Don't Lose It!
Tools and tricks for keeping track of everything from toys to keys to just-washed socks
Alexandra Rowley
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How to Avoid Losing Gloves, Hats, Socks, and Tools
Don't Lose Your Gloves and Hats
Purchase an Over-Door Shoe Organizer ($54,
www.holdeverything.com) for your closet, and designate a few
pockets for hats, scarves, and gloves. For a no-cost alternative,
put a clear plastic bag on a hanger for your head and hand
accessories. When you take winter wear off while you're out and about, stuff
it securely in the interior pockets of your jacket, says Ashley
Miller, who has seen more than her share of missing mittens on the
job at the Rockefeller Center ice-skating rink, in New York City. Don't Lose Your Tools
Tote your garden tools in a caddy ($29 for a hand-carry version,
www.smithandhawken.com), and keep them there when not in use.
Individual tools are easier to overlook under the daisies. To
improvise a less expensive version, Arlene Kestner, president of
the Herb Society of America, suggests using a plastic
cleaning-supply container with wells on each side. Keep frequently
used household tools (hammer, screwdrivers, wrenches) in a toolbox
or mounted on pegboard, and put them back as soon as you're
finished with the task at hand. Avoid buying garden equipment in any shade of green. It's too
easy to lose amid the foliage. Kestner suggests painting garden tools with fluorescent orange
spray paint. Or wrap the handles with Super Bright Reflective Tape
($18, www.northerntool.com). Doing the same with your other tools
will make them easier to spot in a dark basement or garage. "My mother attaches two-foot-long fluorescent orange-and-yellow
plastic ribbons to each tool," says organizer Lisa Zaslow. Not only
does this increase their visibility but "you can make a loop in the
end of the ribbon to hang the tools on hooks or nails in your
garage," says Zaslow. Don't Lose Your Socks
When doing the laundry, put all the socks into a lingerie bag to
keep them neatly contained, says Kathy Webb, a mother of three from
Sterling, Virginia. You could also try Sock Locks ($3 for a pack of 20,
www.sock-locks.com), plastic disks that firmly grip the tops or
toes of a pair of socks. Keep a bag in your drawer for single-tons, so if a missing sock
resurfaces, you know right where to find its mate. When kids remove their socks, always have them stuff them into
their shoes, where they'll stay put.
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