Fear when throwing away a key!

[CopperBolt]

Had a bit of a clear out at the weekend and had a bag of old electronic bits, (duff smart meter, light fitting, fluorescent mounts) to drop off at the tip.
At the tip as I was chucking it all, in the (random old) box the smart meter was in there was a key.
I have not been near the box it was in for at least 10 years I'd say.
However I couldnt just chuck the key in so kept it.
Then on the walk back I thought this is ridiculous, Ive no idea what the key is for, I havent needed it in 10 years or more, surely its redundant. so I chucked it in a waste bin as I passed accompanied with waves of doubt.

Is it just me that has trouble throwing away keys that Ive no idea what they're for?

[Fastpedeller]

I'm the same - have a small container with loads of old keys in...… however once in a while I find a use for one (Oops, hope I didn't make you anxious there)

[CopperBolt]

Fastpedeller said:

I'm the same - have a small container with loads of old keys in...… however once in a while I find a use for one (Oops, hope I didn't make you anxious there)

Hmmm, a container sounds a good idea. I have a key on my key ring that I think is for the garage at my previous property (8 years ago). I could take it off and store it in the container.

[MRichards99]

I remember going in a shop in the Isle of Wight with a couple of boxes full of old keys (up for sale) and wondered how people could throw away keys without having doubt a week after throwing it away

[Digga]

We too have a small container of keys in one of the drawers in the (f)utility room.

Mrs Digga takes the piss, because I 'know' keys - like the one from the shed at the house 15 years back that I accidentally kept.

[Chris Type R]

We inherited a bottle of mystery keys with our house. I suspect many of them are for the window locks on the windows which have been replaced... but I still haven't been able to chuck them. Five years we've been in the house and most of it has been replaced/renovated.

[red_slr]

I am convinced its a dimensional thing.

If you lose your keys in this dimension they end up in your "random key drawer" in the kitchen of your alternate self in another dimension.

[Digga]

red_slr said:

I am convinced its a dimensional thing.

If you lose your keys in this dimension they end up in your "random key drawer" in the kitchen of your alternate self in another dimension.

Can you expand on this theorum? Is there a mystic portal from the back of the sofa?

[alorotom]

Nah, we used to have a load of rental properties and would regularly change locks, etc... I did start swapping lock sets between properties at the start but then scrapped that idea and just started binning them instead.

We regularly had a marg tub full of keys following a tenant exit/eviction and got very accustom to putting them straight in the bin.

Treat our own house exactly the same. Random key appears, in the bin it goes.

[PAULJ5555]

But you might need it one day.

[ruggedscotty]

keys.... Last job I had to organise a method of key control as we had a couple of hundred or so relating to an electrical system nightmare indeed...

[alorotom]

PAULJ5555 said:

But you might need it one day.

Life’s to short to hoard keys on the off chance.

There’s a bucket full in my dads garage some of which are from his mothers house. She died in 1988 and the house was sold at that point. Ludicrous.

[Shuvi McTupya]

You need a man drawer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOeugn-s2K4

Old but still funny.

[red_slr]

Digga said:

red_slr said:

I am convinced its a dimensional thing.

If you lose your keys in this dimension they end up in your "random key drawer" in the kitchen of your alternate self in another dimension.

Can you expand on this theorum? Is there a mystic portal from the back of the sofa?

Basically every time you put a key in that jar we all have somewhere in our houses for old keys the alternate you in universe 2.1 loses their garage door key. They had it only yesterday, but now its gone.... ZOLTAN!!!

[Monkeylegend]

I always worry that she will find it and let herself out.

[talksthetorque]

Fastpedeller said:

I'm the same - have a small container with loads of old keys in...… however once in a while I find a use for one (Oops, hope I didn't make you anxious there)

Small Container?
That's a lot of keys....

[Chris Type R]

Chris Type R said:

We inherited a bottle of mystery keys with our house. I suspect many of them are for the window locks on the windows which have been replaced... but I still haven't been able to chuck them. Five years we've been in the house and most of it has been replaced/renovated.

Unfortunately my collection doesn't include the keys to a floor safe that came with the house (which pre-dated the previous owners' occupancy of 38 years).

I suspect they're in a tub or jar somewhere in a shed, loft or drawer.

[ARHarh]

just counted my "keys i that I have no use for" I have 72. Why am I keeping them? Any one need a set of keys for a 1968 mini cooper scrapped in the early 80's?

[Robbo 27]

It actually doesnt matter too much does it? A key doesnt take up much space and may come in useful, someday and to someone if not you.

By contrast, i was trying to think if I could repurpose a broken plastic laundry basket, not wanting to throw it away.

TFN

[glenrobbo]

ARHarh said:

just counted my "keys i that I have no use for" I have 72. Why am I keeping them? Any one need a set of keys for a 1968 mini cooper scrapped in the early 80's?

Put them on fleabay.
Somebody will want them!