You’ve all been at the situation at some point or another. It’s late at night, and you’re trying to get inside to sleep before work in a few hours. You can’t find your key, so you sleep on the porch. You go to drive to open work the next morning, but your car key is with your house key. You have to walk to work. When you get there, you don’t have the key to open your doors. That key is inside the house, right inside the front door where you cannot get to it. You start to ponder where your life went.
Okay, it probably hasn’t been that extreme for you (and if it was, you didn’t deserve that), but everyone has been locked out of their car, home, or place of work before. It sucks, and every time it happens you promise yourself “never again.” Have you taken the steps to prevent a recurrence, though? If not, here are a few steps that you can take today to prevent the worst tomorrow.
Have A Friend With A Spare Set Of Keys
This should be someone that you trust absolutely. There is nothing more comforting than being locked out of something that you need and knowing that a good friend can solve the problem with just a short phone call. This works best if you aren’t losing your keys all the time, though. If you become a burden, you are likely to lose this option.
Invest In An Electric Garage Door Opener
A code garage door opener should be the standard on all homes. It isn’t though, so if you don’t have one, you’re going to have to out and get one. This option also works with some stores and office buildings. A 4-6 digit code works as a pin that can get you into the building, and removes your need for keys altogether.
(In A Safe Neighborhood) Keep A Window Unlocked
If you live on the shady side of town, you probably shouldn’t do this. But if you can, leave a secluded window unlocked. Worst case scenario, you end up having to go behind the house to crawl into your own. Just make sure it isn’t visible to the street, though. You do not want to have to explain to the cops why you are breaking into your house.
Hide A Spare Key
Got a group of bushes surrounding your house? Maybe an inconspicuous shoe or rock that no one will check? If so, that is the perfect place to hide a spare key. Even if you never use it, it is comforting to know it’s there. Don’t forget where the key is, though, that is just flat out depressing.
Keep An Extra Key Outside
The above tip also works in your place of business. Find a good place to hide the key, or keep it in a nearby shop with an owner that you trust.
Keep An Extra Car Key In Your Wallet
You’ve got all of those slots, why not use them for something useful? An extra car key is never a bad thing to have on your side.
Keep An Extra Car Key In Your Home
Having an extra key at the house works wonders as well. Even if you’re stranded elsewhere, someone at the house can come out and rescue you. Between this and the above option, you should never be locked out of your car.
Have A Good Locksmith On Speed Dial
Should all of these options fail, and sadly there are times where this will be the case, you’re going to need a locksmith. There are bound to be a few good ones in your area, so build a relationship with them and make sure they’re ready to get to you quick if need be.
Hopefully, these tips help you out. If you can avoid being locked out just once, then the job here has been done. Thanks are not necessary. Instead, just pass this on to someone else who might need it. A good karma train is never a bad thing to be a part of after all.
