Key Hooks: An Old-Fashioned Solution For The Modern Household

You probably remember Grandma's key hook, hanging in the kitchen or by the back door. Every key required in the household had a duplicate with its place on the hook. Back in the day, Grandma wasn't one to call the locksmith because she'd misplaced a key. She didn't have to frantically look everywhere in the house at the last moment for a lost key. If the grandchildren were visiting, they took the spare house key and let themselves back in after going to the ice cream parlor. This arrangement worked well, with no one in a tizzy over a key.

Today, we've got our phone and address books on our cell phones, the family budget on a spreadsheet, but when you're rushing off to an appointment, you can't find your keys! Some people are unable to keep track of their keys from day to day. The locksmith's number is on our cell phone and the budget on the spreadsheet is hit with an unanticipated expense. All for the lack of an old-fashioned key hook.

Grandma's key caddy might well have been one Grandpa made, a simple wooden affair with cup hooks attached and pencil notations of what was what. Key hooks today are practically a cottage industry. You'll find them in cute boutiques, gift shops and antique dealers. To make life even easier, just type 'key hooks' into any search engine box to find some really cool offerings of this indispensable product. You can buy them in materials that suit any decor, in an array of styles from country cute to copper tin-punched elegance.

Key hooks also make good craft projects for the kids. Set out the basic requirements their creation must serve: big enough to accommodate the keys and sufficient hooks. They can be constructed of wood, clay or paper mache and decorated with anything from crayons to paint to found objects. This simple project will turn into a family keepsake. It also occupies their attention for a rainy day afternoon!

Key hooks are quite inexpensive. So why go through the frequent hassle of searching out the car key when you're already late? Why pay a locksmith to rectify your absent-mindedness? Why deal with the frustration?

Once you've got this time saver hung in its place, the only caveat is that a hard and fast rule must be enforced: whoever takes a duplicate from the key hook puts it back! A little dot of bright red nail polish identifies a duplicate. No cheating!

Summary

Key hooks have been used for many decades. They are a great craft idea for the kids or for the home hobbiest. They are inexpensive to make, and you can decorate to match your decor perfectly. If you need patterns, take a look around online or at your local hardware store. There are many designs to choose from.

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