Are you sick of constantly searching for your keys etc.? Here are nine simple tips you can use for how to stop losing things.
Are you constantly searching for your keys, sunglasses or wallet?
It’s one thing to lose a personal item. It’s even worse if you lose something that belongs to someone else. That awkward conversation where you ‘fess up or the amount of energy you spend hoping they never ask you to return it so they don’t find out you lost it in the first place… It’s awful.
Losing stuff is stressful and it also causes you to waste time and money. Think about how many hours you spend each year looking for items you need or how much money you spent re-purchasing things you lost.
Here’s a list of the top items that people lose frequently:
- Purse/ wallet
- Keys
- Shoes
- Sunglasses/ Glasses
- Phone
- Tv remotes
- Socks
If you’re guilty of losing these, you’re certainly not alone. Here are nine awesome tips you need to know to help you avoid losing your stuff.
How To Stop Losing Things
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1. Be Mindful
In this busy world, it’s very easy to be distracted as you set items down. Maybe you’re on the phone, trying to stop your kids from yelling at each other or your dog’s going crazy because he’s so happy you’re home.
When you’re preoccupied, you often don’t even register that you’ve set things down, much less where you put them.
The solution to this is to be mindful as you put things away. Say it out loud if you need to. “I’ve put my glasses on the coffee table.” It might seem absolutely ridiculous but it works.
2. Everything Should Have A Home
Every single item in your home should have a designated spot where it lives. This makes it incredibly easy to put stuff away and find it later.
Even if you’re distracted and you’re in the habit of putting items in specific spots. You’ll know just where to find them later because they should only be in one place anyway.
Not only does this make your life easier, it makes it super simple for others in your household to find things and put them back too. Win-win!
3. Make It A Habit
It’s doesn’t come easy for everyone to put things in the same spot consistently. This is where a bit of personal work comes in. You’ll need to train yourself to put things where they should be every time.
Eventually, this will become second nature and you won’t even have to think about it anymore. You’ll just do it.
Learn about the 2-minute rule to make habits easy.
4. Declutter Your Home
When you have too much stuff, it’s hard to see everything and have a home for every item. Solve that problem by purging your house. Get rid of anything you:
- Don’t use
- No longer like
- Don’t need
- Is broken (and be honest, you know you’re not going to get it fixed!)
- Have multiples of that are not necessary to keep
- Are holding on to “just in case you need it someday”
This is a hard task. Believe me, I know from personal experience. Decluttering is also not a one-time and done activity. You’re constantly bringing items home so you’ll need to repeat this process again and again.
Limit the number of items kept in one area and use clear bins or open shelving so it’s easy to see what you have.
When you do have a home that only has just what you need and use, you’ll have more room for the things you love. It will be so much easier to stop losing your stuff because you have room to put things away.
Discover 5 Best Steps For How To Declutter Your House In One Day
5. Make Storage Easy
The easier it is to do something, the more likely it is that you’ll actually do it.
The same goes when it comes to putting stuff away conscientiously so you stop losing things.
Store items in areas that make the most sense depending on where and how you use them e.g keep items like keys or sunglasses that you use on-the-go close to the entry.
Even if you have a small home, you can find creative storage solutions for your stuff.
6. Deal With It Immediately
When you come home at the end of a long day, the last thing you want to do is take time to put stuff away. So, what do you do? You leave a trail of items on your way to the kitchen because you’re starving and your mind is on food or you’re desperate for a glass of wine.
Being lazy or procrastinating will not help you to stop losing things. Inevitably, it makes it worse. Later, you’ll need to look for the stuff you lost and you’ll need to spend even more time putting it away where it should have been in the first place.
7. How To Find Something You Lost
We live in a world where just about anything is possible because of technology. So, why not use technology to keep track of important items that you constantly misplace?
The Tile is a simple, but effective Bluetooth tracker that you attach to things you don’t want to lose. When you can’t find something, simply use your smartphone to locate the missing item.
There are other alternatives to this product that work similarly. If you can’t seem to keep track of your belongings, this may be an option for you.
8. Attach Items To Yourself
Let’s be honest.
Sometimes, there are situations where you know you’re more likely to be distracted. If you’re going out, attach important items to yourself. Use a lanyard to hold your car key or a small purse with all your essentials and keep it on at all times.
9. Take A Moment
Before you leave any place, take a moment to look around and see if you’re leaving anything behind. This is such a simple way to ensure you stop losing things, yet most people don’t take the time to do it.
This is also another way of being mindful. When you’re preoccupied or in a rush to get on with your day, it’s more likely you’ll just get up and go. Instead, stop for a beat and check your surroundings.
Hopefully these 9 tips will help you to stop losing things and give you back your time and peace of mind.