And Ode To All The Things You’ve Lost Inside Your Car

With so many technological distractions at our fingertips, it’s easy to imagine that our memories are deteriorating. You don’t even have to struggle with short-term memory loss to constantly lose your top three belongings: your phone, keys, and wallet. And if you’re like me, you’ll lose them at least once per day, which is why your car has probably become an extension of your bedroom. In other words, it’s just another place to misplace your favorite items. It’s a wonder that with all the information available to us, no one has taught us a more effective way to keep track of our things. “Just put a note in your phone,” you say, as if you’ve never scrolled through the notes in your phone trying to remember what you’ve forgotten this time.

PKW: Phone. Keys. Wallet.

Just like New Girl taught us all those years ago, the three most important things to remember are our phone, keys, and wallet (or PKW). Though it’s rare for me to lose my keys while I’m in my car, it’s definitely happened for a split-second once or twice. It doesn’t take too long to solve that mystery, though, because I’m usually sitting on them.

For me personally, my phone is the most dangerous thing to lose. If it’s not on its leash (charging on the aux cord), it’s apt to slide all over the car before I can safely come to a stop, park the car, and reach around blindly for where I thought I heard it last. My wallet, by contrast, is much harder to lose because it sits snugly in my purse. Unless I go for fast food… which I never do (as evidenced by the massive pile of napkins in my glovebox).

“I’d forgotten I lost it!”

The things I lose in my car may not be alarming, but what I find when I’m cleaning it out always surprises me. I incredulously exclaim, “When did I take my bra off?” and “Oh, that’s where my left shoe went! Too bad I already donated the right one!” I’ve lost everything from pots and pans, to socks and shoes in my car before. 

And of course, we mustn’t forget water bottles and other items I accidentally stole from my best friend’s house. One time she totally caught me. “Hey! I used to have a Snoopy water bottle!” Yeah, Katie, you still do. It’s just lived in my car for the last eighteen months!

“Put this somewhere you won’t forget it!”

I’ve failed to mention the plethora of paperwork and receipts I once deemed important and made a mental note to “put somewhere I won’t lose them!” No matter how important they may be, they’re crumpled up on the floor of my car among all the scattered crumbs and pebbles.

Thankfully, I can keep up with food garbage. I have a sensitive nose and can’t put up with any foul smells, except the smell of dirty laundry, apparently. But the most important thing I’ve ever lost in my car was definitely my sanity. Whether I lose it in an embarrassing cuss-filled road rage rampage or just forget to take it with me when I go to work, at least I know that it’s somewhere in a pile of clothing I meant to take to the thrift shop six months ago.

No matter what I’ve lost, I always find it once I finally clean out my car. My car is currently well overdue for a clean up.  A few cans of LaCroix is totally acceptable, just don’t lose your mind in there – if you do happen to misplace your sanity, do your best to relocate it, I promise it’s in there somewhere!

Feature Image via Pexels