If you lose your house key and find yourself locked out, then it would save a lot of hassle if you have a spare key hidden somewhere outside your home. You might even do this if a friend, family member, or neighbor needs access to your home while you’re out.

However, leaving a key outside your home does come with risks. A stranger could find your key or see you hide it and break into your house. So, think twice before you do this. If you do decide to leave a spare key out, then here are some of the safest (and least safe) places to hide it.

In a combination lockbox

If you have to hide a key outside your home, then don’t just look for a hidden location. Place your key inside a combination lockbox and then hide that box in a hidden location. Make sure you only give the code to people you trust and consider changing the code on a regular basis.

In a secure shed or garage

Rather than leaving your key outside your front door, hide it away and, ideally, lock it away in a shed or garage on your property. Of course, you’ll then need to make sure you don’t lose the key to that location, too. Garages can operate using a code or remote, so if you’ve got your remote in your car, you can still access your garage to find your spare key.

NOT underneath a plant pot

It’s a cliché to hide your key underneath a plant pot. And since it’s a cliché, someone trying to break into your home might think to check under all the plant pots around your home, and could easily do so.

NOT under your doormat

Even more cliché than hiding your key under a plant pot is placing it under the doormat right outside your front door. This is the first place someone will check when looking for a key, so avoid this at all costs.

Smart alternatives to leaving a key out

We don’t recommend leaving a spare key outside your home, but you can still avoid the costs and inconvenience of calling a locksmith when you’re locked out by installing smart locks. With a smart lock, you can lock and unlock your door using your smartphone. So, you don’t have to worry about losing your keys again.

And, if you need to let someone in your house while you’re away, you can do so remotely from wherever you are, as long as you have an internet connection. Make sure you have a secure lock on your phone, such as a pin code or fingerprint access, so that someone who steals your phone can’t access your house this way.

If you want to increase your home security, contact Carolina Alarm for home security systems around Greensboro, North Carolina, Kernersville, Winston Salem, and High Point, NC.