Several years ago I wrote about how important it is to  have a designated place for your keys during travel. On my trip this week I was reminded in a major way: it’s not only keys that need a spot .

When I woke up Tuesday morning I called a local donut shop to order several dozen donuts for the  office I was visiting. Unfortunately once I arrived it turned out I had placed my order with a different  location across town. Dang it! So I was  running late and flustered when I finally arrived at work. I offered to take a coworker  out for lunch but my keys weren’t in their assigned place in the side pocket of my purse. Cue freak out! After lunch I turned my purse upside down searching for them. Nothing. Searched the floor and everywhere around my desk.  Nope. Finally I went  to the meeting room from earlier that morning. Bingo! There they were, on the edge of the dry-erase board. I was totally relieved, but annoyed with myself that I dropped them onto the closest surface instead of taking the two seconds to put them where they go.

There was another example from this trip, with less of a happy ending. Normally when I walk into a hotel room I immediately put my suitcase on the bench next to the TV and my purse on the desk. That way all of my gear stays generally in the same place. For this trip I was upgraded to a suite, which was delightful. However  that meant the layout was different–no TV or bench when I first walked in. So instead of my stuff being concentrated in a couple of spots, it ended up spread over two different rooms in like seven places. I felt like I was forgetting something. I even went back into the room before I left to double check. But darned if I didn’t forget my stupid shirt that was resting over the arm chair. Why did I do that? I never, ever put stuff on the chair! But I was running late and flustered, so I forgot it.

Since the twins were born  this summer the lack of sleep has really impacted my brain power–memory and attention span seem to be the biggest losers these days. So I have been  very deliberate in putting my things were they go, especially my keys and phone, otherwise I will never find them. That’s what makes me so mad about my shirt! Oh well, at least it was only a tee shirt from Target instead of one of my nice work shirts, Still. Ugh. But it’s not just people with babies–everyone is busy, has a ton of things in their brain, and has too much to remember. So make sure you designate a spot for your stuff and you will be less likely to  forget it.

Readers, do you have a specific place for your keys? What about in your hotel room–do you put your clothes in a certain spot? Have you ever forgotten anything in a hotel room?

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