Quick answer: don't hide a spare house key anywhere near the front door. The doormat, flowerpots, the top of the door frame and the lone fake rock by the step are the first places burglars check. The safest option is a trusted neighbor. If you must hide one, put it away from the entrance, inside an object that blends into its surroundings, such as a stone safe among many real garden stones.
Everyone gets locked out eventually. The question is whether your spare key helps you get back in, or helps someone else get in first.
The worst places to hide a spare key
- Under the doormat. The first place anyone looks.
- Under a flowerpot by the door. The second.
- On top of the door frame or in the mailbox. Checked in seconds.
- A single fake rock next to the step. A rock on its own by the door stands out, and burglars know the trick.
Better options
A trusted neighbor
Still the best answer. No hiding place beats a key that isn't on your property at all.
A stone among real stones
A stone safe works when it is one of many: in a gravel bed, a rockery or a border well away from the door, where nothing marks it out.
A magnetic box on a hidden metal surface
A magnetic box sticks to any hidden metal surface, like the back of a gate post or the underside of a metal bench, out of sight from the street.
In the shed or garage toolbox
A screw and nut safe in a box of real hardware is invisible to anyone who doesn't know it is there.
And the spare car key?
A car key safe keeps a spare at home in plain sight, and the magnetic box can hold one on a hidden metal part of the car. See the car range.
FAQ
Is a fake rock a good place for a spare key?
Only if it sits among many real stones and away from the door. A lone rock next to the step is one of the first things a burglar lifts.
Should I label my spare key?
Never with your name or address. If it is found, a label tells the finder exactly which door it opens.
How often should I move a hidden key?
Every few months, and always after work people or a party have been around your home.