I make it a habit to put all the stuff I need in the morning (cellphone, watch, keys, etc) near the one thing I know I won't leave the house without (my wallet). I do this as soon as I take one of those things out of my pocket so that I won't forget to put it in the right spot later.

That's an excellent idea. I've sewn a small zippered pouch that uses that idea, and it's been great for making sure I have my wallet, badge, iPod Touch, phone, and earphones. I just need to consistently put my keys into it, too. Maybe I need to make one with a pocket and a strap so that I don't worry about my keys scratching up the iPod any worse than it already is...

Although I don't bike to work (good for you though). If I did I would probably have a spare key at the work place.

I am the type who would rather have several backup plans rather than keeping things consistent as it does keep me on my toes at times.

There's another great idea - I should stash extra keys in all of my bike bags. =) Work is harder because my cabinet key is on the same keychain (I don't have a permanent office), but my bike bags should do the trick.

Ha! Thanks for the nice compliment!

That said, I had a totally different perspective on it. As someone who is ofter thinking of 10 things at once, I often forget my keys, badge, etc. It is the price I pay for trying to maximize the use of my brain and my time. Like you, I try to avoid it, but I am ok with it from time to time, too.

Certainly no need to be embarrassed.

P.S.Consider getting a cabinet at work. They have some spare ones. Or provide your manager with a spare key.

I ended up solving my version of key forgetfulness (mostly happens when I am stressing about something like deadlines or conflict at work, and due to travel changing vehicles or job roles. I got colour coded keys duplicated for work and home and keep a sets in my backpack, handbag, vehicle, at the studio/work, and a set with a family member.
This includes an extra vehicle key with family, on vehicles magnetic secret compartment, and one at home. I do a lot of traveling daily changing vehicles, locations and roles and often would in the past leave the much needed keys in my other clothes, bag or vehicle. Or lock myself out of the vehicle, having the other car keys in my hand. No problem now.

WOW, 10 years ago. Why did it take me so long to find your site? I'm currently learning Emacs and found you that way. I hope you have not had any further key misadventures. I thought I'd share a technique I learned to fight my own scatterbrainedness. After a few misadventures of my own, as a teen, I decided to do two crucial things before leaving the house:

1) I put things in the same pockets every day ... I never changed what I put into each pocket.

2) I physically SLAPPED each pocket as I recited a CHANT specifying what should be in each pocket. If it was there, I could feel it. If not, I went and got it. So as I left the house I stopped at the door when I reached for the knob, and my chant was something like: "Wallet" <slap> "Keys" <slap> ... "OH DAMN .. where did I leave the keys this time?: (LOL, I did not say it solved EVERY problem. But at least I did not leave the house without the keys.) So, in essence, I changed 10 things to remember to only one (my version of the fish-slapping-dance. ;-)

I have done this ritual for more than 50 years and the number of this kind of preventable screw up has fallen from common, to occasional, to very rare.

One more tip ... NEVER put something where you will be sure to find it when you need it. You'll never remember where that is. I've been bitten by that nonsense so many times I've got scars. Things have to go where they live as a permanent home ... not a "special place".

Thanks again for your generosity in sharing things you've learned.