You’ve decided where you’re going and you’re ready and raring to go when you pat your pockets and realize you don’t have your wallet. Yet again, the search begins for the misplaced wallet, which can push the better half of an hour on the unluckiest days.  

If you’re the type who forgets things easily and then dreads the moment you find yourself once again looking for that one particular you can never seem to keep track of, you are not alone. In fact, according to a book by John Ortberg, the average person wastes approximately a year of their life looking for lost possessions.  What should we do to lessen this time to spend it doing far more meaningful things? Firstly, instead of panicking and desperately searching for a lost and found company that can help you better track your stuff, check out these steps.

·        Make a Decision

Is your wallet lost, misplaced, or stolen? A stolen wallet goes means that you will need to call your bank and credit card companies and to cancel your cards immediately, so before you determine this, think carefully. Do you have a tendency to lose your things? Where were you when you last saw it, or used something in it? Before you jump to an extreme conclusion, consider the places where you usually find your wallet, like your car or a drawer at work. If you’ve checked in all such places, including any place you might have recently visited, then it’s wise to cancel all your credit cards to avoid any financial harm.

·        Turn It Into Something Special

If you do have the tendency to lose your wallet time and again, maybe it’s time to try a new strategy: next time you have to, choose a wallet that you are more excited abot having. You don’t have to buy anything flashy or overly expensive, but choosing something more interesting that stands out from its surroundings may make you more excited to have it, and more casually aware of where it is at any time. It also will be easier to identify by others who may notice it’s yours when it does get left behind.

·        Only Carry Essentials

You don’t need to carry all your most important cards and documents on you at all times. To prevent the severe loss that would occur when carrying a full wallet, only carry one primary card and one identity document when you take your wallet with you. Keep non-daily use cards and documents in a safe place at home, so losing a wallet means losing fewer important items along with it.

·        Use a Tracker

In our interest in helping people find better ways of tracking lost items, our Found in Town Recovery Tag plays a unique role in your loss prevention strategies. Because it’s so small, you can easily stick it to any corner of your wallet to almost “crowd source” tracking your wallet should it get lost. Of course, if you know someone who is as forgetful as you are, then using these tags will make the perfect gift. The added benefit here is that more people learn about Found in Town’s system, increasing the likelihood that it will work for us all.

Although we all panic when we lose our wallets, the best thing to do is to remain calm and use a logical method of searching for it. The goal is not only to be able to reliably find a lost or misplaced item, but also to find it without undue stress or anxiety.