Have you ever lost something really important? WWYD?

[coralpig]

My OH has lost his vital work keys. Can't underestimate how essential they are -without outing us but he was explicitly told at his training that it would he wouldn't be able to work there anymore if these were lost. Locks would have to be changed, the cost would be extraordinary. So important.

We both saw them in the flat but have since turned the place upside down looking- we don't THINK they've left the property. However, there have been lots of viewings by estate agents. I had a big tidy up yesterday.

It's been a rough week for us both. Anybody lost something like this? What did you do? Hoping for positive stories please.

Ooo Soviet that's spooky!

You may think I'm crazy but I am going going to suggest something which you'll probably think is made. Say out loud in a stern voice in the living room 'Give them back!'.

It might work. Its worked for me!

Mad not made!

I lost the keys to the brand new office pool car that was never to be taken home overnight and they gave me special permission to do so. Found them about 4am in the airing cupboard. How they got there I do not know.

My sister couldn't find her car keys when visiting GPs, but knew her youngest had been playing with them. He couldnt rememeber where he had left them. Her DH had to drive 300 miles to bring the spare key.They were found a few days later when the postman came. He had stuffed them in the gap in the door between the 2 post box flaps.

I also left something out at work that really should have been put away. They forgave me when they saw the CCTV footage of me trying to break in in the middle of the night in my PJs and slippers to fix it before morning.

I go with the retrace your footsteps method and that usually works.

Hope you find them.

We lost a grand in cash that FiL gave us for DS's driving lessons. We have lots of teens in and out of our house so were worried it had been nicked by someone we liked and trusted. We found it about a month later on top of our bedroom wardrobe.

Also lost DD1's newborn photos when we moved house. Was really gutted about that. Found them three years later when we had DD2, we'd put them under the mattress of the Moses basket, then moved DD1 to a cot once we moved house.

Have said a prayer to St. Anthony for you. I hope they turn up

Yes although i know have a wood bowl that we put keys etc in when we walk through the door. This has stopped hours of searching. I have been known to take wood bowl on holiday and in temp rent flats made a space for it. However the best way to find something is to stop, pour yourself a drink (water, cup of tea etc) seat down and think what you were last doing, wearing etc whilst saying a quick plea to st antony. You be surprised how much turns up 5 mins later!

steppemum it was me who suggested the hook by the door. I have always lived in a flat with no letterbox (mailbox downstairs) and no windows from the front to the corridor. So no risk. But we are moving toa house next week so thanks for the warning!

I once turned around the house looking for a passport, was ready to concede defeat when some one asked me to take all drawers out, and look behind and under them. I had to unasemble a file cabinet, but yes, that was exactly where it was.

Do you have a friend, relative or even neighbour you could ask to look? A fresh pair of eyes will help. Worked when my neighbour lost a precious piece of jewellery. I found it quite quickly in a drawer. She has no idea how it got there, but I think as I was not as emotionally attached to it, I found it as I could think more clearly than she could. Good luck and let us know when you find them.

Places I have found my keys:
In the front door
in the recycling when the got thrown out with the papers
In my best friends handbag, she'd drunkenly taken them by mistake causing me to miss my first class the next morning and have to use taxis all day totally cost and losses £125
In my dh pocket shame he was twenty miles away at work taxi ferrying dsc to school me to work £45 happened three times so i got a mahoosive metal ring so they don't fit in his pocket
In a Soprano DVD box set found them a week later when i tried to put last disc away
Once lost at a university event we went to by train and never got back

Be methodical go through each room as if you are doing a deep clean but my money us on the estate agent.

Check the sofa really properly, I lost a phone for a year so had had the cushions off, hoovered etc loads of times - it had somehow fallen into the springs.

You will have to fake a break in to save his job.

I'd do the grid system that someone already suggested. Don't look in the airing cupboard then the fridge then under the bed. Do it systematically.

It's far, far more likely that they are in the house, than not in the house so keep looking.

Sit down and try to picture where you last saw them. If that doesn't work start at one end of the flat and look in every possible place. Under the sofa, under sofa cushions, take the drawers out and check underneath. Hope they turn up.

Where does he normally put them when he gets in?

Found them! Thank god for that. At the bottom of a bag full of plastic bags in the storage cupboard. I suspect that might have been my over zealous tidying up.

Great news, OP!

Hooray!!!! I once went spare trying to find my car keys - eventually found them tucked behind a photo frame by the back door!!

I lost my engagement ring for a few weeks. Turned out that it had fallen into the drawer of disposable plastic bags that every home used to contain and thus did not rattle.

we broke up anyway

Great news! Can you share your searching methodology?

www.screwfix.com/p/white-cup-hooks-x-10-pack/40843

hooray!!!
Plastic Bag Storage!!!! That's where we found ours!!!

Can I say I found them!!!?????