Hiding a spare house key under the doormat can hardly be called an act of intelligence. A fake rubber rock right next to your door is not genius either. Word to the wise: Never go for the obvious when hiding your house keys. How to go about it then? Well, let’s show you.
The first rule to successfully hiding most things, including your house key, is to hide them in plain sight, but inconspicuously. Think out of the box and you’ll stumble upon numerous ways you can hide your key, whether you live in an apartment or a house with a yard.
The hiding spot should also take into account the frequency with which you’ll need to retrieve the spare key. For example, if you need to use your spare key frequently, an elaborate hiding spot will not be feasible as it increases the chances of someone spotting you while taking it out of hiding. As a precaution, always try to be discreet when hiding as well as retrieving your key.
Here are three clever ways to hide your house keys.
Contents
Method 1: Inside a Pill Bottle
An ingenious way to hide your spare house key is to stash it inside a pill bottle. This method is very versatile, as it can be modified in a variety of ways. The pill bottle will also keep your key protected from harsh weather conditions if you’re hiding your key out in the open.
Here, we’re just sticking a rock on the top of it to make it look like an addition to a rock garden or any other type of garden. But you can personalize this method and modify it to suit different surroundings.
Things you’ll need:
- Empty prescription pill bottle
- A rock
- Industrial strength, all-purpose adhesive
Step 1. Glue the lid of the pill bottle to the rock
- Unscrew the lid of an empty pill bottle. The bottle should be big enough to easily contain your house key.
- Apply industrial strength, all-purpose adhesive to the top of the lid as well as to the rock you’re using. The rock should be big enough to completely cover the lid.
- Stick the rock on top of the lid and let the adhesive cure for 1 to 2 days.
Step 2. Put the key into the pill bottle
- When the glue has cured completely and the rock is firmly stuck to the lid of the pill bottle, put the spare house key into the bottle.
- Screw on the rock-lid.
Step 3. Hide the pill bottle in your garden
- Hide your house key by partially burying the pill bottle in the ground. The top will stay inconspicuous due to the rock.
- This hide-a-key works best when placed in the middle of or near a pile of rocks. The arrangement of the rocks should be subtle and should not look out of place.
Method 2: Under a Doghouse
A very clever way of hiding your house key is keeping it under the doghouse – that is if you own a dog.
Dogs usually consider themselves the protectors of your house, so hiding your house key under the kennel is quite fitting. Most burglars and intruders try to avoid dogs and doghouses, simply due to the ruckus your canine friend will create.
Whether your dog is small or big, ferocious or quite harmless, intruders will be unable to gather the courage to actually retrieve your house key from under the doghouse. On the contrary, you can just stroll to the hiding spot to retrieve the key whenever you wish.
- Simply slide your spare house key under the doghouse.
- You can retrieve the key whenever you wish, using the guise of petting your dog so as not to give away your hiding spot.
Method 3: Inside a Fake Rock
Hiding your key inside a fake rock is a neat trick, but only if you pull it off smartly. A hide-a-key fake rock will look sorely out of place near your doorstep, just as much as a lone, half-dead potted plant.
But if your fake rock looks real enough and you place it in a spot where it’s inconspicuous, it will serve its purpose well. A pile of rocks or a cluster of potted plants might be a more fitting spot for your hide-a-key fake rock.
- Pick a smart spot to place your hide-a-key rock.
- Place the key securely in the hiding compartment before placing the fake rock in the predetermined spot.
Fake rocks are not the only options available. You can take your pick from fake sprinklers and magnetic holders to a variety of garden and porch ornaments that double as hide-a-key unit. If you’ve got the DIY bug, you can make your own hide-a-key ornaments that mingle well with the exterior of your house.
Tips
- If your dog is aggressive and loud, you can hide your key in a small pouch inside her collar. Not that anyone will even try to retrieve your key from this hiding spot, whoever does make such an attempt will receive a loud resistance.
- If you’re hiding your key where it will be in contact with water or other elements of nature, keep your key wrapped in tape or sealed in a Ziploc bag.
- With magnetic key holders, you can hide your keys in an outdoor grill, air conditioner unit or even your car.
- If you have an outhouse or a shed, it will be a good place to hide your key as you’ll have a lot of options.