Lost and found: Tips for managing commonly misplaced items

 In the haste to break free from your pandemic routine, you may find your new schedule overwhelming and hectic. And with that, comes the inconvenience of misplacing commonly used items. According to a survey conducted by Bluetooth tracking company Pixie based in the US, Americans spend an average of 2.5 days out of each calendar year searching for lost items.

The most common reason we keep misplacing our items is absentmindedness. Psychologists have a phrase for this, “If you don’t encode, you can’t retrieve.” This means that if you go through your day without consciously thinking about where you’re placing your keys, your brain has no information stored about the item’s whereabouts. Other factors, such as stress levels and overall mental health, can also play a role in how often you misplace items.

Here are a few tips on how to prevent your precious possessions from going missing:

1. Set digital reminders

If you regularly lose track of specific items, digital reminders might be for you. There are a variety of great productivity apps available on most smartphones to remind you to double check your wallet before leaving the house. Most calendar apps such as Google Calendar and Outlook have reminder features that can help you organise your valuables. There are also useful apps like Todoist that specialize in creating reminders and daily lists.

2. Retrace your steps

“Retracing your steps” after losing an item can be a useful approach when activating your brain’s context-dependent memory. With context-dependent memory, your memory is the strongest when you mentally or physically place yourself back in the environment in which the item was lost. Reconstructing these events visually can help trigger your memories and be an important step in rediscovering a misplaced item.

3. Try a Bluetooth tracker for smaller items

For smaller items like your phone, wallet and keys, Bluetooth trackers can provide much-needed tech relief. Trackers like these are designed for those times you lose an item within close proximity. Instead of wasting precious moments searching for your lost item, you can pull up an app to tell you where it is.

4. Use the power of GPS tracking devices for high-value items

When it comes to highly valuable items like photography equipment, luggage and even pets, you’ll need more protection. Mobile Tracker uses a combination of GPS technology  to track an item at any moment from anywhere.

Just because you lost an item doesn’t mean that you should lose hope or panic. With a few changes to your routine and even some tech upgrades, you’ll find it much easier to cope during those forgetful moments.