How to never lose your wallet and keys again according to a neuroscientist

The solution is free and easy

There is a simple way to keep hold of your keys, according to a neuroscientist (Michael Dodge/Getty Image)

Most of us will be familiar with the infuriating feeling of misplacing our keys, and recoiling with anger at anyone who asks “where did you last leave them?” as your rifle through your bag.

It’s reassuring, then, to know that neuroscientists – who arguably understand the workings of brain better than anyone - also experience such frustrations, as Daniel Levitin has come up with a simple tip to ensure you keep hold of your belongings.

At a recent TEDTalk event in London, Mr Levitin recalled how he started to consider ways to minimise the likelihood of “bad things happening” after he forgot his house keys in -40C temperatures in Canada, smashed into his house with a bolder, headed to the airport and realised he had forgotten his passport.

His tip to the audience was to designate a place in the home to objects which easily get lost.

You can listen to Mr Levitin explaining his idea in the video above from the 4:00-minute mark.

“This sounds like common sense, and it is, but there a lot of science to back this up based on the way our special memory works,” he said.

Mr Levitin explained that the a component of the brain called the hippocampus has evolved over tens of thousands of years to keep track of important things - from where food to danger is located.

This area of the brain becomes enlarged in London taxi cab drivers who learn The Knowledge, a test taken to prove they know every street in the capital.

"It’s really good for things that don’t move around much, not so good for things that move around. This is why we lose house keys, reading glasses and passports," he said of the hippocampus.

Mr Levitin told the audience to designate a spot in their homes – for example by the door or in a decorative bowl - to keep easily-lost items.

"If you’re scrupulous about it, your things will be there when you look for them."

As for travel, he recommended that people take a photograph of their driving license and passport, and email the image to themselves so the items can be replaced if lost or stolen.

With Mr Levitin's help, aruguing with your loved ones as you attempt to find your wallet in the morning could be a thing of the past.