If you're the kind of person who often walks out of the apartment without your key (um, yeah, I am totally one of those people!) here's a quick little DIY to keep your keys where you're likely to see them … on the light switch!
There's a light switch right by my front door and, in my dark little entryway, it's the usually the last thing I touch before I leave the apartment. I imagine that hanging my keys from this switch, as I recently saw on homedit, would mean I'd never walk out without my keys again.
Simply remove the switch plate and place a small neodymium magnet in the light switch. Replace the plate and voila it's magnetized! In the image above you can see that they placed the magnet inside the switch but you could also tape the magnet to the back of the switch plate.
Images: homedit
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I'm just sure the little furry critters would nab those in my house...
I love this idea! Now I just have to find a small strong magnet!
@collinsa: Our local hardware store carries a full range of tiny strong magnets.
This is such a great idea -I'm just trying to foresee any problems that might arise.
Cool Idea... Maybe I could make a whole super magnetic wall or panel!
This might be a really stupid question, but, as the building I live in is about to get a key fob system: couldn't a magnet somehow screw with your little door opener fob?
@emmelemm - Yes! It can screw with key fobs. They can become demagnatized much like a credit card. Women in my last building were constantly having to replace their's due to strongly magnetic purse and wallet closures.
Bright idea but I haven't had just one key on a key chain since I was 12 when I wore the key around me neck (latch key child). I am sure my whole set of keys would fall off the light switch.
Eileen- how about coats with snaps on the sleeves? Could you accidentally get yourself stuck to the wall? :)
House Voyer- I used to carry a huge keychain around but have stripped it down recently. I have one set with my car key and my house back door key on it. Another set, which lives in my purse and is even chained to my purse, has my other house key, keys to relatives houses, work keys, etc on it. Anything I couldn't remember what it was got put on a third keychain which lives in a box on my dresser. My spare car keys are in a lock box in my bedroom drawer, the key to the lockbox is on Keychain 2, and the spare to the lockbox is taped in a hidden place in my house. Pfew.
There was also something like this on Ikea Hackers recently- someone installed a magnetic knife block under the overhang of their kitchen island counter top, and it had several key rings hanging from it in a discreet but handy place. The poster said its great for parties.
For those who don't want to try the magnet: How about wooden switch plate cover + cup hook?
You can buy a magnetic light switch which has been getting a lot of news here.
http://shop.thefancy.com/product/magnetic-switch-cover
Good idea! Keeping your keys in the exact same place every day is a real time saver.
good idea. i actually just drilled a hole into my switch cover and put in a little hook. it's right next to the front door so we never lock ourselves out anymore.
@ladykatey - same here! I used to carry 2 car keys with key fobs, 2 house keys, and 3 pool keys with me. Now we have a garage door opener and I only carry my car keys. No idea where the other key ring is!
Wow - I could have written an article for AT! (No sarcasm in the above exultation.)
Being organizationally challenged my whole life, I finally got tired of searching for my keys. Having just replaced my old, grody switch plates (truly, you have no idea) with some pretty metal ones, it occurred to me that hanging my keys via strong magnet would keep my keys right where I want them. Enter some super strong, teeny little magnets from The Container Store. I had used them for kids' school papers, and knew them to be really sturdy at about 1/8" in size. The only difference here is that I just snapped the magnet on the plate. It's so small, you don't see it at all when the keys are there, and you'd have to be checking for it to notice when the keys are off.
It holds my remote control car key (like the one in the picture) along with two normal house keys. I think it would hold more if I tested it. And my little magnet has not messed with the remote function in any way.
I (almost) never lose my keys at my own house anymore. They come in the house from the car and snap on the magnet before the door is even shut.
I only walked out the door without my keys once. It was the day after I became engaged and I was to busy looking down at my ring to notice what I was doing. I managed to walk out the apartment door and the front door of my building before I noticed and had to walk to my fiances office to get a key to my own apartment. Whoops! I think this is a decent idea for kids keys though that don't have to deal with fobs etc.
Or you could just put a hook right by the light switch. My problem is leaving my keys in the key hole of my mailbox.