Have you ever locked yourself out of your own home? You get back home after a long and tiring day, reach into your pockets, and find no keys. You check a couple times… still no keys. The first reaction to this situation is panic because getting locked out of your own house is a scary experience! It gets even scarier if it’s nighttime (especially if your neighborhood isn’t the poshest).
Here is what you should do if you encounter such a situation:
Try to Stay Calm:
It seems pretty stupid to tell a person to stay calm in a terrible situation. But it’s genuinely good advice because panicking decreases the brain’s capacity to make efficient decisions. The more you control your emotions, the better you can handle the problem.
Spare Key:
Having a spare key comes in handy in these situations. If you live with a partner or a roommate, they usually have a spare key; call them. They might be able to help if available at that time. Contact your landlord for a spare key if you live in a rental.
Retrace Your Steps:
If there is no spare key available, take your time to mentally retrace your steps and try to remember where you might have left your keys. Retracing steps help jog the memory and often helps people successfully retrieve misplaced items — including house keys!
Check for the Open Window:
If you’re lucky, you might find an unlocked window through which you can enter and open the main door. You should also check the backdoor. Although, for security concerns, make sure your windows and doors are properly closed the next time you leave the house. Leaving one of them unlocked by mistake can save the day when you get locked out!
Break-In:
If there is an emergency like having toddlers or pets locked inside the house, don’t hesitate to break-in. If it’s an emergency, you should do everything you can to get inside as soon as possible. It’s your property, after all!
Kicking the door near the knob is usually enough to open the entrance. Try not to break in through the window because the shards of shattering glass can be dangerous, and you, or the person/pet on the other side of the window, can get seriously hurt.
New Keys:
If there is no emergency, call a locksmith who will make a new key for your door by using key blanks instead of breaking in. Thankfully, locksmiths can make new keys using premade templates. For example, CLK Supplies sell residential key blanks that can be carved into any shape you need.
Ask For Help:
Don’t be shy to ask for help from the neighbors when you get locked out without a spare key. If you’re waiting for the locksmith, check in with your neighbors to see if you can hang out with them in the meantime. They can also help you break into your own home in an emergency by providing you with the necessary equipment for it.
