What to do if you lost your car keys and how to prevent losing them
If you lost your car keys don’t panic. And please don’t call 10 different locksmiths and see which one arrives the fastest!
Car keys are no different from any other lost item and the steps for trying to find them are the very similar.
First, try and look for the missing car key or car fob. If you’re car is in the driveway, there’s a good chance the keys are inside the house. The first thing you should do is retrace your steps. Look inside the car, see if they fell just outside the car or on your way into the house. Most people put them down in an unusual spot hoping to remember and forget.
1) Retrace your steps
2) Look in all of your usual spots. The places you toss items, papers, things you “don’t want to forget” etc.
3) Start looking in odd places
4) Use your spare key until you find the one you lost
Tips for Searching
Try to remain calm. Getting into a panic leads to frustration and won’t help you find your keys. I know, easy to say, “don’t panic” but it’s true.
Take breaks. You don’t need to search for an hour straight until you find them. Look a little, take a break. Odds are, as you move about your house, you’ll find the keys in an odd place you swore you wouldn’t forget.
Most people simply misplace their keys. They typically don’t fall out of purses or pockets.
If you’ve not in your house, ask for help. People are pretty understanding of the frustration of losing your keys. If you’re at a store notify the manager. They can put a lookout for the car keys and be in touch with you if someone reports them to the lost and found.
How to Prevent Losing your Keys
It might not help you now but there are some things you can do in the future to prevent losing your keys
1) Dedicate a place to drop your keys. Everyone likes coming home kicking off their shoes and relaxing. Having a dedicated space to drop off your wallet, car keys, and other items can help reduce the chances you’ll lose your keys in the future
2) Get an apple airtag or similar product. That way if you lose your keys in your house you can find them easier. Similarly, if they are lost out in the world you would be able to geolocate them.
3) Get spare keys before it’s an issue. If you bought a used car it’s not uncommon for them to only provide one key. Set up an appointment with a locksmith and create 1, 2, 3 spare keys for back ups or for other members of your household. It’s much easier for a locksmith to make keys when you have a working key than when you lose all of your keys. Most locksmiths will welcome the opportunity of scheduling a time instead of dealing with an emergency. They will more than likely give you a bulk rate if you are buying more than one key
If you have tried everything, but you can’t still find your keys, call a locksmith to help you. If you happen to find your keys after the fact
If you’re in the Beachwood, Shaker Heights, University Heights area give us a call. We’d be glad to help you out for emergency service or for a scheduled appointment.
