The Jailer’s Ring or “Bragging Ring”

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I was walking through the building of a Fortune 500 company years ago and noticed an almost constant jingling sound.  In the course of my appointment, several employees passed by me with so many keys on their keyring that when they walked by, they rattled.

Men jangle with keys on their belt. Women have the key heap in their purse, loaded with pictures of kids, key tags, and other “cute” stuff.  Carrying all those keys wears out clothes and can damage your vehicle.  (Having a hefty weight of keys of a column steering wheel can actually cause the steering column to torque.)

Here are some ways to reduce your jailer’s key ring:

  1. Can you identify all the keys you have on your ring? If not, take them off and put them in a zip-lock bag with a label and a date.  Keep the unidentified keys in one place.
  2. Get a master or sub-master key.  Depending on your position, you may be able to get a master key which will open all doors.  A sub-master opens many, but not all, doors.
  3. Consider the option to get one key that does many things.  For instance, not too long ago, a car had a key for the door, the ignition, the trunk and the glove box.  Now one key does it all.  Is this possible for a house?  “Re-key” so the front door and the back door use the same key.
  4. Identify the keys you use most. Put the other keys on a separate ring. Store them in a convenient location, not in your pocket!  Unused ashtrays in vehicles, or spare desk drawers, are wonderful locations.
  5. Remove the knickknacks from the key ring. They might be cute, but do they still bring pleasure to your life?  Remove the shopper's club key tabs on the key ring.  Use the card they give you, instead.  If you haven’t used it in a while, get rid of it!
  6. Consider a keyless entry system that uses a combination.

In the end, remember this: the importance of a person is not defined by how many keys they carry.

Copyright 2013 Nancy Miller
This article is free for reprinting provided terms and agreements are followed.
Nancy Miller, a professional organizer with over 20 years of experience coupled with a Certified Professional Coaching credential offers both personal and business consultation. Nancy’s credentials include past membership in the National Association of Professional Organizers and the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization. She delivers over 100 programs nationwide each year. Her book, Clutterology® Getting Rid of Clutter and Getting Organized is in it’s 4th Edition

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