Last Updated on February 25, 2024
If you are like many people out there, you have your own set of keys that you tend to carry with you just about everywhere. In fact, you might have a very hefty set of keys that are bulky and weighing down your pants or purse.
When you go to use the keys to get into your home, your place of work, gym locker, open a padlock on the garage, etc., it becomes a chore just to make sure that you are choosing the right key for the job. What you need to do is find some simple ways that you can better organize these keys. In addition from ideas from your locksmiths, consider some of the following options.
Find keychains that will work well
One of the first and most important things that you will want to do when you are organizing your keychain is to make sure you are looking at all of the various keychain options available today.
There are the old and traditional keychains that have various type of logos and designs that might be pleasing to look at, but they aren’t really functional. Instead, you might want to consider some of the various types of functional keychains that are available today, such as those that have separators built into them for different sets of keys.
Of course, some of them might look a little boring. You can still get the other type of keychain and then add the decorative part to the other keychains. They will be a bit bulkier, but if aesthetics is truly important, it could be a good option for you to consider.
Consider color coding
Here is another simple and effective option for keeping your keychain better organized. You will want to add some color coding for the different keys that you have. There are a couple of different ways that you could do this. There are some locksmiths that will offer different color and style keys, for example. However, there is also an even easier way. You can take some model paint or nail polish of different colors and then paint onto the part of the key that you would typically hold.
Have a different color for different keys. Red might be your work keys, while green might be your keys for home. There are plenty of possibilities.
Some people have taken to putting stickers on their keys to help them with this. While this might work for a while, eventually those stickers will start to wear away and you will be in the same situation you were before. The nail polish tends to last a lot longer than the stickers will.
Add utility devices to some keychains
Do you want to keep your keychains organized, but also provide them with a bit more utility? One of the best ways to do that is to look at some of the small utility devices that you can add to the keychains. You can add a tiny flashlight, for example.
This will make it easier for you to see what you are doing in the dark, so you do not have to fumble your way to the door. You could also add a small multitool or a knife if you would like. There are a number of options to consider.
Of course, you will want to make sure that you don’t have so many keys and accessories on the keychain that it ends up being too heavy. After all, if you have keychains that are too heavy for your car keys, it could eventually cause problem in the ignition.
Get rid of the keys you don’t need
If you are like many people, you will find that you have far more keys than you need. You have keys that are to apartments that you had years ago, or to padlocks that you no longer own. In fact, you might even have some keys that go to some unknown lock. Why are you holding onto all of those keys and why do you still have them on your keychain at all?
You can take a simple step to better organization when you go through the keys that you have and get rid of those that you no longer need. For those keys that you are unsure of, you can keep them. Just don’t keep them on the keychain. Instead, you will want to consider keeping them in a drawer or box if you ever find out what they open.
Consider multiple keychains
If you happen to have a lot of keys, then keeping them organized is naturally quite difficult, even when you have them color coded. Something that you might want to consider is having separate keychains for different purposes.
This will mean that you have to keep track of multiple keychains, but it can be worth it to make things simpler for you when it comes to your key organization. For example, you might want to have a set of keys for your home and one for work, for example. Depending on the number and types of keys that you have, you might want to have more keychains.
The extra, hidden key concept
Even when you have your keychain organized as best you can, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are not going to lose those keys at some point. Therefore, one of the best things you can do right now is have some extra keys made for all of your most important keys. This includes those for your home, work, and your vehicles, along with any safes that you might have.
Make sure that you label or color code these keys, as well. Put them in a safe place for that day that you might need them in the future. You will be very glad that you did.
Parting tips for your keys
While most people will need to work with locksmiths at some point because of broken keys or lost keys, you can take some precautions to help reduce your risk of losing the keys. There are devices today that you can attach to the keychain that will help you find it in case you lose it.
This can be very helpful, and they are often worth the cost. In addition, be sure that you get into a routine of putting the keys in the same place each and every time you come home or step out of the car. Once it becomes habit, it will reduce the risk of losing the keys or of locking them inside.
However, just because it reduces the problem does not mean it will eliminate it. There is still a good chance that you will need to work with a good locksmith at some point in the future.
With these tips to better organize your keys, you will find that you will have to carry fewer of them with you at once, and you will have an easier time of finding just what you need. Make sure you head to one of the local locksmiths to have some extra keys made that you can keep hidden in your purse or wallet, so you can get into the house or your vehicle, even if you lock your other keys inside.