Key Hiding Ideas: Where To Hide A Spare Key Outside Your House

A study in the UK stated that an average person loses up to nine items every day. The item they lose the most is — of course — their keys. Most of us leave our houses every day — for work, to hang out with friends, to go on vacations. It’s common to forget our keys in the rush of the day to day life.

Having a spare key is a good idea for the times you lock yourself out or you have someone coming over while you are running late. Hiding the key, however, is quite a tricky task. You may be wondering where to hide a spare key and what are the most secure locations for your key.

Let’s find out.

Best Ways To Hide A Spare House Key

People will swear by their tried and tested methods on where to hide a spare key. In reality, common places and objects that act as house key hider have become common enough for burglars to watch out for them.

If you don’t want any unwanted guests in your home, you need to get a little crafty with where to hide a key. There are a few options when it comes to products used to hide keys. You can also go DIY and come up with completely new ideas.

Here are some unique ideas that are sure to inspire you:

1. Bury it in the ground 

No, seriously. Pick an inconspicuous spot in your lawn or garden away from your door. Dig a little hole and place the key. Cover it up. Simple. Don’t mark it in any way. It should look completely unremarkable — that’s the point.

Now, you may be wondering what if you too forget the spot. To avoid that from happening, you can memorize the spot in a way only you understand when choosing where to hide a spare key. Say, 20 steps from the door to the right. Or take a picture of the spot. Or save it in the notes on your phone.

2. Fake dog poop key hider

This one may sound gross but that is exactly the reason to go for this particular option. There are many key hider options available in the market. Their USP is usually that they are inconspicuous. A fake dog poop doesn’t blend into the environment per se. It does quite the opposite — it stands out in a neat garden.

However, it’s such a gross thing that no one would even think about checking around it for a key. People would keep a distance from it right away. This makes it an excellent hiding spot. Look for a realistic-looking piece to buy as one that may appear fake would render the product useless.

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3. Trees

If you have trees around or close to your house, they can serve as great hiding places for your keys. You can put a nail in the trunk of a tree and hang your key there. Or you can slide it in one of the cracks of the trunk of a tree as well.

If the tree is at a considerable distance from your home, then if someone does find the key on it by accident, they will not know it is yours. Remember to hide the key on a higher part of the tree for a good measure.

4. Fake plants

If you have a lawn or garden with plants, this technique will work amazingly for you. Buy a decorative plant to be put amongst the real ones. Make sure it’s a plant that bears fruits such as apples, oranges, or pears. Make a small cut under one of the fruits and shove the key in there.

No one will ever suspect a key inside a fruit. And it blends into the environment seamlessly. You can even put real mud into the flowerpot to make it look real.

5. Inside a brick

If you have a loose brick anywhere outside your house, you can make some space inside it to hide your key. It’s a simple yet great solution on where to hide a spare key that can be hidden in plain sight.

6. Garden figurine key hider

Garden figurines are popular options to make gardens pretty. They are also great key hiders these days. You can buy garden figurines that come with the option to hide keys inside them.

However, you need to make sure that you have a good amount of such figures spread around your garden. Having just one to hide a key is going to stick out like a sore thumb.

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7. Garden figurines

Who says you have to buy specific garden figurines that come with the space to hide keys? You can simply hide the keys under any garden figurines that you already have. Many of them have enough nooks and crannies on their own for tiny things to be hidden in them.

The only thing you need to make sure of is that you already have a bunch of them spread around your garden so that the one you pick to hide the key doesn’t stick out.

Alternatives To Hiding A Key Outside

No matter how securely you tuck away the spare key, you can still feel uneasy to have a key hider outside. To successfully determine where to hide a spare key, you should explore alternative options.

1. Neighbors 

Having trusted neighbors open up the option for you to give your spare keys to them. It is truly the safest option. The only way you may have an issue is if your neighbors themselves stay out of their homes most of the time.

2. Locking System

Smart door locks eliminate the need to have a spare key altogether. Advanced lock systems allow you to control the security of your home remotely. You get notified each time the door is unlocked and can enjoy keyless entry and exit.

Worst Places To Hide A Spare House Key

When looking for the best options to do something, it’s worth looking at the worst options as well to know what you don’t want to do. When it comes to hiding keys, there are some obvious places that people mistake to be good. Avoid them at all costs.

1. Doormat

You probably have done it at some point in your life. It’s the easiest place to hide a key and the one anyone would search the first thing. A burglar would probably not look to enter your house through the front door, but he just might if you hide the key in such an easy spot.

2. Close to the door

A standard burglary takes all of eight to ten minutes. The closer the key is to the door, the easier it becomes for the burglars. Wherever you place your key, it should always be away from the front door.

3. Mailbox

There is a common misconception about mailboxes being a good key hiding place. They’re not. A mailbox is an item that is regularly opened. Your key will be easily found out there.

4. Flowerpots

Flowerpots, especially ones close to the door, are very common hiding spots. It is one of the first places someone would look for.

Conclusion

Having a spare hidden key is a practical thing, but you should be very careful of the spot you choose. Keep changing the spot every few months for a good measure and only let trusted people know about it. 

Once you know you have picked the best hiding spot, you can rest assured about the safety of your house.