Device to make sure keys are brought inside the house at night?

twopointsisatrend@reddit

I have a two car garage and two cars parked in it. Two of my neighbors have two car garages and zero cars can be parked in them. Some others can park one of their cars in their garage. Cars are rarely bothered in our neighborhood, fwiw.

Agree, which is why I'm trying to not flip out and make a huge deal. It's not "intentional". But intentional or not, it's a pretty problematic habit. It's why I'm going at it from the angle of, what can we do to help make this not a problem - rather than flipping TF out at her every time she does it.

Not if you have a lock on the house that uses a thumb print or code to get in.

I haven't used the key to get into my house since about a day after we moved in.

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bravearrow@reddit

Easy enough, huh…?

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Zestyclose-Coyote906@reddit

We don’t have house keys and I just leave the house with my car keys. But that being said I never forget to leave my car with the keys cause that doesn’t make sense to me

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Cranks_No_Start@reddit

Something to remember.

When you take the keys away from the car all the electronics are I’ll eventually go to shutdown mode and sleep.

If OP has a garage door opener, they may rarely use the house keys. I go in through the garage most of the time, even if I'm in the car that doesn't go in the garage.

FLOHTX@reddit

My wife is like this. 39 and she acts like she's 9. Forgetful, always late, doesn't pay attention to anything, always on the phone, texting, or watching tiktok. Constantly leaves doors opened, car unlocked, etc.

I basically have to take the lead on everything money related or planning related and make sure she doesn't get scammed (again).

No we aren't having kids.

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LowPost5494@reddit

It’s called ADHD. All of these are classic symptoms/behaviors. My partner to a t. He didn’t even realize he had it until we met and I told him. 🤣 He was 50 when he was diagnosed.

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NicotineWillis@reddit

My wife is 60 and like this too.

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FLOHTX@reddit

How's life been?

For me, I already have an understanding that this isn't something she will grow out of and it's fine with me. She's loving and innocent in a way and it's been generally great for the 10 years we've been together. She loves cooking and cleaning, works as a nurse, and does her best to make everyone around her happy. She's a great person, just "blonde".

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Loaded with pee.

While I’m all onboard with the spray bottle. Something the OP needs to know is many cars don’t fully shut down the electronics while the fob is in range and go to sleep.

That_Ol_Cat@reddit

"And that's how the divorce proceedings started, your Honor..."

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thekittennapper@reddit

That’s really fucked up. I don’t leave my keys in my car, but that would end my marriage.

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CaptainWaders@reddit

This is probably a great way to scare her straight. Honestly just get a friend to take the car at night and park it in their driveway or garage for about a week.

While you fake call the cops and really work your wife up about letting the car be stolen. Then have him bring the car back and say the police recovered the vehicle miraculously.

So that means she's also not locking the car when she arrives home.

You have a behavioural issue here, not a technical one.

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RotInPissKobe@reddit

Yes they can. My source is I'm a mechanic who has to break into cars on the lot for dumbass sales staff that lock keys in cars almost daily.

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KnoWanUKnow2@reddit

In a Toyota?

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lumberjack_jeff@reddit

Lock the door of the house, better yet install an automatic lock to which she does not know the pin.

The only key is attached to her car key fob

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gamereiker@reddit

4 feet of paracord tied to her purse

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Accomplished_Ad_1288@reddit

I am assuming the car is push button start. I am pretty sure she carries her purse back in the house. Why is the keyfob not in the purse at all times?

As a woman who drives a newish toyota SUV...

If the FOB never leaves her bag because it's push to start, and she doesn't ever bring her bag inside, nor does she need a house key to get inside (my front door has had a keypad for years now too) it will be near impossible to get her to change her habits unless/until the trauma of car theft happens to her.

Maybe an alarm on her phone or both of your phones goes off at 9pm and then once you’re up, you check to see where the keys are.

Another way to change this habit could be looking at the moment when the keys enter the car rather when they get left in the car? What could actually change that would put the keys somewhere else? Is it a keyless entry? Maybe your wife could get a retracting lanyard from her purse or person that would keep the keys more attached to her.

I live (love) in a house full of neurodivergent brains and mechanical solutions and systems are our way to get community in board with tasks that aren’t necessarily natural to us all. Mechanical solicitation are the friendliest way to make change in community.

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stewiecookie@reddit

If you have a turn key ignition then you literally have the keys in your hand to turn the car off. If you have a push start then the fob should never leave a pocket or purse. You have to go out of your way to actually leave the keys in the car on a regular basis. Your partner is just an idiot.

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bigbadbizkit420@reddit

You answered your own question. Set a phone alarm for every evening that stands for where them keys at?

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We don’t have enough details from OP, like how common the behavior is. We can be talking about holding the keys after turning the car off, fiddling with a bunch of things, absentmindedly putting the keys or something else down and sometimes forgetting to grab them again.

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hojimbo@reddit

You’re making a ton of assumptions there. As someone in a relationship with a neurodivergent person, it’s not always as simple as your worst instinct. Not saying OPs wife is neurodivergent, but it may not be as simple as “she’s shitty and entitled and ignorant” nor “just train her”.

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sumguyontheinternet1@reddit

I have severe ADHD, this is not an issue from that. This is being lazy and carefree with zero sense of situational awareness or responsibility.

How does she open the door to the house without the keys when she returns home?

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Fun_Interaction2@reddit (OP)

Keys are either left on the center console, or, in her purse which is also left in the car.

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Engine_Sweet@reddit

Have your buddy open the garage door in the middle of the night. Wake her up.

Run out and scare off "the intruder"

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throwupandaway88908@reddit

Why don’t you just check for them as part of your evening or after work routine. Bring them in for her. Make it an act of service and love.

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Readitwhileipoo@reddit

Why can't HER act of service and love be behaving like a reasonable person and respecting her partners wishes?

Why the fuck should he have to babysit her actions?

What a shit take on the situation. If he forgets to do it one day and that's the day it gets stolen, everything becomes his fault where the responsibility should fall on her in the first place.

She can drag her ass back and forth to the car there's no reason she can't bring her stuff with her.

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tangouniform2020@reddit

I had to ask an insurance agent about this because I was curious. Leave your keys in the car, leave it running, even leave it unlocked and suddenly you have two problems. Your premiums go up and you are now making payments on a phantom car.

Robie_John@reddit

She enters the house through the garage.

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04limited@reddit

Bet the house isn’t locked either. Or goes through the garage.

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Initial-Kangaroo-534@reddit

If you attach an AirTag to her keys, it has a feature where it will notify you when an item is left behind.

Of course this is assuming she isn’t also leaving her phone in the car, and has notifications turned on. This will only work with iPhones.

Drachev935@reddit

Just take it out and make her drive her car down the road. It will cut out and then ring her and say "that's how far the thief gets" and she will be amazed when she can't start the car again until the fob is in range. I'm sorry you actually have to teach stupid here.

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Curious-George532@reddit

Get up in the middle of the night and drive the car a couple of blocks away and walk home. When she wakes up and sees it missing, let her freak out and call the cops. Maybe she'll learn her lesson.

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DawgJax@reddit

My wife just leaves her key fob in her purse. Goes to the car with her, comes in the house with her.. problem solved

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gba_sg1@reddit

Keyless entry and start? Use a keyring and loop it inside the purse.

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Icy_Huckleberry_8049@reddit

writing a NOTE on the bedroom door, on the fridge, on the bathroom door to, "DON'T FORGET KEYS IN CAR".

It happens everywhere, unless you live in a gated community even then sometimes.

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Averen@reddit

Car key goes on the same ring as the house key……

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Pleasant_Event_7692@reddit

Nothing you can do. If her car gets stolen she can notify the police and insurance company. If the car doesn’t get replaced and she can’t afford to buy another car then she doesn’t have one to drive around. Live and learn.

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Toads_Mania@reddit

Can you attach the keys to something she uses inside? Like it’s attached to her phone case?

You could also make going out and locking her car part of your nightly routine. If you want to be petty, bring keys in and hide them somewhere. If she knows if you bring them in she’ll have to spend time looking later maybe it will help her remember. Side note - is this what my wife does with tools I leave out that I can then never find?

I'm not sure what I would do if someone I loved was behaving in such an unbelievably irresponsible manner. I guess the person who suggested having YOU check might have the least offensive, most effective idea.

anfisaval@reddit

Just slamming the door and walking away... I thought that only happened in movies. Looks even cooler when the window is open.

For the next car, get something with auto lock when walking away. Then glue fob to her phone.

Or maybe you can already glue the fob to her phone with that car? And remove the garage door opener from the car, add a wifi module to the door motor to control it with the phone instead. Then you still have the problem of the car being unlocked, but there would be no fobs inside. If she leaves her phone in the car, then I give up.

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J-Rag-@reddit

Hire a trusted friend to "steal" the car one Friday night. In the morning pretend to call the police and file a stolen vehicle report. Then around noon or so just have your buddy drive it back to the house. I'm sure she'll remember the keys every time after that

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RabidAcorn@reddit

Put an alarm that beeps every 3 seconds constantly so she can't forget that they're there.

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i_was_a_highwaymann@reddit

My cousin would do this until the day I "stole" her car. Maybe show her why she needs to bring the car keys in

Hold on to the keys and make her check them out from you when she needs them and bring them right back. Or have a friend pretend to steal it the next time she does it and then be like "oopsie poopsie. I guess you're taking the bus."

Or trade in her car for a stick shift. That way it's basically theft-proof. I would suggest the Club but I doubt she'd be any better about using that.

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agravain@reddit

you should also be putting them in a Faraday box.

I went through this with my wife to get her to not forget her keys. they went on a specific key rack just inside the hallway and now the keyless fob goes in the box.

repetitive training finally ingrained it in her.

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morosis1982@reddit

Or don't leave them near an entrance.

lover_or_fighter_191@reddit

Attach it to your house key? You do keep your doors locked, right? Right?! Maybe tell her to keep it in her pocket or get a belt clip if she wears jeans? How about a hook in a central part of the house that you can quickly look at to see if they're there?

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PckMan@reddit

Can't she just put the fob on a ring with the house keys?

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joeynalgas@reddit

Put it in a keychain with her house key... Or tape it to her forehead.. whatever works

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WaterIsGolden@reddit

Not responsible enough to drive.

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MisterBitterness42@reddit

Everyone here, at least the ones upvoted the most and are most visible, is a jerk.

Adhd and add are both real things on opposite ends of the spectrum with some of the same symptoms. Responsible people recognize these symptoms and do something about it, which may (should) include education, through which they would learn how important routine and habit are. I’ll say it a few more times, routine and habit.

Let her sweat a bit.

She'll never forget again.

And you may never get to have sex again.

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hapym1267@reddit

Attach them to her person in a way , she needs help to remove .. We used to put 2 ft sticks on keys at work to help ensure them not being forgotten in pockets , she might not go for this though..

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M00s3_B1t_my_Sister@reddit

I've been in a lot of newer rental cars that honk at you if you close the door with the keys inside.

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moosemoose214@reddit

Post it note

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TheSlipperySnausage@reddit

Is it a push start car? If so why are the keys not on her the entire time?

Get a security system with one door alarm. Attach one side to the key and the other to the base station. Set a schedule to alarm the system at 9pm. If the key isn't on the base station, it shows up as an "open door" and the alarm will go off.

-From a Test Engineer

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iwasbannedlmfao@reddit

If you leave your keys in your car and it gets stolen you 100% deserve it. Theres a simple solution. Smarten up.

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Agreeable_Bill9750@reddit

Yes the device is called car theif, they are free but their schedule is very chaotic. One use of that device will sort the problem out for good.

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Fun_Value1184@reddit

If you are part of the Apple collective, I recommend an I tag. It should send a notification to her phone if the key fob is not in proximity and so unreachable by Bluetooth on her phone. She can also ask Siri where the keys are and if she can’t hear it beep you can find out where it is. If the car gets stolen you can find it too.

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Independent_One9572@reddit

And if it's stolen forget insurance paying claim because keys were in vehicle

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SuperNa7uraL-@reddit

Have her keep the fob in her purse all the time.

Lock the house doors every time she leaves the house to drive somewhere and do not open the door for her when she gets home.

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Slight_Manufacturer6@reddit

Apple AirTags on your keys.

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Old_Assist_5461@reddit

Set a daily alarm on phone or watch at 9pm to check keys.

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fricks_and_stones@reddit

This is easy. You put a note on the key that says "KEEP IN PURSE".

This way when she takes the keys out of her purse to unlock the car, she'll see the note, and remember the car has a keyless lock button and use that instead. This way she'll put the keys back in her purse before unlocking the car; interrupting her old operating procedure from the old car.

Does the key fob need to be out for it to work?

I just leave mine in my pocket. I never have to take it out.

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Turtle_ti@reddit

Its key fob, there is no reason for her to even be taking it out of her purse.

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hbl2390@reddit

Park the cat in the garage.

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Michigan-outdoorsman@reddit

Does your wife carry a purse? If so she can just leave them in there, unless she leaves that in the car too.

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sasquatch753@reddit

Get a friend to take the car for a drive, then ask her where the car is after they are gone. Obviously have them bring it back in 5-10 minutes.

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irritable-exorcist@reddit

Set Up a Location-Based Reminder for Your AirTag

Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
Go to the Automation tab and tap Create Personal Automation (or tap + if you already have automations).
Select Arrive as the trigger.
Tap Choose and select your home address from the map.
Set it to trigger When I Arrive (leave "Any Time" enabled unless you want it only at certain hours).
Tap Next, then Add Action → Send Notification (or use Speak Text if you want Siri to remind you).
In the notification text, write something like "Bring your keys inside!"
Tap Next, then Done to save the automation.

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jwwetz@reddit

Start a fashion trend...buy some brightly colored cord & make her a necklace with it. She'll never have to take it off at all.*

*back in the "old" Army of the 80s we called them "dummy cords" when tied to weapons & other "sensitive" items.

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KJBenson@reddit

This is a fob that doesn’t need to be inserted to drive?

Does your wife have a purse or back?

SSNs4evr@reddit

The newest vehicles in our house are my wife's 2008 Volvo XC70 and my 2008 Ford E150. The Volvo is always OK, as it's parked in the garage - the keys are just left in it, although there have been several occasions where the garage door was left open all night.

The truck, though - I only have one working FOB, as the other 2 have dead batteries, but the ignition key in the door works fine. So one morning as I'm going to work - I own my business...there's this weird rattle as I'm driving. I stopped a few times to listen for where it was coming from - it was kind of driving me nuts, but every time I stopped, the rattle stopped too. Finally, I arrived at my first customer location, where I found that one of my kids got something out of the truck, and left the key in the keyhole of the passenger front door.

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Artistic_Bit_4665@reddit

Likely she is like my friend's wife. If she leaves the keys in the truck "she knows where they are"... And "the truck is insured".

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Z00111111@reddit

She'll learn pretty quickly when insurance refuses to pay out because she pretty much gave the car to a stranger.

LazyLancer@reddit

Unless she just doesn't give a damn on purpose, she just needs to build a habit. It's not about devices, it's about building a habit of taking your keys with you.

Set an alarm on her phone for like 30-60 minutes after she usually gets home, label the alarm as "get the car keys"

Put a sticky note on the "start engine" button that says "take your keys with you"

Cinderhazed15@reddit

You can disable the ‘smart key’ and have to put the key in a slot

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My wife grew up on a farm, isolated. They’d leave the keys in the front seat.

She kept doing that even while we were dating in the city.

One time we were in a sketchy part of town and I drove. She didn’t want to carry her keys so she threw them on the front passenger seat. She was like, “why? It’s not for YOUR car.”

KingAfter7648@reddit

Get her a lanyard and hang it around her neck.

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ImprovementCrazy7624@reddit

Get a second key for the car if you dont already have one and then fit an autoclock box to the car when it detects power out from accessories it triggers the lock button

My car is push start. The fob is on my house keys in my pocket. I never touch them except to unlock the front door.

read a bunch of comments my solution is that in the evening when you check locks an stuff that you also chheck the car and bring in the fog and purse.

Doesn't the air tag ring the phone when it has been left behind?

I don't intend to read all of this.

Assuming you have friends.

Have a friend steal her car one night and park it somewhere safe. Just make sure she doesn't have anything important to do the next day. She'll wake up to the car missing. Freak out.

You check your phone.

Leave your air tag in it and be like "the air tag is at x location, let's go!"

PassengerOk7529@reddit

Put the key fob around her neck! (Lanyard)

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scbiker21@reddit

Have you tried a shock collar?

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Boilermakingdude@reddit

The car literally tells you to take your keys with you. Tell her to leave her fob in her purse or she can take taxis after her shit gets stolen.

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crazymonk45@reddit

Does she not have a purse? My wife just throws them in there and never has to think about it

Other than that, a daily reminder on both of your phones maybe?

Have Alexa state a reminder at the same time every day after she gets home from work.

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elmwoodblues@reddit

After she falls asleep, move the car down the block, lock it, take the fob home, and go to bed.

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SailingSpark@reddit

I can't think of any device that would fix this. Maybe a place where all keys and fobs go so you can easily check if it is in the car or not?

Personally, I hate to sound like an asshole, maybe she needs her car stolen in order to learn?

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IsPooping@reddit

RFID-activated house door with the tag attached to her car keys?

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Cranks_No_Start@reddit

maybe she needs her car stolen in order to learn?

You said you have AirTag on them. If the AirTag is paired to her phone, she should get a notification on her phone whenever she leaves the fob behind.

If not, check that the “Notify When Left Behind” setting is on for that AirTag in the Find My app. If the AirTag is paired to your phone, unpair it and pair with her iPhone instead.

This might have already been asked or suggested before, but if she doesn't need to physically use the key (e.g. the key just needs to be nearby to unlock, start car, etc.), could she toss it in her purse and it'll get carried in and out with her other things?

My key fob stays in my coat pocket / purse all day, so I rarely have to think about where it is. If she doesn't have a purse or large enough pockets, could you get a carabiner and clip it to her belt loop, get a wristlet to keep it on her wrist, a small crossbody for her to always wear, or something like that?

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PinkStrawberryPup@reddit

Also, just thought of another thing--

Not sure what phone she has, but my Samsung has the ability to create/run routines. I just checked and I can create a routine where, when Bluetooth to my car disconnects, an alarm/sound plays. Maybe that would be helpful? I'm not sure at what range Bluetooth disconnects, so that may be a dealbreaker, though.

Speaking of phones.... What if you clip the keys to the phone using a phone charm thing? Seems inconvenient to me, but if she remembers to bring her phone everywhere....

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Boattailfmj@reddit

Why does she not just keep the fob in her pocket? I drive a jurassic pos so it still has a key, but every time if rented a newer vehicle I just leave the fob in my pocket. I have no idea why anyone would put it in the console or whatever while driving.

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With this kind of attitude, the vehicle is gonna be stolen eventually. If not from home, somewhere else. It is not hard to bring in your keys.

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dhammer731@reddit

Can the car not be programmed to sound the horn multiple time if fob is left inside and the doors are closed? I know my GMC has this feature.

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j_mcr1@reddit

I have my keyfob attached to my wallet. Maybe that will help

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BamBam-BamBam@reddit

If you have an iPhone, put an airtag on the keychain then setup a scheduled cf8nd my" task

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EugeneMachines@reddit

People are giving you a hard time a bit but I genuinely think a gizmo that alerts when a specific device (or air tag?) isn't sitting on it at a certain time would be useful. Like at a business - say some employee takes out a set of keys or an ipad, and it needs to be back at the base station by end of shift.

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throws4k@reddit

If she uses Apple buy an AitTag set it to "notify if left behind".

If she uses Android buy a TILE Pro tracker, set a smart alert if you walk away.

It is unfortunately a premium paid feature, so it costs double vs just buying a tile, but in this case VERY cheap insurance.

Look up YouTube videos on tile vs airtag to see if it would help you.

Either of these assumes she at least cares about her phone.

Tile is good because any registered phone can track your partner's phone and their tags, tags can reverse find your phone like Apple watch and Garmin watches can.

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bomber991@reddit

Sounds like your wife and my wife would be best friends.

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mr5e1fd3struct@reddit

while you cant change your wife, trust me on that, you can install a gps system just in case. i like the landairsea trackers, hardwired. no need to charge

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Avitar_X@reddit

I have 2 such devices.

1 is a purse, the other is a pocket.

Are you a string?

ImNotGoodAtArchery@reddit

It’s called a brain

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182RG@reddit

Glue it to her phone.

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Hawk13424@reddit

When I was a kid, we didn’t have fobs and cars were left unlocked a lot. One job us kids were assigned was to go check all the cars at sunset. So just have kids.

They do need to survive for a while so she can’t leave the kid in the car so on second thought might not work.

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heatherdazy@reddit

How is she locking the car if she leaves the key inside (I’ve never had a fob, so I’m not sure)? Does she just keep the car unlocked for anyone to steal?

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Fun_Interaction2@reddit (OP)

Yes.

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heatherdazy@reddit

Does she hate the car? When I had a Toyota, I was always getting into petty fenderbenders because I subconsciously resented the car. Maybe she wants it to be stolen so she can drive a motorcycle or something.

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delsoldemon@reddit

The behavior aspect can 100% be changed.

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sofa_king_nice@reddit

My car (Kia) sends a message to my phone if the car is left unlocked for more than a few minutes after it’s turned off.

If you have a family calendar, set a daily reminder

"Love, fucking hell, bring the fucking keys inside and lock the car"

She's not locking the car when she gets home? Most cars won't let you lock it when the keys are still inside.

Might just be up to you to make sure the cars are locked for the night, and make her get the keys if they're not available for you to use.

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