How do things just disappear?

ThreeKneeRepeater · 2023-12-24T14:19:41+00:00

I’ve just been away for a couple of nights. I locked the door and tucked my house keys into the little zip pocket inside my backpack. i arrived at the hotel and took out what I needed for my stay. I didn’t use the pack pack again and it stayed in the hotel. Arrived home last night, no keys. Luckily a neighbour holds a set so I was able to get in, but I cannot for the life of me work out where my keys have gone. They were on a big colourful key ring. I rang the hotel and they don’t have them. Has anyone else had something disappear without trace for no reason?

Auvergne63 · 24/12/2023 14:37

I can relate. My vape has disappeared. I had it this morning, put it down to make breakfast and can't find it now! DH was still in bed. No one else is here.
We both searched but nothing! Weird.

Datdamndamp · 24/12/2023 14:38

Yes, flue piece for the kitchen extractor. Kitchen was hacked back to stone. Builders left, flue piece was here and put in a box. Main part in attic. It totally disappeared and I've moved house since and it wasn't anywhere.

Other disappearing acts have included hotel keys (temporary) and a riotous couple of months with a poltergeist but in fairness that also bought new something into the house.

PuttingDownRoots · 24/12/2023 14:42

About 10 years ago our car keys disappeared between the car and hotel room. We searched the car park, the room, the hotel searched the communal areas... no where to be found. Other guests even joined in... especially since our pushchair was locked in the car, and baby carrier... We ended up needing a car locksmith.

Just over a year later we moved house. While unpacking, in the lining of a suitcase... the car keys!! We had used the case a few times in between!

So I advise checking the lining of your bag.

RandomMess · 24/12/2023 14:43

Bag lining and all pockets in all clothing.

Original poster

ThreeKneeRepeater · 24/12/2023 14:52

Checked everything I put away when I got home, and inside the car several times. Keep going back to the bag but they aren’t there.
They have vanished.

OP posts:

OldTinHat · 24/12/2023 14:54

I had a very sentimental ring disappear from my dressing table once. Tore the room apart looking for it, including taking the mattress off the bed.

Several years later, I moved house. The removal firm came in and I followed them out, vacuuming, cleaning, making sure everything was spotless for the new people. I'd packed everything up myself prior so knew all drawers were empty and so on.

My then cleaner came in to do a final clean (but I'd already done it, so we drank wine and toasted the house and happy memories instead). My cleaner did a final walk through with me and what was in the middle of the bedroom carpet that I'd vacuumed and sprinkled that carpet cleaner stuff in? Yep. My ring. Missing for years and there it was. I still can't explain it.

WithIcePlease · 24/12/2023 14:59

It's the Chocolate Monster. Theres a book about him. He takes all the odd socks and anything he fancies really.

He hid the top of my gold pen for 4 years then put it back in my bedside drawer (I know this as I had emptied it out at least 4 times) Also taken a teapot set I have emptied cupboards and garage looking for 🙄

Leafpicker2000 · 24/12/2023 15:06

Professor Solomon - (12 principles of finding lost things) says that most things are usually within 18 inches of where you expect them to be.
They have merely slipped out of place or been camouflaged by another object

pinkyredrose · 24/12/2023 15:09

OldTinHat · 24/12/2023 14:54

I had a very sentimental ring disappear from my dressing table once. Tore the room apart looking for it, including taking the mattress off the bed.

Several years later, I moved house. The removal firm came in and I followed them out, vacuuming, cleaning, making sure everything was spotless for the new people. I'd packed everything up myself prior so knew all drawers were empty and so on.

My then cleaner came in to do a final clean (but I'd already done it, so we drank wine and toasted the house and happy memories instead). My cleaner did a final walk through with me and what was in the middle of the bedroom carpet that I'd vacuumed and sprinkled that carpet cleaner stuff in? Yep. My ring. Missing for years and there it was. I still can't explain it.

Woah!! That's seriously spooky!

Rachaelrachael · 24/12/2023 23:21

I once lost a boot.. it was my favourite pair and one of them disappeared into thin air. We moved house a few months after it disappeared so the house was completely emptied, but the boot never reappeared!

CyberCritical · 24/12/2023 23:26

Might be a stupid suggestion but are you 100% certain there isn't a hole in the pocket and the keys haven't fallen down the lining of the bag into the base or another pocket?

SkiingIsHeaven · 24/12/2023 23:44

That is why I bought an apple airtag.

HardcoreLadyType · 24/12/2023 23:49

I hardly ever lose my keys. Like you, I am careful about where I put them.

Recently, I did lose them, and I was a bit frantic. In the end, what I had done was to roll them up with my hat and gloves and put them in the hall cupboard with the coats.

Escaperoom · 25/12/2023 00:01

My sister's partner lost his car keys once and they were found in the freezer! He had obviously had them in his hand whilst putting shopping away and inadvertently put them in there with the frozen food.

SeemsSoUnfair · 27/12/2023 20:42

My mum lost her wedding ring after her golden anniversary. It was loose after she lost a lot of weight in her late 70s with chemo and she thought she lost it working in the garden and we spent hours with dad searching for it and also in the house.

It showed up years later, not long before dad died. She had a tower of toilet rolls in her downstairs loo and it must had fallen off her finger and down the middle. She always kept the tower topped up meaning that bottom roll, hiding the ring, had not been used in the years in-between. So glad they found it again.

ALongHardWinter · 27/12/2023 21:36

Tell me about it. Things I've lost (in my small 2 bedroom flat) over the years which to this day I have not found:- An artificial Christmas tree. A magazine that I had brought into the house a couple of hours previously. My favourite glass. An olive 'spork'. A cake recipe book. An envelope with a ten pound note in it. My family credit payment book. A book of 12 first class stamps. A bra. A packet of sandwiches. My DD said that I must have accidentally thrown the sandwiches in the bin, because if they were still lurking somewhere in the flat,she said the smell would have been horrific by now! 🤢

flatpack1 · 27/12/2023 22:03

My pet hate is when you drop something small on the floor, earring, piece of lego, tiny battery, hair clip, piece of dried pasta......you hear it drop but that fucker is gone forever no matter how hard you search

Cosycover · 27/12/2023 22:07

ALongHardWinter · 27/12/2023 21:36

Tell me about it. Things I've lost (in my small 2 bedroom flat) over the years which to this day I have not found:- An artificial Christmas tree. A magazine that I had brought into the house a couple of hours previously. My favourite glass. An olive 'spork'. A cake recipe book. An envelope with a ten pound note in it. My family credit payment book. A book of 12 first class stamps. A bra. A packet of sandwiches. My DD said that I must have accidentally thrown the sandwiches in the bin, because if they were still lurking somewhere in the flat,she said the smell would have been horrific by now! 🤢

Edited

A Christmas tree 😂😂😂

If this ever turns up anywhere you absolutely have to let us know.

ALongHardWinter · 27/12/2023 22:37

cosycover It went missing 29 years ago! The last time it was used was Christmas 1993. The following year,my husband and I separated and he moved out. Christmas 1994 my daughter and I went to get it from it's usual home in the hall cupboard,only to find it wasn't there. Looked everywhere to no avail. Not exactly the sort of thing that can fall down the back of the sofa or get pushed to the back of a drawer! Even asked my husband if he'd taken it. He said why would he take 'that old thing'?,which to be honest,is what I'd thought he'd say. I've written off as one of life's eternal mysteries!

Leafpicker2000 · 28/12/2023 09:45

ALongHardWinter · 27/12/2023 21:36

Tell me about it. Things I've lost (in my small 2 bedroom flat) over the years which to this day I have not found:- An artificial Christmas tree. A magazine that I had brought into the house a couple of hours previously. My favourite glass. An olive 'spork'. A cake recipe book. An envelope with a ten pound note in it. My family credit payment book. A book of 12 first class stamps. A bra. A packet of sandwiches. My DD said that I must have accidentally thrown the sandwiches in the bin, because if they were still lurking somewhere in the flat,she said the smell would have been horrific by now! 🤢

Edited

There was once a thread on here about a missing ironing board which was eventually found lying flat on top of a wardrobe.

ALongHardWinter · 29/12/2023 01:12

Leafpicker Yes,I remember that thread! Thanks for telling me the outcome. I was beginning to think my Christmas tree had run off with the ironing board. 😂

ALongHardWinter · 29/12/2023 01:15

Escaperoom · 25/12/2023 00:01

My sister's partner lost his car keys once and they were found in the freezer! He had obviously had them in his hand whilst putting shopping away and inadvertently put them in there with the frozen food.

This reminded me of when my late DM lost her debit card quite a few years ago. After looking in all the obvious places,she contacted her bank and had it cancelled. A couple of days later she took a packet of fish cakes out of the freezer,and found the debit card stuck to the bottom of the packet.

sashh · 29/12/2023 05:43

I once got in to a hotel room. I was looking for something in my bag and I found a set of keys and a key ring that were not mine.

OP I feel we may be some sort of lost/find twins.

I think what happened was at the airport earlier in the day there was a security alert so the security people took everything out of everyone's bags and repacked them and I think the keys belonged to another passenger.

I handed them back in the airport.

@Escaperoom my carer lost his glasses, a week later I found them in the fridge.

ValerieMoore · 29/12/2023 05:55

I think it’s our own minds that cause it to happen. That or we black out and move things

Famousperson2023 · 29/12/2023 06:14

Socks (only ever one if a pair) and Tupperware lids. Doesn’t every house have a socks and Tupperware lid thief?