The New York Times - Always losing things?

In the latest installment of Ask Wirecutter, deputy editor Annemarie Conte tackles a couple-cliché for the ages: One partner never knows where anything is and the other one tells them the exact spot it sits, which is usually directly in front of the looker’s face.

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Sound familiar? We have a few tricks that can help keep track of stuff.

Annemarie’s advice→

Not only does everything need somewhere to go, it needs to be returned to that spot after you’re finished using it. Easier said than done, we know.

One way to make this easier is to ensure your stuff has a home in a convenient spot for your everyday use. For example, an entryway key rack can be used for more than just keys. You can add small carabiners or clips to objects that don’t normally have loops so they can be hung there, too. Senior staff writer Elissa Sanci uses this cheapie AirPod case cover to keep her AirPods accessible by her front door.

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10 more ideas to keep your entryway well-organized →

Annemarie used to have one pair of scissors in her house. Now she has eight. Yes, eight. When you need to cut something, odds are you’ll find one of the eight faster than you’ll find the lone pair that ended up camouflaged across a row of books on a bookshelf. This tip is even more effective if you can buy items that are brightly colored and therefore easy to spot.

Same goes for tape measures and phone chargers.

Bluetooth trackers can be used to find everyday items like tools, keys, remotes, and water bottles.

Apple users should choose Apple’s AirTag, which passively searches for lost goods and has precision finding features, making it more likely that you’ll recover what you’ve misplaced. If you use an Android phone, we recommend Tile trackers, including the Tile Mate (2022).

Our full guide to Bluetooth trackers→

Keyless entry: two beautiful words for people who hate carrying keys or are constantly losing them. The Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro WiFi from our guide to the best smart locks allows you to enter your home with a code (and often your fingerprint).

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Goodbye, keys→

We’ve got some more advice here. We hope you never have to answer (or ask) a question that starts with, “Honey, have you seen my …” ever again.

If your mom likes to sip on a glass of red, white, or rosé, a subscription to our favorite wine club might make for the perfect gift. Of all the clubs we tested, Wine Access was the best one for learning about sommelier-selected wine. We liked the Discovery Club, which includes six bottles focused on a changing quarterly theme—currently $20 off your first four shipments.

Snag her a subscription today→

We have plenty more last-minute gift ideas here—all of which can be delivered to your mom’s door in fewer than two days or in her inbox in about 10 seconds.