There is always that one thing...

Is it just me, or is there always that one thing that no matter how many times you replace it it always ends up coming up missing?

For me it's tape measures. I swear they just really don't like me so they grow legs and run away. Seriously.

I bought one before I hit the road and have bought two since then...and I have only been on the road about 5 months...and here I am again unable to find it...which means tape measure number 4 is in my near future.

Wear a tool belt and always clip the tape back on?

Harbor Freight used to give them away free with a coupon and any amount purchase. I still am finding them as I got one every time till I had one in every vehicle and many times two in each tool bag. If someone needed to borrow one I’d tell them to keep it. If fact as I type this I’m looking at one under a stack of books on my table! Lol!!!

Sneaky little things aren’t they? Have not lost one for a while now. But I know I will do so therefore I have multiple duplicates in key locations.

Have a dedicated spot for things, is my answer to that.

Tho I once lost my van keys INSIDE the van, I then put a small hook on the wall where they go every time I come inside.

My best suggestion is to have only one place where you keep it, and always without fail put it there. If only one place doesn't work, then make it one of two but no more than that. If you create a place where something belongs, and always put it back there, you will always find it. I very rarely mislay anything because I follow this principle, and I had a business for 10 years helping people to become more organized in their lives and to shed what no longer serves them. This principle works if you do it, and applies to everything you own.

D'L said:

My best suggestion is to have only one place where you keep it, and always without fail put it there. If only one place doesn't work, then make it one of two but no more than that. If you create a place where something belongs, and always put it back there, you will always find it. I very rarely mislay anything because I follow this principle, and I had a business for 10 years helping people to become more organized in their lives and to shed what no longer serves them. This principle works if you do it, and applies to everything you own.

Click to expand...

I agree and that is what I usually do...but since I hit the road it's been more "meh, I'll organize everything once I get the build done" (which, btw, I haven't even started yet because...well...reasons).

I found also that in the first few months I re-organized everything top to bottom half a dozen times as I got into routines and had a better sense of what was needed where and how often. So while I always put the tape measure in one place, that one place kept changing. Now I have no idea where it is, but I can sure tell you where it was. My theory is, as long as you know where your coffee is, you’re good.

Another trick I have told people is this: If you keep all like things together you will always find them. So, tools including the tape measure all go in this area or box or whatever, no matter where that box or area is. It's a lot harder not to find the tape measure if it is always in the same container as the hammer, screws, screwdrivers, ruler, etc.

If it is a really important item like a passport and you move it to a new location then leave yourself a little note telling yourself where you put it. Next time you need it after you look in the old place and find the note you will probably remember, but if not....there's the note.

Storage Theory vs the reality of an ever devolving senior brain that begins having trouble remembering what you walked across the space to fetch.

And the winner is obviously not consistently going to be Mr. Storage Theory. Best 2 out of 3? Try again next time.

maki2 said:

Storage Theory vs the reality of an ever devolving senior brain that begins having trouble remembering what you walked across the space to fetch.

And the winner is obviously not consistently going to be Mr. Storage Theory. Best 2 out of 3? Try again next time.

Click to expand...

That's why notes to self are always useful.
Not just for remembering where you put things.
What would I do without writing things down.

I must have 20 free H_F multimeters.

Harbor Freight multimeters? LOL

I learned very quickly - in my first couple of weeks on the road - ALWAYS put things back where you found them. Otherwise you are hunting high and low for them.

But tape measures???? My ONE thing too. Always buying them and can never find them. When I don't need one they appear in every nook and cranny!

My solution is to use the baby one in my miniature sewing kit - that seems to always be in the same place!

D'L said:

That's why notes to self are always useful.
Not just for remembering where you put things.
What would I do without writing things down.

Click to expand...

My cell phone is such a handy note pad. I never made shopping list and reference list before I had one. Now I have all kinds of notes handy in my pocket plus some useful app as well as some manuals for my tools and appliances and schematics stored in digital format. Including the manual for my multimeter

The obsessive-compulsive people don't seem to have this problem much.

The rest of us, well.....

BelgianPup said:

The obsessive-compulsive people don't seem to have this problem much.

The rest of us, well.....

Click to expand...

Ohhh, I wouldn't say that speaking from experience!

one loses like 4 tape measure tool? hmm why ya hate them and dispose of them to gonzo?

no idea? LOL I don't have this issue as you stated but I just put back the thing in the box I took it from and all good thru the years truly

gremlins?? around you?? no idea We don't have that one thing thingy tho and seems I now don't want it, lol

Markw said:

Is it just me, or is there always that one thing that no matter how many times you replace it it always ends up coming up missing? For me it's tape measures.

Click to expand...

You are lucky... for me it's damn near everything that isn't bolted down!

Markw said:

Is it just me, or is there always that one thing that no matter how many times you replace it it always ends up coming up missing?

For me it's tape measures. I swear they just really don't like me so they grow legs and run away. Seriously.

I bought one before I hit the road and have bought two since then...and I have only been on the road about 5 months...and here I am again unable to find it...which means tape measure number 4 is in my near future.

Click to expand...

I know, right? I have the same issue with them, until recently, when I finally organized the "shop" and they all made their appearance. Now I have all 4 I had bought, plus a couple of shorter free ones...