In the daily shuffle to get off to work or get the kids to school, you are likely forced to stop and look for something. A survey has shown that you spend an average of ten minutes each day searching for a lost  item. Very likely, it the same item that you have lost several times over the course of the last week. Ask yourself how many times in the past seven days you have had to look for your keys, your phone, a bookbag, or your shoes. If you are honest, the answer has to be in the double digits.

Lost Items

The most commonly lost or misplaced items include:

• mobile phones
• house keys
• car keys
• sunglasses
• papers
• umbrellas
• laptops
• hairbrushes
• bank cards
• cars

Most of these items are recovered, but valuable time is lost searching for them. Also, lost items can cause friction between couples. Many fights begin with the words "What did you do with my. . .?"

Consequences

Even though many items will eventually turn up, you may not have the luxury of waiting for them to reappear. You need your bank card daily, so once it is gone, you will have to contact the bank to cancel it and have them reissue one to you. This process will take days, leaving you to carry cash or write checks. These are minor annoyances, but they do make your life more difficult.

Losing your car and/or house keys can really be a pain. If you have also lost your backup set, you will need to call a locksmith. Although many of these professionals offer emergency services, you will have to wait for them to arrive and unlock your door. Fortunately, they will be able to make new keys for both your home and car. They will not, however, be able to stop you from losing them again.

If you are prone to misplacing your car in parking lots, you know the agony of searching among the endless rows of cars, many of which look exactly like your vehicle. If you truly cannot locate your car after an hour of searching, you car is not lost: It is stolen. That event will require a visit to the police station, which will be something of an ordeal.

You can solve this problem by paying attention to where you put things. As the old and frankly annoying saying goes, "A place for everything and everything in its place." Having a container for your keys and a special spot for your phone can simplify your life and prevent many arguments.