Most locks come with at least two keys, if not three. You might only need one, so where do you keep the other two? In any case, you should always keep a key spare, in case you have guests, or lose your key.
The question is: where should you keep these spares?
Not on your main keyring!
I come across loads of customers who have two or three identical keys on the same keyring. That means that, if they lose the keyring, they’ve lost all of their keys.
Anyway, what’s the point of keeping all keys on the same keyring? You’re just uselessly filling your pocket.
Not near the front door or an open window
Another no-no is to keep your spare keys near the front door or a ground-floor open window. This is a very common mistake, and it can be an expensive mistake, too.
You see, burglars aren’t idiots. They know that there’s a good chance they can just put a grab-arm through the letterbox, pick up a spare set of keys, and then have free access to your house whenever they feel like it.
People put stuff through your letterbox all the time. The postman comes in the morning, but we all occasionally get people putting leaflets through our doors. As such, if you hear a noise coming from your letterbox at a random time of day, you might not think twice about it. Thieves exploit this.
Not under the doormat
This one is pretty obvious, but surprisingly common. Lots of people keep a spare key hidden somewhere outside, just in case.
Just imagine this conversation between a seasoned burglar and a new recruit:
Burglar: “So, how d’you reckon we should break in to this one?”
Recruit: “Climb over the fence, smash in the back door, try and make as little noise as possible.”
Burglar: “Nope, we’ll just use the key the owners have handily left us in the flower pot by the door.”
In a bowl in the kitchen
The kitchen is usually a good place to keep keys (so long as it’s not near a letterbox or open window). It’s a communal area full of cupboards and drawers where you can keep stuff.
Given that you regularly open all the drawers to get stuff throughout your daily business in the kitchen, you’ll see the keys often, and therefore never forget where you’ve left them.
Hidden in a cupboard
Hiding keys in a cupboard is also a good trick. You might have a vase, for instance, that you can sequester them in. This is a good thing to do when you go on holiday, for example.
With a neighbour
Neighbours are a good place to keep spare keys, so long as you have a good rapport. They can then help you out if you’re locked out, or if there’s a problem that needs solving while you’re on holiday (e.g. a water leak).
The only trouble is that they might be the ones who keep your keys near an open window. 😉
In a keysafe
External keysafes are a nice idea for keeping spare keys, especially if you need to let people in now and again while you’re not there. This is often the case in properties where tradesmen regularly go in and out.
It’s also very practical if you need to let carers in. The agency providing the care might not send the same person every time, so it’s easier to have an on-site keysafe.
With a keyholding company
Keyholding companies might be a good idea, too, for similar reasons as the keysafe mentioned above: you may need to let in various people while you’re not around.
With a porter/concierge
If you’re lucky enough to live in a place with a concierge or a porter, they may often be willing to keep a hold of your spare keys. Given that many concierge offices are manned 24/7, it might be quite a safe place for keys to be left.
