How to Find Something You Lost

Remember Where You Placed It the Last Time

Before you go mad and start searching everywhere, try to remember what you were doing with the item the last time it was in your possession. If it is a phone you have lost, think about the last call you received and where were you when you were talking on the phone. For a piece of jewelry, ask your friends for help if you think you have lost it while hanging out with them. If you think you have lost something during a gathering, check all the photos taken to see if you can find out exactly when you lost it. 

Check Your Close Belongings

Do not forget to check the most obvious places because most people overlook them easily. Search your pockets, check your clothes, and even check your wallet closely. Instead of just searching through your backpack, purse, or bag, empty all the content onto the bed and search again. Check your private space or bathroom if you are searching for a lost piece of jewelry.

Consider Cleaning Your Home

An important step to learning how to find something you lost is to clean your home thoroughly if you are sure that what you have lost is indeed in your home. Clean your personal space as well as your car and locker. So many times, you end up finding what you have been looking for just by cleaning.

Retrace Your Steps

It means you should think of where you may have gone from the time when you last had the item and then simply retrace all your steps. The best thing is to work backwards and be sure to walk down ever path or street that you took when you had gone through. If this path includes libraries, bars or restaurants, do stop, go for a look and even ask the librarian, bartender or waiter about your lost item.

Look Everywhere

It may seem time consuming but you just cannot find something you lost without putting in some effort. If you have found nothing even after retracing your steps and searching your close belongings, start looking everywhere. Do not leave anything – your room, car, closet, and everything else. Check under the couch, look through your folders, and have a quick look behind your desk, bed, or dresser to find what you have lost.

Get in the Right Headspace

One important thing is to get in the mindset you had when you lose something. Just do not panic and stay relaxed. It is important to maintain your focus and get in the right mental space to recall your thoughts before losing the item. Tracking your memory and making some free association will very likely to give you an idea about where the item might be.

Confirm If Any Borrows It

In addition to looking everywhere, you may also sit back and ask a few questions to yourself.  Have you lent the object to one of your friends? It often occurs that your friends borrow something from you, but you completely forget about this so you, frustratedly yet naturally, assume the thing has lost when can't find it later. Think if any one pays you a visit lately or list all people who might need or want the item. This helps you know how to find something you lost.

Ask Those Around You

Who was near you when you last had the object? It is not about accusing someone of stealing, but this will still help you get an idea about where to find the lost object. Try to remember if any of your friends, family members, or colleagues have access to the item and then ask them if they have seen the item somewhere.

Prevent Losing Things in the Future

It is never easy to find something you have lost. Although the steps mentioned above really help you understand how to find something lost, it is still better to take some steps to avoid losing anything in the first place. Here are some suggestions:

• Every time you leave something important in a new place, be sure to name that place out loud. Putting that place and object in one sentence will help your brain make associations, so it will be easier to remember once you forget the place.

• Identify the item you lose quite often. It could be your cell phone, car keys, etc. Pay some attention to how you lose that item. Identify the pattern and try to correct it.

• Be sure to keep your personal space as clutter-free as possible. Keeping everything in order will help you find things with ease.

• Select a place to keep your important items. It may take time to develop the habit, but you will not lose anything again when you know where you keep specific items. For example, having a hook installed by your door will keep you from lose your keys again.