The journal
Notes on losing things, and finding them again
What we have learned about keys down the back of the sofa, wallets left on the bus, and the small habits that stop it happening a second time.
In the news5 min readThe cost of losing things, and the cover you have
The true cost of losing things is rarely the price tag. A September 2026 warning about double insurance is a good reason to check what you already pay for.
In the news5 min readLost or stolen wallet? What the Met's new figures say
A lost or stolen wallet sends you down two different routes in the UK. New Met Police figures from September 2026 show why the label matters so much.
In the news5 min readSchool lost property: what the 2026 survey found
A February 2026 survey of UK primary schools put numbers on the school lost property pile. Here is what it found and the single fix teachers keep naming.
Lost and found5 min readGlasses finder: realistic options for specs and hearing aids
A glasses finder small enough to sit on your frames does not really exist. Here is what a coin-sized tag can honestly do for specs, cases and hearing aids.
Guide4 min readThe real time spent looking for lost items each day
UK research puts the time spent looking for lost items at eight and a half minutes a day. Here is what that adds up to, and how to get most of it back.
In the news4 min readMost commonly lost items: the 2026 index in full
The most commonly lost items barely change from year to year. Here is what the June 2026 Uber index and two UK data sets say about what goes missing and where.
Guide5 min readWhat is an item finder and how does it work?
An item finder is a coin-sized Bluetooth tag for your keys and bags. Here is what one does, how it finds things, and the jobs it cannot do.
In the news4 min readButton battery safety when a tracker is on the keys
National Button Battery Awareness Day fell on 12 June 2026. Here is what button battery safety means in a house with a coin-cell tracker and small children.
Lost and found5 min readLost wallet UK: what to cancel, and in what order
Lost wallet in the UK? Freeze the cards in the banking app first, then the driving licence and any travel documents. Here is the full order and the deadlines.
Lost and found4 min readRemote finder: stop hunting behind the sofa cushions
A remote finder ends the nightly search down the back of the sofa. What is worth tagging around the house, where to attach it, and what will not work.
Guide5 min readBest key finder UK: what to look for before you buy
Choosing the best key finder UK shoppers can actually rely on comes down to six things, network, volume, battery, water rating, fit and cost per tag.
Lost and found5 min readAn item finder for family life: sharing tags in Find My
An item finder for family only earns its place when everyone can ring it. How sharing works on iOS 17, who to add, and what each person should tag.
Lost and found5 min readLost keys: what to do first and how to stop it happening again
Lost keys turn one bad hour into an expensive week. Here is the order to search in, when to change the locks, and how to make it the last time.
In the news5 min readLost property London: what gets left on the Tube and buses
New TfL lost property London figures show 166,309 items left on buses in one year, 2,654 passports and a single urn. What goes missing, and how to claim it.
Lost and found5 min readLost keys in the park: a dog walker's recovery plan
Lost keys in the park on a dog walk? Retrace the route in daylight, check the gate posts and the benches, then tell the park office and the council.
Guide5 min readWallet tracker: what actually fits and what does not
A coin-shaped wallet tracker will not slide into a card slot. Here is where one genuinely fits, what card tags give up, and what to do with slim wallets.
How to4 min readKey finder iPhone setup: done in five minutes
A key finder iPhone setup takes about a minute in Find My. Here are the steps, the alerts worth switching on, and what to do when a tag refuses to pair.
Side by side4 min readKey finder vs AirTag: do you need Precision Finding?
Key finder vs AirTag really comes down to one feature. Ultra Wideband. Here is when the on-screen arrow earns its keep and when a loud speaker wins.
Guide5 min readAre key finders worth it? An honest answer
Are key finders worth it in 2026? For most iPhone households, yes, but only for a few specific items. Here is who gains, who does not, and what the maths is.
Lost and found4 min readLocksmith cost lost keys UK: the bill vs a key finder
The locksmith cost lost keys UK households face starts near £90 for entry alone. Here are the real 2026 prices for locks, fobs and call-outs, with sources.
Guide4 min readDoes home insurance cover lost keys in the UK?
Does home insurance cover lost keys? Rarely as standard. Here is what key cover add-ons pay for, the limits UK insurers publish and the exclusions that bite.
Guide5 min readHow to report lost property in the UK in 2026
How to report lost property in the UK now police no longer take general reports: who to tell, in what order, and the deadlines that decide the outcome.
Guide4 min readKey finder gift: who it suits and who it does not
A key finder gift lands well for the person who loses the same thing weekly and badly for everyone else. Here is who to buy one for and what to check first.
How to5 min readLocked out of the house: what to do in the UK
Locked out of the house with no spare key? Work through these steps before you call anyone, then how to pick a locksmith who will not drill a lock that opens.
Lost and found6 min readLost keys in a rented flat: who pays for new locks?
Lost keys in a rented flat and facing a bill? What a landlord in England may charge under the Tenant Fees Act and what counts as a reasonable amount.
Guide6 min readWhere to keep your keys at home: a UK guide
Where to keep keys at home is a security question as well as a tidiness one. Room by room advice for British front doors, car fobs and spare keys.
How to5 min readHow to find lost keys in the house: a room method
How to find lost keys in the house without turning it upside down: the six places they hide, a room by room order, and when to stop looking and start ringing.
Guide5 min readWhy do I keep losing things? What the research says
Why do I keep losing things? Usually because your brain never stored where you put them. Here is what UK research shows, and which losses are worth fixing.
Guide4 min readHow many item finders do you need around the house?
How many item finders do you need at home? For most households two to four, and choosing what to tag matters far more than the number you buy.
Lost and found5 min readGym bag tracker: keeping kit out of lost property
A gym bag tracker answers the two questions that matter at a leisure centre: which locker did I use, and did I walk out without the bag? Here is what works.
Guide6 min readHow to stop losing things: habits that actually work
How to stop losing things without buying anything: three habits that survive a bad morning, why most systems fail, and where a tracker earns its place.