We have never been big on hiding a spare key around our place. Anyplace we've ever wanted to put one has always seemed too logical, or required too much excavating. Until now. Click through the jump to see how a repurposed pill bottle, a rock and some glue just made forgetting your keys a little bit easier.
The hardest part about forgetting your keys is that friends you have given a spare to, never seem to be around when you space out and forget yours/lose yours. On top of that, we've all seen the movies, we know where people hide keys. They are on top of door jambs, in flower pots and in secret rocks.... all of which look like they are begging for a burglar to waltz right in. We spotted this great solution from Jessica Okui (of Zakka Life), who came up with a great way to repurpose something that would have normally gone into the trash. Pill bottles.
Jessica suggests placing your key inside the bottle and tightening the lid. Next, glue the rock onto the surface of the lid and gently place your bottle in the ground. It could be a window box or your front or back yard. Heck, it could even be your neighbors yard if you wanted! Now all you see is a rock and no one will ever think any different. You can check out her site for more details, suggestions on glue and more photos!
Great work Jessica! Thanks for the tip.
Photos courtesy of Jessica and Zakka Life via Craftzine.
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Neat idea. Too bad I live on the third floor. Oh, I suppose I could put it into a plant...
Great idea, I think I'll try it. I can just picture myself digging through the snow to find the rock, thought.
This is why I replaced the locks on my apartment door with an electronic lock - No more fumbling for keys!
http://consumer.schlage.com/electronics/default.asp
Instead of a rock, you could use fake dog poop. No one will dare touch it!
At first I thought that picture was of a modern sculpture on a pedestal!
ok that works for houses, but what 'bout apartments?
when you lose your keys you also lose the main building entrance key and your apartment key. doesn't solve my problem.
@ Nazrd
genius
Wow...this actually happened to me last week on New Year's Eve. I was out walking my dog when I realized that I forgot my keys. The dog and I trekked to my office and I emailed my dog walker from there. To avoid this from happening again, I've decided to go to Home Depot and get one of those magnetic key holders and put it underneath my car.
Not to be a wet blanket... but I can't imagine this is a viable idea for the following reasons: (1) most urban dwellings don't have a front yard, (2) you need soft dirt, again not something you find in cities, (3) won't work with snow, and (4) you get your hands dirty every time you use it.
Personally I prefer a magnetic combo lock box you can hide. More compatible with our urban environs. If someone finds it they can't open it (combo lock) and they don't know what apartment it goes to.
"when you lose your keys you also lose the main building entrance key and your apartment key. doesn't solve my problem."
Have the entrance buzzer to your apartment set to your cellphone - When/if you go out w/ out your keys, all you have to do is buzz yourself on the announcer and use your cellphone to buzz yourself into the building.
"when you lose your keys you also lose the main building entrance key and your apartment key. doesn't solve my problem."
Why wouldn't you have copies of both keys? Or are you not allowed to duplicate the key to the main building? I don't understand.
Agree with Vicadin...
this doesnt help the fact I reside in an apartment building (requiring both entrance and house key)
The landscapers would find this rock in a heartbeat!
Any other ideas for apartment dwellers?
bepsf- my apartment building isn't that high tech. dang.
thankfully the agency we rent our place though is a 3 minute walk around the block and they keep keys to all their buildings. i also learned a few years ago to always lock my doors with my keys when i go out that way they are in my hands when i walk out the door.
my parents have a yard and keep a key in the garden. the problem is though that with three kids someone would always forget their key and then not put the spare back in its hidden spot. finding it also involved digging around under trees and generally getting dirty. i find it easier just to remember my keys ;)
"when you lose your keys you also lose the main building entrance key and your apartment key. doesn't solve my problem."
ummm... put BOTH of the keys in the little pill bottle...
I am not sure I would feel comfortable putting that dingy in the dirt between the street and sidewalk on the LES. Great for a house though.
It's "door jamb"
baba yaga -- sure, but we're talking apartment living here. Where o where to place an inconspicuous rock/ pillbox -- to go unnoticed by fellow dwellers, manager, and landscapers? Not to mention the holy wrath I'd receive if the key was found to gain access into the building... yikes! Security has to be number one, remember. For that reason, alot of buildings do not allow duplication of keys.
Hmmm I wonder if, all of a sudden, ten new "rocks" show up in our front residence garden tomorrow morning? haha
I'm actually making little gift boxes/presents for my friends (as a general "thanks for being a good friend") with spare keys, emergency numbers for my family and medical information. Just in case there is an emergency and I need a spare key or they need to get in to my place if I'm gone or incapacitated.
I guess different ideas are more practical for different people. My friends live in the general area and don't require a taxi or a subway to get to my place.
Atarichamp, you trust people quite a lot. I love my friends, yes, but I know I wouldn't trust everyone who could have access to that key at my friend's place. I find it much easier to hide a key than have to wonder if a friend had a fight with their roommate/spouse/etc and they retaliated by breaking into my place. Our spare key resides with my stepdad who lives about 7 minutes away.
@Nazrd
My dog would still try to eat it. Sheesh.
We should just go to retina scans! Then the only way to lose your key...
I keep mine in a magnetic hide a key stuck to the back of my outdoor AC unit. There are 6 out there so if someone did happen to find it (doubtful - our landscapers suck), they would have to try a bunch of doors in order to get in.