View Full Version : What's on your key chain?
You can tell a lot about people by how many keys they have on their key chains and whether they have other stuff on them, such as knives and bottle openers. Same with wallets. Some are slim and simple, others fat and unruly.
My key chains and wallets have always been pretty light. House key, car key, PO box key. Wallet with a credit card, ID, and some cash. No family photos, business cards, or other unneeded items.
My current wallet (basically just a thin credit card pouch) is attached to my key chain. I have my apartment key, a key to get into the building, and a PO box key. That's it.
My wallet contains a credit card, some cash, and an emergency info card. Since I don't have a car, I don't carry my license unless I rent a car, in which case I keep my ID separate from my wallet lest the wallet get lost or stolen and lead an uninvited guest to my home with my keys.
a small (pink!) container of Mace spray on my key chain and a couple of keys - house and car. I wonder what that says about me :-)! Paranoid or just safety conscious? Probably a little of both.
a small (pink!) wallet with just some cash, a CC, extra key, drivers license and VA ID card.
I have a large brass key that is also a bottle opener. I saw this in the store (Sperry's, Port Huron Mi) in 1976ish and said I was buying that to put my keys on when I gert my license. Had it ever since, it is part of me it seems. Anyhow I have two sets of house keys and a car key. That's all. Mace is always with me on my gear shifter, then on my wrist or bag.
Besides my keys, I have a nano flashlight and a NiteIze DooHicKey (bottle opener/box cutter). Wallet is just money and license/debit card/credit card. Store cards carried separately.
awakenedsoul
10-1-14, 7:06pm
I've got a little card for the water store and another one for CVS. I think I'll throw those away. As far as keys, I have a house key for the front and back doors, (different locks,) a key to the padlock on my front gate, a key to my bike lock, and a key to the padlock I use at the gym. That's it...
My wallet: $42.00 cash, my driver license, stamps. a coupon for Round Table Pizza, my health insurance card, Costco card, and one debit card. (I leave the others at home.) Also: my bus pass, business cards, Panera card, and cards for places like CVS, Vons, and Walgreens. I also have a receipt for the last skein of yarn I purchased, since I plan to exchange it. I don't have any credit cards. Oh, I also have coupons for 40% off yarn in Oct. at Beverly's...
Nothing on my key chain. The only key I carry regularly is my car key. This may sound very frivolous, but DH and I rarely lock our doors when we leave the house, although we're doing it a bit more frequently. However, we don't carry it with us--we hide it on the premises.
Actually I don't have a wallet either. I do have a little card case that holds my cards and license. I keep my cash in a pouch that's part of my tiny purse.
cindycindy
10-1-14, 7:44pm
Great thread. Carry 3 key chains: 1 has my car key and gym membership fob. Another has my work key and ID tag. Another has my house keys, bottle opener, grocery store fobs and 2 flashlights (hmmm why 2?) Wallet has credit cards, licenses, library card, various ID cards, my emergency $20 bill and a little cash. I have had the same wallet for almost 20 years - purchased in Marshall's in the mid 80's.
I have multiple keyrings, each holding only what's necessary for one vehicle. One for car, one for motorhome and one for motorcycle. On the primary vehicle ring, I have a small engraved disc from my wife which says "Hold my hand when I'm 60. Love Teri, Christmas 1983". She's now 57 so I only need to keep it as a reminder for a couple more years.
I don't carry a housekey, preferring to use my garage door opener to gain access to the house. I also have a work keyring which houses a master key for the facility and keys for several electronic cabinets, although I only carry that at work.
My wallet is boring. I carry my drivers license, concealed carry permit, SS Card and debit and credit cards in a 30 year old tri-fold. It takes a lot of time to perfectly mold a tri-fold wallet to your butt cheek and I'll not give this one up willingly, nor upset its delicate balance with un-needed stuff.
Sad Eyed Lady
10-1-14, 8:06pm
My key chain has my house keys, car key, P.O. Box key, a mystery key, (why I keep it there I don't know), my tiny library card, and the leather thing that is attached to the key ring. I bought this key ring in MN in the early 1970's, and this has been my key ring since that day. The leather thing is round with embossed flowers - so 1970's but so much a part of me that it stays.
Nothing on my key chain. The only key I carry regularly is my car key. This may sound very frivolous, but DH and I rarely lock our doors when we leave the house,
I only carry around the key to whatever vehicle I happen to be using. No house key as our house has 8+ doors to the outside, and usually several are unlocked at any given time. I don't have a key chain. I have a rack in the house that keys for various Needful Things is hanging on, and I grab what I need when I need it.
Now, looking through my pockets, I find I also have today:
- "unbreakable" rubber comb
- about $30 in US currency
- small folding serrated pocket knife, in pocket
- large folding straight-edged pocket knife, clipped to pocket
- tourniquet
- CPR mask
- nitrile exam gloves
- gauze
- folding Leatherman EMT shears/rescue tool
- pen
- carabiner
- H&K P7PSP pistol, one spare magazine
- small Streamlight flashlight
- UHF/VHF handheld transceiver for fire/police/S&R/ham 2m/70cm bands.
ApatheticNoMore
10-1-14, 8:22pm
Keys to my apt, my mom's house, the laundry room for the apartment, the car, The Club device for the car. Wallet has credit card, drivers license, AAA card, library card, health insurance card, public transport card, a fed ex office card (I don't know, I put money on it if I go to at Kinkos rarely). Also cards to get in the office and the parking garage at work are sometimes in the wallet. Oh and there's cash.
Two house keys, one car key (although I usually take this off the ring and leave it at home because I drive rarely), library card, safeway card (homemade because they only give out wallet sized ones so I cut it to the size of the library card and drilled a hole in the end), Montgomery Wards oil can opener. Not sure why I keep the last. It looks like a bottle opener but it actually doesn't work for that purpose. And since oil comes in plastic bottles now it doesn't serve that purpose either. I guess I just felt the need to have something on my ring that was frivolous.
Wallet has $180.36 cash, personal credit card, ATM card, corporate credit card, work key card, work elevator card (I really wish they would combine these...) transit card, driver's license, health insurance card, receipt from transit ticket vending machine (just re-upped my card today).
I have house key, car key, safe key and one random key that I don't dare throw away. They are on a ring from the speciality subaru repair shop that I love and gives me loaners when I have car work. It also has 5 'reward cards', hardware store, grocery store, walgreens, fabric store and goodwill.
Wallet, hmm, 2 $ cash, debit card, target check card, insurance cards, drivers license, card to remind my of my savings account number, library card, gym membership card, and some stamps.
Now don't ask about the big purse and laptop bag, I have long days and get prepared so I can almost live out of those 2 bags.
Miss Cellane
10-2-14, 7:34am
My key ring: key to the apartment and key to the basement laundry room, plus a key to my brother's house, which I used the year he was in Afghanistan to look after his house. I could take that off now, but I have no idea where to put it that I won't forget where it is. My car key is in the car fob (I have a Volkswagen), and is kind of large, it isn't on any ring and I only take it when I need it.
My wallet is a small zipper pouch that is just the size of a credit card. It holds my small, dumb phone, driver's license, AAA card, library card and debit card, plus a few dollar bills. If I need another card for a specific purpose, I can fit a couple more in there, plus my keys. It fits in my pocket. (So liberating going to the supermarket without a handbag!). If I'm leaving the house for a long period of time, I have a slightly larger pouch that holds a tube of hand lotion, lip balm, a comb, a tiny flashlight, aspirin, a couple of bandaids, and some safety pins. I can just toss that in the car, or in my backpack, or a handbag, depending on where I'm going and what I'm doing.
Ever since my husband accidentally took my house keys to Regina, I've kept 2 key chains. 1 has house key and car club key (useful in the winter since we can't lock our running car ) and my actual car key on a separate chain. Also then I only take my house key to work and if I lost them I'd still have my car key, if my husband could get me into the house
I keep a powerful little LED flashlight on my keyring. It's about 1" long.
I live in a little town with salt water on 3 sides. When nights are mostly cloudless the stars are amazing. And when there is little moonlight, it is dark as heck here. 11 street lights in the whole town.
This little flashlight gets me from car door thru parking area to home (or destination venue) door every time.
http://www.rei.com/product/858827/inova-microlight-sts-keychain-flashlight
I keep shoppers' reward and library cards in a little envelope in my car's glove box. I hated cramming my wallet and key ring with them.
frugal-one
10-5-14, 4:39pm
Key chain contains 3 house keys (one for each door), garage door key and free ice cream card from Wendys attached with the car door opener. Keep another car key in my wallet. All my reward type cards are kept on a metal ring together. I punched holes in the corner and, therefore, do not have to carry them in my wallet. Also, have been told NOT to carry SS card in wallet. I keep it in the lock box at home.
One backdoor house key, three church keys, one mall key (doing some part-time office work for them), truck key, escape key, and a tiny flashlight was added after my dad had a run in with a copperhead in our dark driveway 3 months ago.
I carry a tiny credit card wallet with driver's license, insurance card, debit and credit cards. I'm always misplacing it because it's so tiny, even though it's a pretty aquablue color.
I have a Green Bay Packers key chain with a bottle opener! I also have a small flashlight, a house key and car key. Spouse has the same only a Steelers key chain instead. :-)
As far as a wallet goes, the one I use for everyday is a change purse that I can tuck in my pocket that contains the following: driver's license, AAA card, 2 cc, library card, and gift card. I don't carry a purse unless I'm going somewhere I might need more than those items. The change purse has a little side pocket so I can put a couple pieces of gum or chap stick in there if I want.
ToomuchStuff
10-7-14, 3:43pm
Float on, drink much? (three church keys?)
I have multiple key rings. For every vehicle, I tend to keep a set that is just those vehicle keys, if I need to leave one at the shop, etc. I could probably pair them down some more, but I have some backup keys for others, that I have been asked to keep on me. One of my keyrings has a tag which was where I had a copy made (friends old business) and that has caused them to find their way back to me, twice when I dropped/left them someplace. Other then that, the other stuff is a military can opener (smaller p38 model), and handcuff key (bicycle lock). I don't carry all my keys with me, but three rings is common.
My wallet, has my drivers license, emergency $20, work emergency check, three shopping club cards (work again), CC, Debit card, emergency contact number laminated card, and my medical card and copay. Money is kept in a money clip so I could choose between money or wallet to throw if needed.
ToomuchStuff - a little. Church keys all for the same church, outer doors, office area doors, my office.
ToomuchStuff
10-7-14, 8:02pm
A church key is a term for a bottle opener, around here, for as long as I can remember. (see more of those on kids key chains)
house key
car key/fob
st christopher medal
swivel eye bolt snap
Gardenarian
11-11-14, 1:07am
Car and work keys, and a little tool for my bike that comes in handy.
Glad we could compare notes on this one, because I just spent some time recently getting keys straightened out & making sure I had several-of-each backup spares, which I keep in a plastic jar. I used to carry a great big key ring around, that had the keys for everything in the entire world. . It was ungainly, & would sometimes get misplaced. Keys got more wear and tear on them being carried, & I sometimes believed that the only one these locks really keep out is littlebittymee! But, here again I did not have an original thought--because since then, I have adopted the modular approach to keys, which is essentially the one you kids use. Separate key ring for each vehicle and building, with a max of two or three keys on each one. At home, leave the keys in the car, under the mat. Only carry them around when you go somewhere. That way, they don't stray & make you late. The only big bunch is the backup, or spare set that I keep in one place. A spare key, hidden on the car. Pass cards are on a ring, left in the car. And yes--even an led micro-flashlight, though it presently needs a new aaaa battery. See how easy it is?
Digging through my pockets--$98 in change(30 cents Canadian), an electric toothbrush, a kitchen sink, a 24-inch Crescent wrench, a drill press and a wet bar. Got to be prepared.
Digging through my pockets--$98 in change(30 cents Canadian), an electric toothbrush, a kitchen sink, a 24-inch Crescent wrench, a drill press and a wet bar. Got to be prepared.Did I see you on that Hoarders TV show?
Did I see you on that Hoarders TV show? They had a front-page article, recently, on the front-page of our local, seldom-read newspaper, that dealt with the subject of "Squalor And Hoarding". Said it poses a major hazard, and that hoarders are nuts. This hit home, because I've been keeping several paper grocery sacks, a cardboard box and a dogg food sack of burnable trash, after accumulating them for several weeks now. As of today, I am using them in my wood burner for heat; but until they are gone it looks like a minor case of Hoarding and Squalor. This winter, I won't be depositing much into the trash-pickup cart that I share with a neighbor. Instead of being landfilled, it will provide heat, along with free wood. Hope that helps you some.
gimmethesimplelife
11-13-14, 10:01pm
My key chain I bought at a yard sale and it is solid brass with the word "Arizona" linked to the actual ring that holds the keys. My wallet was one I bought for $20 with complete reimbursement for it via doing a secret shop of a popular outlet mall retailer. I love this wallet as it has an outside slot that can hold my bus pass which makes it very easy to access in a hurry when fare inspectors board the light rail. Rob
Several years ago I was trapped in a "parents of swimmers" meeting at the pool (third daughter - had heard it all before), so I organized and de-cluttered my key ring. No key fob with only keys for the car, house, church, bike - 2 store rewards tabs, 1 store membership tab & library card tab. Now as I look at them on hook, I am ditching the two store tabs because I can just enter "alternate ID" on the key pad. DW loves the rewards points.
Work keys on a "ABC Stores" key fob. Went to Hawaii with my two oldest daughters about 10 years ago and they LOVED ducking into the ABC stores during the rain showers. In Honolulu there is an ABC store about every 30 feet. All the same, all different.
Wallet - also going for the minimalist approach. Bought a new wallet and very carefully cut off the center CC holder. I carry that as wallet with my debit, Visa, Amex/Costco, driver's license, insurance card. I could probably leave one of my cc's at home. Most everyone now takes Amex and seems it does double duty as my Costco card, I could leave the Visa at home.
I rarely carry change in my pocket, rarely do I carry any cash.
Key chain for home: Keys for gate, apartment door, cellar and bike
Key chain for work: Keys for house and office
Wallet: work ID, insurance card, bank account card, fitness club card, organ donor ID, some cash.
I do not carry my ID all the time, because I never needed it. And my drivers license stays at home because I don't have a car.
You can tell a lot about people by how many keys they have on their key chains and whether they have other stuff on them, such as knives and bottle openers. Same with wallets. Some are slim and simple, others fat and unruly.
My key chains and wallets have always been pretty light. House key, car key, PO box key. Wallet with a credit card, ID, and some cash. No family photos, business cards, or other unneeded items.
My current wallet (basically just a thin credit card pouch) is attached to my key chain. I have my apartment key, a key to get into the building, and a PO box key. That's it.
My wallet contains a credit card, some cash, and an emergency info card. Since I don't have a car, I don't carry my license unless I rent a car, in which case I keep my ID separate from my wallet lest the wallet get lost or stolen and lead an uninvited guest to my home with my keys.
Just keys. No items. I have an over the shoulder pocket purse. It's about the size of my hand. It holds my phone and a zip up pocket that holds my cards. my car keys are attached to the handle of that shoulder purse. I never just have a key ring with keys on it. I'd lose them so quick! The small bag fits neatly inside a larger purse that contains a zip up pouch with things like lip balm, a comb, some aleve, pens, sunglasses change, a micro bundle reusable bag. and what not. It also acts a a satchel to carry papers or books, or lunch for work.I carry the satchel to work and the car, but for going in the store, walking, going to the park, or whatever, it's just the shoulder pocket purse.
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