holding keys and water bottle outside

Can’t Remember Where You Put Your Keys? 10 Tips to Retrace Your Steps

If you’ve ever had to endure the panic and frantic search for lost keys, then you know just how frustrating it can be trying to locate the small metal objects that grant you access to your vehicle or home.

Maybe you’re going through it right now and trying not to panic, or you find yourself in this situation more times than you’d care to admit.

Whatever the reason you’re here, we have 10 tips that will help you retrace your steps and locate your keys with less chest tightening and more focus.

 

  1. Pause, Breathe and Relax – Being tense and worries are only going to muddle your thought process more. Once you need to find your lost keys, you need to breathe and relax so you can think clearly and see what’s right in front of you.
  2. Start Where the Clutter Is – If there are places in your home, purse or at your desk that are piled with clutter, you should start there. These areas can easily become a vacuum for loose objects and hide them with ease. Don’t just make more mess and overturn everything – start to clean and organize the space. You’ll be surprised at what you might find.
  3. Check Small Spaces – Keys are pretty small objects especially if not attached to a chain with other items. That means they can easily slip into small cracks and crevices. Get low and check behind spaces or dig your hands deep down into the couch cushions. Leave no space untouched.
  4. Call Around for Lost & Found- If you just left somewhere it makes sense to call and ask if anyone has turned the set of keys into the lost and found. Oftentimes in a rush to check out and leave you may leave them behind and they’ve been sitting safely in the same spot the whole time.
  5. Use Your Memory- Close your eyes, relax and draw from your visual memory to remember the steps you took throughout the day. Try to actually visualize the keys, it might stir up key clues to finding the last place you had them.
  6. Do a Walk-around- Literally, retrace your steps. Do exactly everything you did prior for the day again, in the same way, while keeping an eye for a stray key somewhere along the path.
  7. Recruit friends to help- Looking for keys is a grueling process. Getting a fresh set of eyes out there on your search could be helpful.
  8. Write it Down – If calling up memories of the day doesn’t work, you might do better literally writing it down. Grab a pen and paper and start to write out all your steps for the day in hopes something important will come to mind.
  9. Double Check – Once you’re coming to the end of your attempt to locate your keys, go over everything above one more time. A second check might surprise you and reveal something you didn’t see before.
  10. Call a Locksmith – If you have no desire to worry about your lost keys and you need immediate access or if you’d rather put your worries in the hands of a professional equipped to help you gain access to your home or car again, call a locksmith!

 

All American Locksmiths provides trusted, prompt lockout services, new locks, and more throughout Connecticut & Westchester County. Contact us today!

 

burglar

How to Keep Your Empty Nest Safe from Criminals

Burglars search for vacant homes that would make easy targets. If you plan to go away for a while for work or vacation, take steps to avoid making it obvious that your house is unoccupied and to deter potential thieves.

Make Burglars Think You Are Home

If you will be gone for a few days or longer, have the post office hold your mail and have newspaper delivery suspended until you return. An overflowing mailbox and a pile of newspapers on the front steps clearly indicate that the owners are away.

If you will be out of town for a relatively long period of time, have someone handle your lawn maintenance. Tall grass and a garden full of weeds can tip off burglars scouting the neighborhood that you are not home.

You might think that closing the blinds or curtains would deter thieves because they wouldn’t be able to tell for sure whether someone was home, but it would actually be a good indication that the house was empty. Instead, leave some curtains or blinds on the second floor open and set lights to turn on and off with a timer. Avoid a clear pattern to create the illusion that people are home. Having a neighbor park a vehicle in your driveway or garage can also make your home appear occupied.

Secure Your House

Before you leave for your trip, inspect all the doors and windows in your home, including the garage. If you notice any malfunctioning locks or damaged windows or doors, have them repaired by professionals before you go away.

Keep the exterior of your home well lit. You can program outdoor lights to come on at dusk and/or install motion-activated lights. If a burglar is on your property and the lights suddenly come on, that can attract the attention of your neighbors.

If you don’t have a security system, consider installing one before you go on your trip. If an intruder is detected, the police can be alerted immediately. You might even be able to monitor your home with an app on your phone for peace of mind.

Let trusted neighbors know that you will be out of town and ask them to keep an eye on your property. If they notice anyone behaving suspiciously, they can notify the police. If you trust an individual enough, you can provide a key and ask that person to stop by your home periodically and check for any signs of a break-in. Potential thieves will think twice about targeting your home if they realize that a neighbor has a key and could show up at any time.

Keep Your Home Safe While You Are Away

Break-ins can occur in any neighborhood. If you plan to take a trip, avoid making your home an obvious and easy target. If you need to have a lock or door repaired, contact All American Locksmiths today.

door locks

Here’s the Best Way to Utilize a Locksmith

With so many scams out there and unruly companies taking advantage of people, it can hard to decipher who to work with and when services are actually needed. Here are some situations when utilizing a locksmith makes sense.

Lost Keys

Most of us have managed to lock ourselves out of our home or cars at some point. After the terror sets in, you need to figure out what it’s going to take to get yourself back inside- and breaking windows isn’t the right choice.

A locksmith can come out and gain access to the vehicle or even your apartment and decide from there whether you need new locks, rekeying done internally or new keys.

Broken Locks

You know how every time you go to close the door it gets jammed up? Or how you’ve had to do that little trick each time where you can wedge something in and it opens the door? This means your door lock is broken and not working properly. A locksmith can take care of this issue for you and put you back in control of your security.

Business Security

As a business, it’s essential to keep your merchandise, money, and data safe at all times. Commercial services can help you manage this and come to you whenever an issue arises.

These are just some of the situations when having an established relationship with a reputable locksmith can provide peace of mind when situations become scary.

At All American Locksmiths, we’re dedicated to providing residents and business owners in CT and Westchester, NY with around the clock care for prompt lockout services, new locks, and more.

Get in touch today!