A simple, easy, and cheap way to keep from losing things in your home, apartment, or where you live.

[Stuart G]

...I lose things around the house. I forget where I put them and go on searches. The searches are from here to there and over there. I go into this drawer and that drawer and that room and another room..So, I came up with a simple, easy, very cheap way not to lose things, and I want to share it today. (this may not be agreed to by any partner or family member, but it is guaranteed to work, and it is a bit sloppy.) The searches may last from five minutes to an hour or more, and the searches waste a whole lot of "time." Yes, I do find it, almost always..but this idea helps..

...Ok, here it is....Put the thing, in a place where you can see it, or anyone can see it. Like on a table, or on the floor, or on a couch, or anywhere you can see it.

...This way if you lose the thing, it can be seen quickly, if you forget where you put it....(like I do, often)..Save a table for those things you need to use that day..and then that day you will not forget where you put it. Usually, I loose something like a dustpan or earphones or something that I spend a lot of time looking for, because in the previous moment.....I wanted to put it .."AWAY AND OUT OF SIGHT"

..I decided that away & out of sight ain't worth it. Keep it so you can see, and use it for that day...and a couple of days later when you no longer need it, then put it away...And as you put it away,,,,say to yourself, quietly..I am putting the scotch tape or the earphones, or the radio in in this drawer in my bedroom. That may help, and it may not help, but think about it. It was free, easy to do, and it works....And it is in the lounge, an easy, quiet place to go for a break from the politics and worry of the day...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. And then pretty soon every surface is cluttered with stuff

and you still can't find anything. Whatever works for you, but that would just make my life and stuff even more unmanageable and messy. Also, cats shove things onto the floor.

[Stuart G]

4. ...Save one table for the ....stuff..., then see if that works..

..Keep the cats away, somehow on that one table, and try this out. Can't hurt? Can it?...It is just an idea, that works for me sometimes. And it saves a lot of time looking for this and that over here and over there...
...And this one idea didn't cost a thing, and you didn't have to buy a book on how to keep track of this and that.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. I have only one table and it's already covered with stuff.

I also have a desk that's covered with stuff. I have a cat, and cats shove things onto the floor (you can't keep cats away from surfaces because they can jump 5x their own height). This will not work for me.

[Atticus]

2. What table? Where? There's a table? nt

[Stuart G]

7. There is a table over here and one over there..Wait, did I lose the table too?

... ... ... .... .... .... .... ....... ... ....

[Hoyt]

3. I agree. Once something is "away and out of sight," it's lost.

[Stuart G]

6. I lose so much stuff..you name it, and I have lost it..

...Books, pictures, tape, checks, this and that..I guess maybe I am getting ...O-D (I don't say that word, ever, because it makes me feel bad)... Yes, there is an L in the middle. (probably because it describes me)
Maybe this works, and maybe it doesn't. It works for me sometimes. If it (whatever) is out in the open, it is much easier to find..

[Skittles]

5. LOL

sorry, that will only work for NEAT FREAKS

[2naSalit]

9. Put your toys away and then you'll know where they are

is what my mom used to tell us.


And you know what?



It works!

[MontanaMama]

16. Yup.

True story. I live with two scatterers. Drives me nuts. They are forever asking me “have you seen my ______?” I have a sign in my laundry room that says nothing is ever truly lost unless the mama can’t find it. Put your shit away.

ETA...just now the 15 year old came and asked me if I knew where his baseball warm up shirt is...yes I know...it’s in a bucket of baseballs on the porch. Shouldn’t be there...and neither should the bucket of baseballs. THIS is what I am talking about.

[2naSalit]

17. It's true.

I am a 50/50. There are times when I just set stuff down and leave it there which ends up in multiple lengthy searches at times. Then there is the rest of the time where everything is put away and neatly place where it belongs. A silver lining to log cabin lifestyle is that you have to put stuff away so you can have room to do anything else.

I have had two generations of kids, none of I bore, to raise and all I can say is, life lived with family is full of little mismatched idiosyncrasies where there's always something others do that are the ultimate annoyance. Welcome to 2na's philosophy corner, tune in next time for...

[rickford66]

10. Try saying out loud to yourself what and where you're putting it.

At least you can't say you weren't told.

[ret5hd]

11. Found your tape measure!!!

[SWBTATTReg]

12. I laughed when I read your post. We have an ongoing list of things that we want but can't...

find here at the house (usually 5 or 6 items or so on this list). It may take up to six months or so to find said item, but we usually do find the item eventually. Basically, give it time, lots of time.

[greymattermom]

13. Here's my way.

When I lose something I keep a mental note of the first place I looked for it. When I finally find it, that's where it goes.

[cayugafalls]

14. I lose things a lot too. But only when I clean.

If things are messy, I can find whatever it is I need. Not sure why.

My office desk used to be really messy, but if someone came in and asked for a contract, I knew exactly where it was. One day my boss made me clean my office and for the next couple weeks (until things got messy again), I was completely lost.

[Squinch]

15. This year I lost my whole gardening bag. I put it away somewhere last fall, and

I am damned if I can find it.

And I live in an apartment that is not that big.