Best And Worst Places To Hide A Spare House Key

By Ken Jorgustin

How many of you keep a spare house key? Do you hide it in one of these obvious places?

Here are some better ideas where to hide your spare house key…

The WORST possible place to hide your spare key is ANYWHERE NEAR THE FRONT DOOR!

DO NOT hide the key under the mat. DO NOT hide the key under a flower-pot near the front door.

I hope you realize that every burglar knows to look on the top door-sill, anywhere in the porch light, in the mailbox, under the doormat, in the potted plant, in the plastic fake rock near the entrance, in the magnetic key holder attached to anything metal, etc.

You get the idea… anywhere near the front door will be obvious places for a potential burglar to quickly look. Just don’t do it.

Here are a few better(?) ideas…

Keep a spare key with your BBQ grill sitting in the back yard… find an inconspicuous spot on it and stash your spare there. It should be tucked away somewhere that isn’t obviously visible from someone’s standing viewpoint and shouldn’t be anywhere within easy finger-swiping reach.

Use a dot of super glue to affix a neodymium magnet to your spare key and hang it from an interior surface or the inside of your BBQ grill leg.

If you have vinyl siding, you might find a lip where you can tuck a spare key. Just find a spot that’s not near the front of the house.

A fake rock would work, but be sure to put it in an area with other rocks, in the side-yard or backyard, so it doesn’t stand out.

Place a spare key in a small ziplock bag (to protect from the elements and corrosion) and hide it under a larger rock or pavers stone, step stone, etc. somewhere in the back yard.

If you have an out-building or shed, there will be a multitude of hiding places inside. Maybe under a gas can, or under a stack of scrap wood, etc.

If you implicitly trust your neighbor, you might consider leaving a spare with them (be wary though, especially if there are other family members there who might be a risk).

The point is, there are lots of possibilities of where to hide your spare key. Just don’t do anything obvious, and do not hide it anywhere near the doors themselves (front or back).

The key is (pun intended), pick a clever place and just be aware that no-one is watching you when you initially hide your key. – Modern Survival Blog

What are your ideas?