# Did you ever put something away in a "safe place", and try to find it again?



## bookfiend (Feb 22, 2009)

I went out of town a couple of weeks ago, and put all of out tax stuff in a "safe place" so it wouldn't get lost while I was gone.  Now, we have our appointment with our accountant tomorrow, and I cant find it for the life of me, have been searching all day.  Its in none of the regular places, or anywhere else either.  Please share your stories, to make me feel less stupid....


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

31 years ago; I put my then boyfriend; now husband's high school ring away for safekeeping and didn't find it until long after we were married.
My mother found it in her bedroom tucked in her good scissors sewing box.


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## loonlover (Jul 4, 2009)

I put my social security card away many years ago.  I worked for the same company for many years so I never had a need to find it until I retired and found a part time job.  I had applied for the job at a job fair in March; the call to come for orientation was 2 months later.  I received a call on Friday evening that an orientation was being held on Monday if I was still interested.  It was also stated that I should bring my social security card with me.  I hunted all weekend for the card with no success.  On Monday I made a trip to the social security office to request a replacement card.  I was given a sheet of paper stating that I had applied for a replacement card.  It also verified my SSN.  The social security office assured me this would be sufficient (and it was).  After receiving the replacement card, I found my original.  Now I can't find the replacement card.  I know I never left the house with it, but who knows what file I put it in.  There have been other items through the years that I have never found; I just don't remember the details.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

One of those things is the CD for Office 2003 (Pro).  I also have lost little things that I thought I'd carefully put away, including the FM radio for ipod.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

More than once....

If I've misplaced something by setting it down absent-mindedly, my favorite way of finding it is to stand on a chair in the center of the room and look all around the room from a different perspective.  If you deliberately put something in a safe place, it is probably in a drawer or cabinet and that won't work, but you might try it.  Do you have a place where you keep birth certificates and passports and things?  Look there?  I also have a pocket in the back of the front passenger seat of my car where I've stashed things temporarily and "lost" them for awhile.


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

Any time we buy something with a warranty, I put the warranty and PoP away...I just hope we never need those, because I never remember where I put them.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Good grief. We are moving in a few weeks. I can't believe the stuff I have come across recently.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

More often than I care to admit.


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

I do it with Christmas/Birthday gifts and cards that I buy way ahead of time... Then I have to go buy them all over again at the last minute when I can not find them...  I have now decided to keep these things in the pantry, because we go there daily and will see the box/bag and remember... but I still sometimes have to hide them somewhere else when my inlaws come over and will likely end up seeing their gifts!


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## Sporadic (May 1, 2009)

Lost my external hard drive. I put it somewhere when I got a new computer and never found it. I am almost positive that I threw away the box I put it in by mistake


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## 1131 (Dec 18, 2008)

sjc said:


> 31 years ago; I put my then boyfriend; now husband's high school ring away for safekeeping and didn't find it until long after we were married.
> My mother found it in her bedroom tucked in her good scissors sewing box.


I put a few boyfriends away for safekeeping, but I never did go look for them
That reminds me, I put my car keys in a safe place earlier today and I need to go to work tomorrow....this could be a problem.


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## Dana (Dec 4, 2009)

Meredith Sinclair said:


> I do it with Christmas/Birthday gifts and cards that I buy way ahead of time... Then I have to go buy them all over again at the last minute when I can not find them...  I have now decided to keep these things in the pantry, because we go there daily and will see the box/bag and remember... but I still sometimes have to hide them somewhere else when my inlaws come over and will likely end up seeing their gifts!


I do the same thing! 

Actually, ALL these stories are pretty much my life...............


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## gdae23 (Apr 30, 2009)

I've misplaced so many things that now I keep a small notebook where I write down the location of things I put away. This works well, as long as I don't misplace the notebook!

What happens more often now is that I'll be looking for something in a drawer or cabinet and suddenly come across something else I completely forgot I still had, or in some cases forgot I owned in the first place.


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

gdae23 said:


> I've misplaced so many things that now I keep a small notebook where I write down the location of things I put away. This works well, as long as I don't misplace the notebook!


That sounds like a good idea. After mom died 14 years ago, I found among everything she had her check record book covering years 1940 through about 1955-60. So many interesting things in there -- apartment rents, GYN and pediatrician payments (me!), payments for my first furniture, etc., etc., etc. So many interesting things. Also a little books of birthdays and D.O.D.s. I put those two things some place -- I wonder where? I haven't seen them for a few years. I feel bad about it. Don't like to think about them. Hopefully one day . . . . I'm in a one bedroom condo.


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

When I lose something, it stays lost for years or even forever.  Just the other day, I found the papers on my XM radio which I'd not seen in at least five years and now I need them because I'm going to sell the car and so I told the buyer that I had the papers on the XM.  When I went to get the papers together... no papers.  I have no idea what I did with them.  I figure I must have put them back in the exact same place they've been hiding for the past five years.


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## blazfglori (Feb 18, 2010)

I do that kinda stuff alot.
I'll put something away so that I know where it is, and then not be able to find it.
I'll keep going back to the place where "I'm sure it is", hoping it will magically appear, I guess. LOL!!
Hope you find your tax info soon.
Getting taxes done in itself is stressful enough, let alone not being able to find your stuff when you need it.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

<cell phone been missing for 12 days. I know it is IN my house.
<Satellite tv remote been missing since last Friday.

I also randomly lose quilts parts if I am in the middle of a project and for some unknown reason DH gets a hair up his booty and wants to actually USE the dining room table for DINNER.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

I do the same thing. In fact, I'd have replied here sooner, but I couldn't find my mouse!  (Just kidding. It's not quite THAT bad.)  Luckily for me, I usually manage to find what I've lost in the last place that I look.      That doesn't mean that I find it in time, however. Sometimes, it is many months later that the lost item shows up.


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## summerteeth (Dec 23, 2009)

I had gotten a brand new Canon point and shoot for my birthday about three years ago.  I put it in what I thought was a safe place... I just found it about a month ago.  I had never used it - and had bought a new one about a year ago to replace it.  It was in our second bedroom on a shelf so the cats wouldn't knock it down - they really like gadgets


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## marianneg (Nov 4, 2008)

Don't feel bad.  I'm still missing the 1099-whatevers for my mortgage interest and HSA.  If you could see my desk, you probably wouldn't be surprised, though.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

"safe place" is a special phrase in our house that can be translated as "Andra put it up and don't bother looking for it, because you'll never find it."
When I really need to put something in a place where we can find it again, I make DH watch so at least it's not totally my fault if it disappears.


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

I have had to call my cell phone from another phone in the house and follow the ringing to find it more than once. We used to have a TV with remote that you could push a button on the TV and the remote would start beeping, making it easy to find. There is a set of car keys in our house that most likely will not be found till the place is emptied for the next people when Loonlover and I no longer are here.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

I've found Easter candy many Easters later. Not a good thing.



gdae23 said:


> I've misplaced so many things that now I keep a small notebook where I write down the location of things I put away. This works well, as long as I don't misplace the notebook!


I'd probably forget where I put the notebook!


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

imallbs said:


> I put a few boyfriends away for safekeeping, but I never did go look for them


You are my kind of woman!!

I was staying at DF's home during the Christmas holidays. Most of the time we used his vehicles, but once in a while I would use my car for something. When I got back I would put my keys back in my purse. DF made the statement that I needed to hang the keys on the hooks by the door so he could move my car when he needed. When I got ready to go home, alas, no car key. My car was about a month old at this point and already a key was missing. Gesh. I tore his house upside down trying to locate my key chain. About two weeks ago DF had to remove a blanket from the backseat of his SUV for washing. When he was carrying the blanket he heard jingling, and guess what he found; my keys. Don't ask me how they got in his backseat. He must have moved my vehicle and then who knows what happened. 
Anyway, now I have both sets of keys to my car and it's the last time I will listen to DF. 
deb


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

Hmmmm, blanket, back seat --- Deb are you SURE you are being entirely truthful here?? 
Sure there wasn't some nostalgic endeavors here??  
   


As for the topic at hand, I'm a bit too much a creature of habit -- been bitten a couple of times by this but usually I put things in the same place every time.  I do, however, live with the master of this -- if its put in a "safe place" its usually a very safe place -- one that NOBODY can find.


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2010)

I have both sets of keys to my car and it's the last time


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## bookfiend (Feb 22, 2009)

Andra said:


> When I really need to put something in a place where we can find it again, I make DH watch so at least it's not totally my fault if it disappears.


That is an excellent idea, his memory is pretty bad, but at least I wouldn't be the only one who knew.

I have one or two regular "safe places", and I distinctly remember putting them in a drawer. I went ahead and itemized all the receipts, hoping taking my mind off the lost stuff would help. I used last years taxes as an example, like I do every year, so I don't miss something. I keep each year in its own 3 ring binder, and I use clear page protectors as envelopes to hold everything separate. So finally after a "few" beers, and almost giving, it occurred to me to go through last years binder, but actually look this time. And there they were, all 13 of our w-2's (we both work in film, so get paid though various payroll companies), and the 1099's and house intrest, etc... in their page protector. Not in a drawer. Of course, once you find the "safe place" item you usually realize what rational you used to put it there, and I had put our stuff with last years, so that it was all together when I needed it. At least I found them in time. Thank you all for sharing your stories it helps to know everyone goes through this in one way or another.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Tip10 said:


> Hmmmm, blanket, back seat --- Deb are you SURE you are being entirely truthful here??
> Sure there wasn't some nostalgic endeavors here??


LOL. I could maneuver a backseat, but I don't think DF is that agile anymore.  

The backseat is usually taken up with dog, which is the reason for the blanket. 
deb


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Does one ever stop being "agile enough"?

I have more than two pairs of reading glasses and more than two pairs of sunglasses.
Because I am forever putting them somewhere "so they are out of harm's way".
That means out of any chance that I will come across them again any time soon.

At least I am prepared for this problem (I *can* be taught).


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

It's one thing to be agile; it's another to be agile enough for a backseat.  
And if we take this any further we're going to have to use the spoiler.  LOL.
deb


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## Nanbelle12 (Jan 22, 2010)

I have spent the last week looking for my Willie Nelson concert ticket. It was on the frig and I moved it to ?
Looks like I won't be going to the concert.


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

We spent most of last night looking for where DW put ours.  Finally found them!!  

Where and when are you seeing Willie??  

We've got tix to Willie on Thursday and Wynton Marsalis on Saturday, both in St Louis.


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## Mom of 4 (Oct 27, 2008)

I am constantly taking away video games, remotes, or computer mice away from my kids when they get in trouble.  I have to hide them well or they will just find them again.  Problem is, I hide them so well that when it is time for them to get the item back I can NEVER find it!

Then we ALL have to look through everything and they find all my hiding spots.  So then I have to find new places to put them, then I forget again...and so it goes!


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

Meredith Sinclair said:


> I do it with Christmas/Birthday gifts and cards that I buy way ahead of time... )


I bought a birthday card for my 2nd Grandson's 3rd birthday (he is now 13) and couldn't find it. Finally located it 2 years later and decided to save it for my 3rd Grandson's 3rd birthday (he is now 11) and couldn't find it. Found it 4 years later and decided to put it in a easy to find place it. When Grandson number 4 turned 3, no card anywhere I looked. I am now keeping it safe for Grandson number 8 who won't turn 3 until Oct. 2011. I'm thinking of just sending it now before it gets lost again, but I have no idea where it is.


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

Mom of 4 said:


> I am constantly taking away video games, remotes, or computer mice away from my kids when they get in trouble. I have to hide them well or they will just find them again. Problem is, I hide them so well that when it is time for them to get the item back I can NEVER find it!
> 
> Then we ALL have to look through everything and they find all my hiding spots. So then I have to find new places to put them, then I forget again...and so it goes!


Mom, try what a friend of mine did -- she just went down and bought a firesafe kind of box at Target -- big enough to hold most of those kinds of items -- she has the key -- They know exactly where their items are -- in "JAIL"! -- sitting inside that box that's sitting out plain as day on the kitchen counter! 
She found that it drove the kids nuts seeing that big grey box sitting there every day KNOWING their MP3 player or cell phone or whatever was inside it but not being able to get to it.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

BTackitt said:


> <cell phone been missing for 12 days. I know it is IN my house.
> <Satellite tv remote been missing since last Friday.


FOUND Satellite remote.. It had been on the end table in living room, and got knocked off into a boot, and of course, boots got carried to bedroom and put away in closet...... 
OMG something got put away in this house.. wonders never cease....


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## bookfiend (Feb 22, 2009)

Tip10 said:


> Mom, try what a friend of mine did -- she just went down and bought a firesafe kind of box at Target -- big enough to hold most of those kinds of items -- she has the key -- They know exactly where their items are -- in "JAIL"! -- sitting inside that box that's sitting out plain as day on the kitchen counter!
> She found that it drove the kids nuts seeing that big grey box sitting there every day KNOWING their MP3 player or cell phone or whatever was inside it but not being able to get to it.


That is a fantastic idea, nothing like adding torture to punishment.


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## bookfiend (Feb 22, 2009)

BTackitt said:


> FOUND Satellite remote.. It had been on the end table in living room, and got knocked off into a boot, and of course, boots got carried to bedroom and put away in closet......
> OMG something got put away in this house.. wonders never cease....


Did you check the other boot for your phone?


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

And to make matters worse I think she used "fines" from their allowances to make them pay for the jail too.  She is a rather creative mother.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

drenee said:


> Anyway, now I have both sets of keys to my car and it's the last time I will listen to DF.


Uh-oh.... this does not bode well.... unless, of course, you at least _pretend_ to listen to him in the future.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

gdae23 said:


> I've misplaced so many things that now I keep a small notebook where I write down the location of things I put away. This works well, as long as I don't misplace the notebook!


I do the reverse of that. After a dozen or so moves, I got so frustrated once that I made a list in a small notebook of all the things I was _missing_. That way I could cross them off if/when they eventually turned up. Also, I wouldn't waste time searching all over for something if it was already on the list, figuring that if I hadn't found it before, I wasn't likely to, and would just have to wait until it turned up accidentally on its own.


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

Two semesters ago, I got a flashdrive with more storage. Hid the two 1 GB's I had. Christmas break I realized I had some old photos I wanted to send to an old jr high friend on it.....I still can't find it. I tore my room apart. Though I think I did take them out for something the last semester and the last time I remembered seeing them for sure was attached to a school computer. ;(


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> Uh-oh.... this does not bode well.... unless, of course, you at least _pretend_ to listen to him in the future.


You're right, not a good idea, but I do not loose things nearly as often as he does. 
Truth is, I do _try to listen on a regular basis. 
deb_


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

drenee said:


> Truth is, I do _try to listen on a regular basis.
> _


_

That's what counts... _


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## mamiller (Apr 28, 2009)

This is so sad.  I once got in the car and couldn't find my car keys.....they were in my mouth.    I have a terrible habit of running out of hands and end up using my teeth to hold the keychain.  

God, how humiliating.


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## Mom of 4 (Oct 27, 2008)

Tip10 said:


> Mom, try what a friend of mine did -- she just went down and bought a firesafe kind of box at Target -- big enough to hold most of those kinds of items -- she has the key -- They know exactly where their items are -- in "JAIL"! -- sitting inside that box that's sitting out plain as day on the kitchen counter!
> She found that it drove the kids nuts seeing that big grey box sitting there every day KNOWING their MP3 player or cell phone or whatever was inside it but not being able to get to it.


This is a FANTASTIC Idea!! Am on it today!!



Tip10 said:


> And to make matters worse I think she used "fines" from their allowances to make them pay for the jail too. She is a rather creative mother.


Even a better idea! My kids are gonna love this!  (I really need an evil grinning smiley face here)


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Mom of 4 said:


> This is a FANTASTIC Idea!! Am on it today!!
> 
> Even a better idea! My kids are gonna love this!  (I really need an evil grinning smiley face here)


You can use mine.







MWAAHAHAHAHA


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## KindleChickie (Oct 24, 2009)

Currently I am missing my glasses.  The last time I had them I remember thinking I need to put these up so I wont sit on them.  They cost $800 and I cant pass my work physical without them.


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

bookfiend said:


> Did you check the other boot for your phone?


OK... I actually chuckled... no... LOL at that one!


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

mamiller said:


> This is so sad. I once got in the car and couldn't find my car keys.....they were in my mouth.  I have a terrible habit of running out of hands and end up using my teeth to hold the keychain.
> 
> God, how humiliating.


No you didn't! Really? Ms. Maureen?? Really??


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

I just recently found the Boss' social security card.  We've been looking for it for a while so DH can do taxes, but I'd put it somewhere "safe" and forgot where that was.  I just found it this morning in Breaking Dawn.  Apparently, "safe" places for papers for me is books.  We've only been looking for her social security card on and off for 9 months (the Boss is 10 months old)


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## mamiller (Apr 28, 2009)

Meredith Sinclair said:


> No you didn't! Really? Ms. Maureen?? Really??


Not something you easily fess up to on a public forum, Miss Merry  Sometimes I try to do many things at once and get distracted.

It's like Christina Applegate's character in Married with Children. One day she started reading and learning, but she stopped breathing because the body could only keep track of so many tasks....


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

mamiller said:


> This is so sad. I once got in the car and couldn't find my car keys.....they were in my mouth.  I have a terrible habit of running out of hands and end up using my teeth to hold the keychain.
> 
> God, how humiliating.


So, you have cheeks like a Chipmunk, Miss Miller? That would splain it. I lost my watch once for several months and found it in the refrigerator. I just don't know...


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## patrisha w. (Oct 28, 2008)

BTackitt said:


> <cell phone been missing for 12 days. I know it is IN my house.
> <Satellite tv remote been missing since last Friday.


 Actually, I can tell you where your satellite tv remote is. It is in your refrigerator. Well, that is where MINE was, and at the time it went missing, I was the only person living in the house...
Patrisha


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## bookfiend (Feb 22, 2009)

I often find myself searching everywhere for my cell phone, only to realize later, that I was talking on it.


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## Patra (Feb 24, 2009)

You all just need to come to my house.  I'm always finding things that nobody will claim.


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