g. handed to cashier or in the POS terminal), or in the rare case that I'm waiting for change, when I receive that change. Glasses are always being worn or in my hands (not that I'd really be able to forget about them if I'm not wearing them).
If I'm traveling and staying overnight or plain just need to leave stuff in a place that isn't my own, one of the first orders of business when settling into that new space is to designate where things will live in that space. For me, I usually mimic my home setup when possible and put my keys/wallet/phone/glasses on a desk or nightstand when possible, or I'll put them in my luggage when this isn't possible. This needs to be a conscientious and mindful decision; ask yourself when you're about to leave these things in your new space, "where is the first place I'd look for this?" And put it there. Don't try to be clever about it, and definitely don't just leave it somewhere without making this decision. Being in a hurry and leaving stuff wherever is the surest way for me to lose it absent any external factors.
On an airplane or similar transit, resist the temptation to put anything in the seat-back pocket (or any similar vehicle-attached storage) that you don't want to lose. Either store it in your pockets or in your personal carry-on. The one time I lost something in an airplane it's from leaving a tablet in a seat-back pocket. The only reason I recovered it was because I reported it lost and it had my email address on the lockscreen (also a good idea, generally) and no one stole it before it could be turned in to lost and found.
posted by Aleyn at 5:21 PM on October 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
I have a tote bag where my wallet, keys, ID badge live when I'm not using them. My phone goes on a little wireless charger by my bed or at work when I am not carrying it on my person. I have a Tile on my keys and periodically use it to find them or my phone when I've been using them around the house and they've ended up under some mail or something. My lunch goes next to the tote bag as soon as I've finished making it, and I make a cup of coffee immediately before heading out the door so that I am still clutching it as I exit the building. I also do a little count-off in the morning that goes back to the era of when I was a resident stashing everything in the overstuffed pockets of my white coat [wallet-keys-ID-stethoscope-pager-notebook].
My husband hangs his keys on a hook and carries his wallet around all the time and then tosses it on the dresser at night.
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 5:26 PM on October 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
My husband hangs his keys on a hook and carries his wallet around all the time and then tosses it on the dresser at night.
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 5:26 PM on October 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
I have kept my keys on a carabiner for over 20 years, and that lives on a belt loop unless it’s in use. I’ve lost my keys exactly once during that time, by dropping them down a 30’ metro access hatch while unlocking my bike.
posted by aspersioncast at 5:35 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by aspersioncast at 5:35 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
I found a small purse that I really loved. Turned out it was *too* small and I had to clip my keys to a ring on the outside of the purse. I was annoyed, but I loved the purse too much to give up. SURPRISE BONUS: have not misplaced keys in ages. They have a place they belong, it's super visible, and the fact that they get clipped, rather than tossed into a purse, somehow has made me stop absent -mindedly tossing them down on tabletops, car seats, etc, as I used to do.
posted by Ausamor at 5:55 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Ausamor at 5:55 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
I used psychological conditioning principles to get me to put my keys on the same place (repurposed soap dish).
I put an M&M in the soap dish in the morning when I picked up the keys. Every night when I came home I went right to the soap dish to put the keys there and claim my yummy M&M reward.
The way conditioning works, after a while you don't need the reward anymore. You just perform the behavior.
posted by jasper411 at 6:05 PM on October 25, 2022 [11 favorites]
I put an M&M in the soap dish in the morning when I picked up the keys. Every night when I came home I went right to the soap dish to put the keys there and claim my yummy M&M reward.
The way conditioning works, after a while you don't need the reward anymore. You just perform the behavior.
posted by jasper411 at 6:05 PM on October 25, 2022 [11 favorites]
1. "Key hook." Mount it in a convenient place by the door; make sure there's enough room for all family key rings.
1b. Always stow keys there, never anywhere else, as soon as you arrive home. Feel free to add a basket or small stand for wallet/phone as needed.
2. Develop a short mnemonic jingle about your stuff you need, and sing it to yourself when you dis/embark any vehicle or location.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:09 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
1b. Always stow keys there, never anywhere else, as soon as you arrive home. Feel free to add a basket or small stand for wallet/phone as needed.
2. Develop a short mnemonic jingle about your stuff you need, and sing it to yourself when you dis/embark any vehicle or location.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:09 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
I have tiles on my wallet and keys. Keys are on a carabiner attached to my handbag strap. I try hard to put things back promptly and in the same place, but I really do have ADHD. When I leave my house, I recite, out loud, the essentials list: wallet, mobile, meds, glasses, coffee.
When I can't fund my phone, I tell Siri Turn on flashlight; big help.
posted by theora55 at 6:16 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
When I can't fund my phone, I tell Siri Turn on flashlight; big help.
posted by theora55 at 6:16 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Oh I forgot for keys - switching to an electronic pin door lock has been amazing. I have managed to lose most of our indoor bedroom keys and am seriously considering making them digital too with the same master key after we had to break one door to get inside with an accidental lock. Keys are evil tiny things that multiply and mutate then run away.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 6:19 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 6:19 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
This year I discovered that you can replace the bottom screws on light switch plates with cup hooks, great for keys.
I have a basket where lost things go. Whenever I find something I've been missing, I put it in the basket. Next time I need thing (lens cover, missing button, cap for whatever) I go to the basket.
posted by BoscosMom at 6:53 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have a basket where lost things go. Whenever I find something I've been missing, I put it in the basket. Next time I need thing (lens cover, missing button, cap for whatever) I go to the basket.
posted by BoscosMom at 6:53 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I stopped losing my wallet when I got rid of the small dark-colored one I’d used and lost for years, and got a large garish one.
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:54 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:54 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
I don't lose my wallet because I got one of those combination wallet/phone-case deals, and I'm too utterly addicted to my phone to lose that. I'm not proud of it, but it works.
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:10 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:10 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
For riding the subway I have developed the habit of ALWAYS looking back at the seat as I get up from it. No more setting a grocery bag or umbrella down and leaving it for someone to make their own.
Got keys? When I bought my first car it became imperative to not lose the keys. I could g just sit outside the car until a roommate came home with their keys. Do I got the biggest keychain I could find.
A rubber chicken.
When I met my husband he had hooks next to his door that held every set of keys he was responsible for. Separately. Keys only left the house if they need to. Still boggles my mind but my keys go on the hook whenever I get into our home, and I’m on an international trip with Just the apartment keys and not gym key, friends’ keys, etc. I also use a caribener and attach keys on the outside of the bag I’m carrying. Makes it easy to add or subtract key sets.
Now. I haven’t seen my kindle in several months and couldn’t find to bring on this trip so clearly I have work to do.
posted by bilabial at 1:05 AM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Got keys? When I bought my first car it became imperative to not lose the keys. I could g just sit outside the car until a roommate came home with their keys. Do I got the biggest keychain I could find.
A rubber chicken.
When I met my husband he had hooks next to his door that held every set of keys he was responsible for. Separately. Keys only left the house if they need to. Still boggles my mind but my keys go on the hook whenever I get into our home, and I’m on an international trip with Just the apartment keys and not gym key, friends’ keys, etc. I also use a caribener and attach keys on the outside of the bag I’m carrying. Makes it easy to add or subtract key sets.
Now. I haven’t seen my kindle in several months and couldn’t find to bring on this trip so clearly I have work to do.
posted by bilabial at 1:05 AM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Keys go in the key bowl. (Because we’re a house of dopamine-seeking dorks we sometimes call it Key-bowl College Oxford.) Chipolo on my keys so that I can get an alert when they go out of range — not as useful as you might think as of course the door is usually closed by that time, but I dig the extra warning so that you can sort yourself out if necessary, rather than having to do it all at once when you realise you don’t have your keys. Tiles in pencil case and wallet. I get Google Home, my bluetooth trackers or my wife to call my phone when I can’t find it, which rings (except for via wife) even when on total silent mode. Passports and ID are finally in an Important Documents Folder — it’s a priority to put stuff back in there when we get them out.
I definitely, definitely still lose stuff if it doesn’t have A Place, A Ritual or a little callable noisemaker on it.
posted by lokta at 2:35 AM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
I definitely, definitely still lose stuff if it doesn’t have A Place, A Ritual or a little callable noisemaker on it.
posted by lokta at 2:35 AM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
I used to lose my bus pass about once every six months (usually by accidentally leaving it on a bus seat). I got a pocket thing that stuck to the back of my phone case, kept it in there, and never lost it again (and now the buses have transitioned to accepting phone taps for bus tickets which kind of cuts out the middleman).
My phone was expensive/precious enough that I would never go anywhere without checking it was in my hand or pocket, so having some way of instantly attaching the bus pass to my phone was the answer.
Which I guess is another version of what everyone else is saying - have A Place for an item and only ever put it there.
posted by penguin pie at 6:55 AM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
My phone was expensive/precious enough that I would never go anywhere without checking it was in my hand or pocket, so having some way of instantly attaching the bus pass to my phone was the answer.
Which I guess is another version of what everyone else is saying - have A Place for an item and only ever put it there.
posted by penguin pie at 6:55 AM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
+1 to having a ‘looking quite systematically (under chairs, in pockets, nooks etc) in the place I’m leaving before I leave it’ ritual too, by the way. I’ve gradually associated it with a feeling of satisfaction of a job well done.
posted by lokta at 10:48 AM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by lokta at 10:48 AM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm not perfect at this, but I've tried to become a Person Of Habit to help me solve this. Keys go one the hook by the door. Wallet goes into the wallet-keeping thing in the bedroom. I check pockets when I come in the door or change clothes, and again when I dress and go out the door. My phone is almost always within ten feet of me, usually much closer. The things I occasionally forget, like my AirPods and reusable grocery bags, usually aren't critical. (Though last weekend I somehow left the AirPods in a pocket and they went through a wash cycle. Thank heavens for AppleCare.)
Part of me thinks "You're becoming a stodgy old person, whose life is so routine you can set your watch by it." Then another part of me thinks "You've done a fairly good job of organizing some things in your life so you don't have to stress about them as much."
posted by lhauser at 6:13 PM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Part of me thinks "You're becoming a stodgy old person, whose life is so routine you can set your watch by it." Then another part of me thinks "You've done a fairly good job of organizing some things in your life so you don't have to stress about them as much."
posted by lhauser at 6:13 PM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
The vehicle.
Am I the only one shouting into the void: "How can a grown adult lose an entire car? And why-oh-why did I get another silver grey SUV? So. Many. Grey. SUVs in the lot today."
1) The parking gambit --
I trryyyyyy to park in the same spot at familiar locations, usually at one end or the other of the parking lot. Near light poles is good. Near the security cameras is better.
If there is signage (Row 4, East 22) I take note of it.
I have walked away, turned around and scanned the area for details.
In unfamiliar locations, I take a few cell phone photos. This works particularly well after sunset.
Have you ever returned to find an upended shopping cart beside the new dent in your car? I have.
Or jumped into the driver's seat because the sudden gust front is sending carts streaking across the lot into other vehicles? We were very lucky that time with carts zooming past on either side, but the people behind us were not.
I avoid the shopping cart stations for that reason.
The most frustrating situation is when I spend the day shopping at multiple stores. Is the SUV to the left... or the right? No, that's where I parked it yesterday getting groceries... oops....
2) The duct tape solution --
I finally added some bright-colored tape to the roof rails. It works like a charm.
One layer of flagging tape, about eight inches wide (no glue, so it does not mar the chrome finish). One layer of screaming bright duct tape, one short strip at a time to avoid contact with the roof. Add more tape as needed (seasonal ribbon is a thing!)
I can see my roof rails across the lot, compared to adding personalized license plates and bumper stickers.
3) The alarm --
The current crop of family vehicles does not come with beepers and flashing lights, alas.
Ultimately the biggest obstacle in finding the car (or the keys or the cell phone) is distraction.
The spouse calls, the baby cries, you're on your way home and just stopped to run in for bread and paper towels....
And where did I leave the SUV again?
And where did I put my... keys?
posted by TrishaU at 6:27 PM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Am I the only one shouting into the void: "How can a grown adult lose an entire car? And why-oh-why did I get another silver grey SUV? So. Many. Grey. SUVs in the lot today."
1) The parking gambit --
I trryyyyyy to park in the same spot at familiar locations, usually at one end or the other of the parking lot. Near light poles is good. Near the security cameras is better.
If there is signage (Row 4, East 22) I take note of it.
I have walked away, turned around and scanned the area for details.
In unfamiliar locations, I take a few cell phone photos. This works particularly well after sunset.
Have you ever returned to find an upended shopping cart beside the new dent in your car? I have.
Or jumped into the driver's seat because the sudden gust front is sending carts streaking across the lot into other vehicles? We were very lucky that time with carts zooming past on either side, but the people behind us were not.
I avoid the shopping cart stations for that reason.
The most frustrating situation is when I spend the day shopping at multiple stores. Is the SUV to the left... or the right? No, that's where I parked it yesterday getting groceries... oops....
2) The duct tape solution --
I finally added some bright-colored tape to the roof rails. It works like a charm.
One layer of flagging tape, about eight inches wide (no glue, so it does not mar the chrome finish). One layer of screaming bright duct tape, one short strip at a time to avoid contact with the roof. Add more tape as needed (seasonal ribbon is a thing!)
I can see my roof rails across the lot, compared to adding personalized license plates and bumper stickers.
3) The alarm --
The current crop of family vehicles does not come with beepers and flashing lights, alas.
Ultimately the biggest obstacle in finding the car (or the keys or the cell phone) is distraction.
The spouse calls, the baby cries, you're on your way home and just stopped to run in for bread and paper towels....
And where did I leave the SUV again?
And where did I put my... keys?
posted by TrishaU at 6:27 PM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
My solution to this was to have a small bag that things lived in specific parts of at all times. Like, the keys are always clipped to the inside of it on a long enough line that you can lock the door without unclipping. They only get unclipped to drive and they get reattached before locking the car. The wallet, bus pass, and chapstick are in their own zippered part (and I'll use the chapstick even at home because it's nice having it right there). The sunglasses live in the middle. If I take a walk, I'll clip them in, leave their case sitting open, walk, come home and put them in their case right into the bag. Masks are in the back. I can grab them from it and return them to it even if I'm just using them at home
If I want something bigger, like a backpack, I put the small bag inside it. I never mess with the bag. No matter what else I want to carry, the bag can always come along too or inside the other one.
posted by blueberry monster at 11:03 AM on October 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
If I want something bigger, like a backpack, I put the small bag inside it. I never mess with the bag. No matter what else I want to carry, the bag can always come along too or inside the other one.
posted by blueberry monster at 11:03 AM on October 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by restless_nomad at 2:23 PM on October 25, 2022 [11 favorites]