Best And Worst Places To Hide A Spare House Key

How many of you keep a spare house key? Do you hide a key in one of the following obvious places?
The WORST possible place to hide your spare key is ANYWHERE NEAR THE FRONT DOOR!
DO NOT hide the key under the mat.
DO NOT hide the key under a flower-pot near the front door.
I hope you realize that every burglar knows to look for your spare house key…
- on the top door-sill
- anywhere in the porch light
- in the mailbox
- under the doormat
- in the potted plant
- inside the plastic fake rock near the front door
- in a magnetic key holder that may be attached to something near the door
You get the idea… anywhere near the front door will be obvious places for a potential burglar to quickly look. Just don’t do it.
Here are a few alternative ideas.
Where To Hide A Spare House Key
Keep a spare house key with your BBQ grill sitting in the back yard. Find an inconspicuous spot (inside the lower compartment?) and stash your spare key there.
If you have vinyl siding, you might find a lip where you can tuck a spare key. Just find a spot that’s not near the front of the house.
A fake rock would work, but be sure to put it in an area with other rocks, in the side-yard or backyard, so it doesn’t stand out.
( Here’s a nice fake rock for this purpose on amzn )
Place a spare key in a small zip lock bag (to protect from the elements and corrosion) and hide it under a larger rock or pavers stone, step stone, etc. somewhere in the back yard.
If you have an out-building or shed, there will be a multitude of hiding places inside. Maybe under a gas can, or under a stack of scrap wood, etc.
If you implicitly trust your neighbor, you might consider leaving a spare with them (be wary though, especially if there are other family members there who might be a risk).
An outdoor rated spare key lock box. I would still hide it out of direct view, though it’s safe for several spare keys.
How about somewhere in the chicken coop? Sounds like a good idea to me…
The point is, there are lots of possibilities of where to hide your spare key. Just don’t hide it anywhere obvious. And do not hide it anywhere near the doors themselves (front or back).
The key is (pun intended), pick a clever place and just be aware that no-one is watching you when you initially hide your key.
What are your ideas?