locked out drama—what would you do?

I get the appeal of a key in the wallet, but I’ve actually lost my wallet before and that was a nightmare on its own. Personally, I lean toward a combo lockbox hidden somewhere creative—less risk if you’re forgetful like me. Weather can be rough, but a decent lockbox holds up.

I totally get the fear of losing your wallet—been there, and it’s stressful enough without your house key in it too. I went with a weatherproof lockbox tucked behind a planter, and honestly, it’s been solid. Just make sure you pick a spot you’ll remember, but not super obvious to anyone else. If you’re worried about rust, a little silicone spray goes a long way.

Just make sure you pick a spot you’ll remember, but not super obvious to anyone else.

That’s the trick, right? I once hid a spare key under a fake rock and then forgot which rock it was... spent 20 minutes poking around my own flowerbed. Lockbox is smarter, just don’t go full Mission Impossible with the hiding spot.

I get the appeal of the fake rock, but honestly, I’d probably forget too—especially if I moved things around in the garden. Lockboxes are definitely more reliable, but I always wonder if they stick out too much near the front door. Has anyone tried hiding a key inside something indoors, like a decorative vase or behind a picture frame? Curious if that’s actually practical or just asking for trouble if you’re ever locked out.

Title: Locked out drama—what would you do?

I get the worry about lockboxes looking obvious, but honestly, I think they're less of a giveaway than people think. Most folks walking by aren't really paying attention to that kind of detail, unless it's one of those huge, clunky ones right on the knob. I actually tried the “key in a vase” trick once—ended up forgetting which vase it was in, and then my partner moved it for spring cleaning. Total fail. If you’re locked out, you’re not getting back in unless you break something or call a locksmith.

I’d argue that hiding keys indoors is just asking for trouble, especially if you live with other people or have guests over. Someone always moves stuff around. At least with a lockbox, you know exactly where it is and you can change the code if you need to. Plus, there are some pretty sleek ones now that blend in with outdoor fixtures or even look like hose bibs. I’d take reliability over clever hiding spots any day... learned that the hard way.