How to Stop Losing Stuff

A CNN survey estimated that 11,300 laptop computers and 200,000 mobile telephones were left in taxis during a six month period.

Are Americans chronically absent-minded? Maybe. But in an age where we have more stuff than ever before, this might be expected.

Your mother would tell you to be more mindful. As always, your mother is right. But since you never listen, here are some other solutions you can use.

Organizational Solutions

- Keep a spare car key in your wallet or office drawer. Keep a spare house key in your glove compartment. Home Depot cuts keys for about $1.80.

- Install a couple of key hooks behind your front door to reduce key hunting at home.

- Don't immediately begin searching for something you lost. According to Professor Solomon, author of How to Find Lost Objects, "There are no missing objects. Only unsystematic searchers." Once you've calmed down, you are ready to look for an object in order. Among Solomon's 12 principles: first, where it should be, then where you last used it, and lastly, under things. Solomon claims that his informal research shows most missing objects are within an 18 inch radius from their original location.

Rules for Danger Zones

Airports/airplanes, hotels, public restrooms and restaurants are the top 4 places stuff gets lost.

Airport/Airplane

- Make two copies of the first two pages of your passport. Carry one with you in case you lose your passport while on vacation, store one at home.

- Security destroys your cell phone if it is not immediately retrieved. While you're going through beep machine, picture your cell phone being hammered to bits. Pick it up before you walk away.

- On an airplane, never stow anything in that seat pocket ahead of you - think of those pockets as black holes. They are for airplane magazines only.

Hotels

-Upon checking in, ask what the hotel's policy is on abandoned items. Write down the name of the person/department to call if you make the dreaded realization after you've returned home.

-Unless you're staying longer than a week, do not use any drawers. Your belongings must stay in plain sight.

-Do a sweep of the room before checking out, after packing. Common places for stuff to stay: closets, bathrooms, under the bed, the aforementioned dresser/nightstand drawers.

Public Restrooms

-Everything stays on your person. Don't use hooks, the back of the toilet, or the toilet paper dispenser to hold anything - this will decrease your chance of losing something here.

Restaurants

- If you forget your credit card at the bar or in one of those black check folders, call the restaurant and ask for the manager. Be entirely sympathetic to the manager's situation: he/she is probably doing paperwork and gearing up for a long shift. Tons of patrons call every day claiming they left an item at the establishment when it's really in a pant pocket (you have checked your pockets, right?).

Technological Solutions

Stuff still disappear? Turn to technology.

Securitron Digital Keypad ($479)

How about a digital entry system for your residence? Do away with house keys forever! (You can remember codes, can't you?)

http://www.securitron.com/

Digital Angel

To bring home lost pets and livestock, an implantable microchip from Digital Angel provides location tracking.

http://www.digitalangelcorp.com/

The Sharper Image has a variety of products designed to prevent lost items, such as the "Now You Can Find It" device ($39.95) www.sharperimage.com

The worst part of losing stuff is the self-loathing that usually follows. Don't bother beating yourself up. Abandoned or unclaimed property usually goes to charity. If this doesn't bring a smile to your face, visit the quirky online magazine Found and find comfort in this curio collection of trinkets, notes and photos that people have picked off streets all over America.