The Misplaced Items You Often Lose Need a Home

It annoys the crap out of me. I’m all set and ready to go, everyone’s in the car, then I look into my bag, freak out and yell, “Honey, I can’t find my iPhone / wallet / keys / glasses!” I think about what could happen if I don’t have any of these things on hand. What if this were the ONE time I didn’t have my license and I got pulled over for speeding? Or God forbid, what if there’s an emergency and someone was trying to contact me on my cell phone which I don’t have on me? Then begins the mad rush searching for the item lost.

While not a life threatening occurrence in the greater scheme of things, losing misplaced stuff could certainly put a damper on our everyday lives. We’ve come to rely on these most often-used things we take for granted.

Mobile Devices: Where would we be today without our smart phones? It’s how we interact with the world and make plans. No longer the clunky models of days past, our iPhones and mobile devices make our lives easier so we could have everything conveniently stored in one place.

We check our email, our calendar, connect with Facebook groups, update our “To Do” lists, write our grocery lists, use mobile coupons, watch movies, record voice memos, etc. And of course it’s a phone so we chat, text, Skype and Facetime with family and friends.

Non-tech things like glasses, keys and wallets are pretty important to have on hand too. What if your vision is fuzzy while walking or driving and you can’t read signs? How would you get in and out of your house or car? What if you need a valid form of ID or work ID which happens to be in your wallet? It’s no wonder we’re stressed out.

Studies show that the Average American wastes 10 minutes a day (also 3,680 hours or 153 days in a lifetime) searching for misplaced items. While time isn’t the only thing lost, there are other minor inconveniences. Losing things distract us from our daily routines and can cause unnecessary stress. In the context of a busy, everyday life, how do we keep from losing the most misplaced items and in the future?

Here are a few ways to keep tabs on often misplaced items:

1. Make sure all your most important items have a home. In other words, a place for everything and everything it’s place. Always. This means your iPhone always stays in it’s charging station or purse. If it’s in your pocket, make sure it’s the same pocket (or jacket pocket) you use everyday. Your wallet is always in a handbag or a specific drawer. Keys hang on a key hook against the wall or get thrown in the same bowl or tray when you enter your home. Also be aware of which room it’s in and where specifically. That way when things are lost, you’ll know the obvious place to start looking and can backtrack from there.

2. Simplify your space + keep it clutter free.  This will help you see your missing item more easily. This could mean taking a couple minutes a day to pick up after yourself. You’ll be less stressed finding things when you could see a clear floor. Gretchen Rubin from The Happiness Project also suggests that when things do go missing, start cleaning because it might be in plain sight.

3. Keep spares of everything. Photocopy your license and work ID and store in a locked file or safe box in case so you have a copy of it. Keep things like spare keys and spare glasses in an assigned place.

4. Use Find a Phone apps. Back up your phone to your laptop or desktop computer. Also install the Find My iPhone or Where’s My Droid app to your smart phones.

By following these tips and having a home for your most important things, you’ll be better prepared for when things get misplaced.