I’ve spent years diving into the nitty-gritty of what it takes to protect your home, and today I’m going to share something critical with you: where to strategically hide that spare key.
You might think, “Hey, I can just tuck it under the doormat, and I’m good,” right? Wrong. That’s one of the first place burglars check.
But don’t sweat it.
In this guide, I’ve analyzed, scrutinized, and collated 11 ultra-secure spots for your spare key, backed by years of research and validated by top security experts. Trust me; this is THE go-to guide for safeguarding that key.
Let’s dive in!
Top Places To Hide Your Spare Key
Finding the perfect hiding place is key here. Remember, you want to make sure it isn’t obvious, but you also don’t want to forget where you put the key. A forgotten place is just as useless as not having the key after all.
Do not simply hide your key under your welcome mat. There are plenty more places for you to hide your key.
With A Neighbor
This might seem like the most obvious thing. No one really wants to trust someone with a key, after all. However, this is one of the best options if you know your neighbors.
Ask them to keep your spare key. It might be a little awkward to go over and ask them for it.
The best part is if you happen to be out of town, your neighbor can check on your house for you. Plus, they are right there in case something happens.
It’s an excellent option for people in all sorts of living situations too. From a house to an apartment, you can rest assured that your key has a safe place, and no one can reach it.
Magnetized Lock Box
A magnetized lock box like this one is going to be one of your best friends here. They are versatile and can be placed just about anywhere that is metal.
Where is the best place for this little device, though? Under your car.
Think about it. Most break-ins happen when between 10 A.M- 3 P.M. If you aren’t home, your car isn’t either! Your key is safe, and no one will think to look under your car for a key.
Fake Sprinkler Head
This trick only works for those with sprinkler systems sadly, but it is a good option. The fake sprinkler head looks identical to the normal ones around your yard already.
No burglar is going to search around your yard for the one fake sprinkler.
A tip is don’t have it near the door. Put it a little further out, so it looks just like another one. It keeps your house safe and sound without too much hassle.
Soaker Hose Hideing place
This one takes a little more work to do.
First, make sure your house key is made of brass. Brass doesn’t rust, so it is okay that it is going to get wet.
Second, get a soaker hose and hook it up to your outside hose pipe.
Third, file down the top of your key, but make sure it can still be used efficiently.
The final step is to glue or hook it into your soaker hose cap. No burglar is going to go looking through your hoses for your spare key.
Dryer Vent
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Dryer vents are a great place to hide your key. If your vent is metal, just attach a magnet to your house key and use that to place the key inside.
If your vent is plastic, you’ll have to glue a magnet on not just the key but the vent.
As a warning, if you just used your dryer, the key will be hot to touch.
Plastic LB Fitting
LB stands for line box, and typically they hold electricity wires that are running through your house. This one looks identical to your typical LB fitting; only it will hold your key.
Make sure you pick up some small PVC pipe with.
Once you have it, attach it to your house like normal and boom you have a hiding spot that looks natural.
Bird House
Not many people are going to go digging into what looks like a birdhouse. Make sure you pick up one that has doors that open and screen off the entrance.
Add your key to the inside and then hang the birdhouse up in a nearby tree. No one will go looking for your key in a bird’s home after all.
Tree Hideout
If you live in an area with a lot of trees around, then you have a perfect hiding spot.
All you need is a nail and your key. Pick a tree a bit away from your property and nail the key facing away from your house. Once you do that, you are done!
Fence Post
If you have a fence, there is a way you can hide your key without people finding it.
Get yourself some reflectors and place them on your fence. Drill a hole behind one of them and boom you have a place to hide your spare key.
No one will think about looking behind your reflectors for your key.
Real Rock Hiding
It is time to ditch the fake rock and introduce some real ones. By using a real rock, it won’t be painfully obvious.
All you need to do is get your rock and some type of container. Glue the container lid to the rock and bury it. There you go. You have a perfect hiding place in plain sight that no one will think of.
Ceramic Animal
If you are one that decorates their favorite places with animals, then look no further for your hiding spot. Some of the animals open, which is a good option if you don’t have too much dirt around your front door.
If you have dirt around your front door, then use the real rock hiding technique to get started. All you have to do is make sure the lid is set before hiding the key.
Worst Places To Hide Your Spare Key
It is time to check to see if you are hiding your key in some of the worst places possible.
Even I’ve been guilty of hiding keys in some of these places. Learned the hard way that it isn’t just a cliche that people will look for these things. I came home to find not only had someone come into my home but the key still in the front door!
Under the Door Mat
This is the first place someone is going to check to find your house key.
Whatever you do, do not put your key under your welcome mat. Not only are you giving the burglar easy access to your house but also your trust that no one will look there.
Fake Rock
The rock looks fake! It seems out of place, and this just screams hey look at me I’m holding the key. This is one of the number one spots a burglar will look. With how popular these things are, it is likely you may have thought about it.
This is how I learned the lesson the hard way. Those fake rocks really do make it easy for someone to just come on in.
Potted Plant
Putting your key under your potted plant is one of the first places the burglar will look. As tempting as it is, you are setting yourself up for a bad day. No one wants to have that happen.
Mailbox
Your mailbox is another terrible hiding place! It’s a good place for your key to be really obvious. All they have to do is open the mailbox, and there is your key.
Above the Door
Remember those movies where they hide the key up on the door frame? All anyone has to do is run their hand up there and find it. Unless you have a pet attack spider, then you are likely going to want to find a different place.
Porch Light
You’d be surprised to know that people do hide their key in their porch light. This would be a great spot if it wasn’t so painfully obvious. Most porch lights are made of glass. The key will cast a shadow after all.
The final thing to know here is you should not hide your key anywhere within 15ft of your door. Hiding your key in this range makes it really easy for a burglar to come around and check close to home.
Remember, they are going to come when you are at work. Most people are going to be at work too, so there won’t be many eyes to see it happen.
Conclusion: Where To Hide Spare Key
Most burglaries happen within minutes. The average amount of time for one is about 8 to 12 minutes for the whole thing. It takes less than a minute to break into your house if your key isn’t hidden well.
Keep that in mind, when finding the perfect location for your house key.
Once you find the perfect spot, know your house and safety are set.
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