Have you ever had one of those days that doesn’t go as planned?
I was racing against time to catch a bus to the airport, but snowy road conditions made it all very dicey.
I knew it was snowing before I left the house.
I knew I was going to need more time to get to the bus station.
But guess what…
I still left the house at 7:15 AM for a 7:30 AM bus departure.
It’s usually a solid 10-minute ride to the bus stop in good weather.
So, leaving at this time, considering the weather situation was cutting it close, to say the least.
Did I mention I also did NOT have a bus ticket?
I know…
100% living on the edge.
So, at every red stoplight, I was taking steps little by little to complete my bus ticket purchase on my phone.
I also unhooked the car keys from my key bunch as I was driving.
I was leaving the car keys in the car so my dad could bring my car to the mechanic while I was out of town.
By 7:29, I was parking my car.
I dropped the car keys in the middle console. Hid them under a few things. Grabbed my backpack, then started running across the parking lot to catch the bus. Hopefull I wouldn’t start sliding across the parking lot.
The next bus wouldn’t get me to the airport in time, so missing this bus was not an option.
As I got to the bus door, winded af, I was happy to see that I wasn’t the only slowpoke.
Another lady was knocking on the bus door to be let in.
The driver calmly stepped out, scanned both of our tickets, and we hopped onto the bus.
As the bus turned onto the main road, I looked at my watch. It was 7:31 am.
It’s going to be a good day, I thought to myself.
But then a minute later my heart sank when I realized something…
The key I needed to get into my house in Indiana was on the same loop as my car keys.
I groaned internally. THIS is what I get for rushing!
I double-checked the keys I had to make sure. And YUP! I in fact did not have the keys that I needed.
I imagined myself making a scene and asking to be let out before we got to the highway. Or taking a taxi from the next town to go back to get the keys.
But all those scenarios didn’t make sense because I had a flight to catch and another connecting flight after that.
I have plenty of extra keys in the house. So, the most straightforward option seemed to be to get someone to pick the lock and let me in.
Instead of panicking, I spent my next 30 minutes on the bus searching for locksmiths.
I never have to worry about forgetting keys in NY because I have a digital lock. I just have to tap the code or press a button on my phone and bam… I’m in.
The even sillier thing is that I have that same brand of digital lock in Indiana just sitting In a box. I bought it but didn’t install it yet ’cause I wanted to paint the door first.
It definitely wasn’t smart to wait around on installing it…
This mishap really drives home (pun intended) the importance of managing home access.
This is your sign – just get a digital lock and install it ASAP!
I have been using a digital lock for the main entrance at my multifamily house for a couple of years now and I absolutely love it. It’s by far my favorite Amazon home find.
It’s a game-changer.
The digital lock that I have allows me to manage entry to my property remotely.
Which honestly, is essential for dealing with tenants or service people when you can’t be there.
I can create temporary codes, I can delete codes, I can create new permanent codes, I can even open the door with a tap of a button in my phone… from anywhere in the world as long as I have an internet connection.
These options can help prevent future frustrations and give you peace of mind. And honestly are a must-have when you’re juggling multiple properties or self-managing a property.
Once I got my digital locks installed in NY, I wondered why the heck it took me so long to get installed.
This key mishap (which isn’t my first) cost me $100.
While $100 isn’t an earth-shattering unplanned cost, the stress of finding and coordinating with a locksmith could have been avoided. And it’s a nudge to prioritize adding a digital lock to this and future properties.
