I can't count the number of times I've run around my apartment searching for my keys, my phone, my hairbrush — it's a constant struggle. If you can't seem to stop losing your stuff, too, you've likely joined me in being late quite a few times for early morning coffee meet-ups, or left the house sans some major part of your beauty routine because your compact, lipstick, or eyeliner seemingly grew legs and walked away.
It's a trying issue, though its painful consequences are likely felt most acutely by your socks — after all, they're the ones destined to be separated from their mates forever. But seriously, good news for all the forgetful folks out there: Science and technology have intervened on your behalf, and there are now quite a few awesome gadgets formulated with you in mind. Whether you need an innovative hack that will keep track of your keys (so you don't have to), or you have a particularly independent pup who's adamant about exploring the world (whether or not you're with him), there's an easy solution. The next time you reach down for a phone that's inexplicably missing, just a tap of a button and you'll be all set. Ahead, eight awesome solutions for anyone who is seriously tired of retracing their steps every day.
Be Reminded Before You Leave Your Phone At Home
Mynt Smart Tracker & Remote , $36, Amazon
This stainless steel tracker communicates with the Mynt app, which you can just download onto your phone. Once installed, you can place the super-thin gadget onto any item you frequently lose (like your key ring, your wallet, or your pet's collar). Then, use your phone's homing device to find the missing item attached to the tracker (and if you have the tracker but your phone is lost, the tracker can make your phone ring — even if you had it on "silent"). The water-resistant gadget can be made waterproof with the appropriate sleeve, and its button can even be configured to work as a shutter for your camera, a clicker for presentations, and a one-click-stop for bluetooth music. The tracker can be programmed to buzz if you step too far away from your phone, ensuring you never leave it behind, and the charged gadget lasts for an entire year.
This Key Finder's Battery Never Needs Replacing
Nonda iHere Bluetooth Key Finder, $16, Amazon
This multifunctional device is a good fit if you're working to keep daily key hunts from perpetually making you late. It attaches to your key ring (or any other item that can loop through), and then you use an app on your phone to track it (and the roaming objects) back home. The battery recharges, so you'll never have to replace it, and this one can also work as a camera shutter. Not only that, but the durable gadget can survive a seven-foot drop, responds up to 30-40 meters in open space, and one reviewer said that it "made me realize I'd left nearly my phone behind on several occasions and saved me from having to go back and get it later."
Find Lost Items Without Needing Your Phone
Omala Wireless Item Locator, $18, Amazon
Using an app to locate your stuff is all well and good, but what about those mornings when nothing is where you left it? If those days are more of a twice-weekly fiasco, consider this approach instead. This wireless remote connects to four different tracks, which can be placed on everything from your TV remote and phone to (you guessed it!) your house keys — up to 40 meters in open space. The remote has a flashlight for locating lost items in the dark, and the trackers beep, too, so you can easily hunt down the missing stuff. The gadget features a one-year manufacturer warranty, but you get lifetime support as long as you want it. One reviewer said, "I discovered that they pick up the signal easily within my house. The nice part is that the locator sits in the base but can easily be removed and carried around to help find the button."
Follow A Dropped Pin To Find Lost Items
Clebsch Smart Finder, $23, Amazon
This pretty green gadget comes in a lightweight but durable design, which easily slips into your wallet or bag. Press twice on the button to call your phone, and use the camera button to take selfies with no need for a selfie stick. The gadget connects to an app on your phone, and you can follow the dropped pin to locate your missing items up to 100 feet indoors (150 feet in open space). One pleased reviewer reported that it "makes it way easier for me to find my wallet in the morning! It has a really loud beep, and the best part about this product is that you can find your phone!" The gadget even sends push notifications if you stray too far from your belongings.
Cover All Your Bases With Different Sized Trackers
Avantek Key Finder Kit, $25, Amazon
If you're struggling to keep track of multiple objects — be they your wallet or your keys, sometimes it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. This key finder kit comes with two keyring attachments and one flat option for keeping in your wallet, so you don't have to make the same sized shape work for all your belongings. It works up to 40 meters in open space or 10 meters inside with walls. Plus, users keep commenting on how cute the trackers are, which makes losing your stuff not so bad when you find it after a quick click.
Get Subtle & Flat Tracking Coverage For Tablets
TrackR Bravo Tracking Device, $30, Amazon
This little 1.2"-wide tracker fits securely to one of your tablet's back corners, laying flat without sticking out at a weird angle or keeping your tablet from being sturdy — up to about nine meters' distance. Like other trackers, this one works with its own app, which you can open up to see a map with all your trackers (and subsequent missing items) clearly marked. It has a functioning phone finder, which can call your phone, and it also beeps to let you know if you're leaving an important item behind. One user said, "The Trakr Bravo does it all, is very flexible and customizable, and never beeps when it shouldn't. Find your keys or your purse from the phone app, and find your phone from your keys or your purse."
Use Your Own Voice To Find Your Misplaced Items
Mini Wireless Tracker Alarm, $6, Amazon
This gadget is an awesome find if you're someone who responds better to your own voice than a robotic beeping sound. It lets you record your own voice for finding the tracker later up to 75 feet, and it also can be used as a shutter button for your phone's camera. Leave the tracker in your car, head into the store, and emerge happily — knowing you'll never lose your car in the parking lot again. Just open the app on your phone, and find the tracker (and your car) in a matter of seconds.
Or Ditch the Transmitter — These Trackers Find Each Other
Find One Find All Key Finder, $25, Amazon
These trackers stand out from the bunch because they don't need a phone or a home base tracker in order to work. Instead, the trackers themselves function as transmitters, sending signals as far as 20 feet, one reviewer said. Fans say this duo saves them a ton of time that they'd usually spend hunting down missing items, and one fan also said, "I just walk from room to room pressing the button until I hear the blessed beeping. Takes 30 seconds max."
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Images: Fotolia (1); Amazon (8)
