9 Key Tips for Never Getting Locked Out Again

Is there anything more annoying than getting locked out of your house? No matter how it happened, realizing that you don’t have the right key and that you’re further away from relaxing after a long day is just an awful feeling. What’s worse, you’re left with very few options, none of which are very appealing.

You can shimmy through the kitchen window, break the sliding glass door, or call in for backup if you know someone with a spare and wait for them to cancel their plans and come to your rescue. That last option might seem best, but sitting out in the cold all alone while you wait? It’s not safe nor is it fun.

To avoid ever being confronted with this irritating situation, here are nine genius tips for never getting locked out again.

1. LEGO Key Board

One of the big reasons we lock our keys inside (or at least one of the reasons I constantly do this) is because we’re running late and we can’t find them. We know we put them down in the living room…or maybe the kitchen? Between trying to get out the door and put on your makeup while eating breakfast, you forget to find them.

Well, stop this from happening all together by never misplacing your keys again! This handy LEGO board doesn’t just serve as a fun way to decorate your keys, but also as a great way to always keep them in your line of sight.

2. Secret Rock

Forget about stashing your key under the doormat; that trick is now so overdone, it could be dangerous. For a trickier hiding place, use a little tape to hide your key under a rock in the yard/garden.

Just be careful not to make this placement TOO tricky, or you might have a hard time finding the key yourself! Make sure to place the rock in a particular spot or give it some kind of distinguishing feature only you would recognize.

3. License Plate Hack

For an extremely clever place to hide a spare key, screw one behind your car’s license plate. This way you don’t have to worry about intruders stumbling across your outdoor emergency key, because it will be with you when you travel!

Plus, you know it’s securely in place. Nothing is breaking off that screw easily.

4. Make a Spare Key

Now this is some James Bond nonsense, and we love it. If you don’t have the time or money to go get a key copied, there is an easy way to make a spare with a few simple materials you probably have right at home.

All you need is tape, a lighter, and some kind of plastic, like from an old credit card or Tic Tac box, for this DIY emergency key.

5. Pill Bottle Key

If you’re looking for a more secure way to hide your key, this is a great DIY. Rather than tape your key under a rock, hot glue an empty prescription bottle to the bottom of rock and put your key inside. Bury the bottle underground (in the garden or front yard) so only the rock is showing.

6. Wire Keys

This is a bit of a hassle…but that’s kind of the point. If there aren’t too many places for you to sneakily hide a key (if you live in an apartment, perhaps) this is an interesting tactic: pile a bunch of keys onto a wire loop, forcing both you and any intruders to try every one to find the real spare.

Like we said, this is a bit difficult for you, but it’s going to make breaking into your home too difficult to justify. This also might encourage you to never lose your regular key again.

7. Tree Hiding Spot

If you live in a place with plenty of tree coverage, use the huge amount of foliage to your advantage. Choose a tree, preferably one not directly visible in front of your house but not too far away, and nail your key into the bark.

8. Identify Keys

One of the most annoying reasons you get locked out is because you grabbed the wrong keys, which is especially difficult when so many of your keys look the same. A quick way to distinguish keys? Tie colorful pieces of string around the top of each key, so you’ll always bring the right one out with you.

9. Hidden Pipe

This is a really trick way of making sure NO ONE but you finds your spare key. Using a piece of string, tie your key to one end of the string and tie, glue, or tape the other end to the top of the pipe. When you need to use your spare, just unscrew the top of the pipe and pull out your hidden key.

A little risky? Maybe. But this trick is foolproof if you can find the best method for securing the string on both sides. We suggest hot glue or Gorilla Glue to really make things stick.

 

What did you think of these handy hacks? Do you use another trick to make sure you always have a key on you? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.