UKC

I'm pretty good with my climbing gear actually, I basically have memorised numbers of nuts/cams etc and do a check before I leave the crag.

However, personal items I'm a bit worse with. The most annoying one, is that I lost 15 quid yesterday somehow, with a fiver of that definitely being left in a self service machine in tesco. Well came across the same situation today and saw the note coming out and was thinking "right I'm 'avin that fiver this time". Somehow I left the shop without it, 5 seconds later I check my pockets outside the shop and its not there. Obviously I go straight back in and someone has decided that it's better off in their pocket.

Can't understand, thought I took it out but actually can't remember at all. It's like I blacked out or something, very weird. Not lost a lot of cash money over the years but do seem to lose bus passes etc and forget where I leave stuff immediately after having it. The worst is shampooing your hair, forgetting then doing it again.

I hate when people who lose things get told to "concentrate more" or be more responsible, but I'm not sure if that was possible today as I was well determined to leave with that fiver! Maybe I put it loosely in my hoody pocket and it was lifted or just fell out.

Anyone else lost something? Or find themselves searching around there house a dozen times a week for their keys or something. I'm that wanker who keeps his keys on a full sized carabiner on my belt loop! Not lost them since though (permanently... :P)!

In reply to FreshSlate: The trick with the shampoo thing is to put it in a different place once you've used it. If it's only a mild case of losing your mind then you can probable just pick it up when you get in the shower and think, "I'll put it there for now, then I'll move it to the top of the shower when I've used it. Then I'll know." If you're totally losing your mind then just throw it across the room when you've used it, then you definitely know you've done it already.

It's slightly harder if you're a soaper, because obviously you still need the soap to wash the rest of you. Maybe some sort of sliding bean system, a string with wooden beads on with head, left arm, right arm written on them (maybe just "arms actually, one for each seems a bit excessive). Move the beans along as you wash and when you get to the end you're all clean.

Duct tape is your friend with bus passes and such like, just duct tape them to your belly or side. If its a rail pass then make a duct tape patch with a non sticky patch inside (stick another piece of duct tape inside it backwards) so you can use get the whole pass out without it sticking. Try not to shout Allahu Akbar when you rip the tape off at the ticket counter.

In reply to FreshSlate:

I know how you feel but I was doing some rigging before Christmas(putting lights up a 30m pine tree)and since then I cant find my Jumar and Etriers and I am going loopy trying to remember where I put them.It`s just not like me,we all lose krabs or something small but these are expensive items,...worrying!

In reply to FreshSlate:

Run your hair through your thumb and forefinger, if it squeaks its clean.

A friend of mine is a master of losing things. Bags, coats and phones regularly disappear in taxis and trains or left behind at pubs. He'll get home and put his keys, phone and wallet down, then spend the next morning tearing his hair out trying to find them again. Everyone he knows is now conditioned to make a quick mental note of where he puts something down

Quite often I find if I put a screwdriver down and turn around it'll disappear. Takes me ages to realise in the mean time I've walked off with it in hand to make a cup of tea, got distracted along the way and put it down somewhere. Stupid brain.

In reply to FreshSlate:

I found it was affecting the amount of credability I was being given among the people I ws volunteering for/with, and have gradually got better at keeping track of things through wanting to, and from it becomming inconvenient for me a few times too often.

Having enough sleep is really helpfull for me as well, it's the single one thing which makes the most difference I think.

It might be worth having a go at convincing yourself that you actually can get better at keeping track of things? In the end I think one can develop methods of keeping track of things a bit more easily.

Good luck!

'Where did you last have it...?'()

In reply to FreshSlate:I think I keep up a bit of a dialogue in my head, about where things are left before I leave an area for when I go back, or I have systems of putting things in particular places.

The fact you're pretty good with climbing gear (which is important to you) makes me think you can probably keep track of other things if you put your mind to it, not letting my brain drift off or go on auto pilot seems to be key for me, I think.

In reply to FreshSlate:

My classic last year was my passport. It turned up behind the chest of drawers in my bedroom. I have absolutely no recollection of bringing my passport into my bedroom and falling down the back of my chest of drawers is completely unfathomable

In reply to FreshSlate:


Stop smoking the green stuff :p

In reply to FreshSlate:

While your ability to lose things seems to greatly exceed mine, I do agree that that is pointless and thoughtless advice.

I think the better idea is to get into habits that make it impossible to forget.

I could easily forget to bring my toothbrush on a trip, so as soon as I think of it when I'm packing, I go grab my toothbrush and put it where I'll literally have to step on it to get out the door. That way, 1) I've done something with it, thus increasing the likelyhood that I'll remember to bring it and 2) if I do forget, I'll have a very good chance of seeing it before it's too late.

Similarly, when I'm out in the woods or at the crag, I don't spread my things around. An item is either in my pack, on my harness, in use, or in my hand. Those are the only places my things are allowed to be. So if my hands are empty and the route has been cleaned, everything must be in my pack, and I'm good to go. I quite simply don't let myself "just put this here for a few seconds while I go get this other thing"; no, if I need to put something somewhere for a few seconds, it goes on my harness or in my pack.