Three key chains joined together If you ever see my key chain, you will probably be very shocked by the enormous number of keys on it. It looks very similar to this photo. I have so many keys on there, it has become a little ridiculous. I have 3 keys for my house (two for the door, and one for the screen door), two sets of car keys (one for each car), and the garage door key – a common, everyday parenting problem.

When I worked a day job, I also had a collection of work keys, which were even less easy to identify.

While I manage to find which key is used for what (most of the time), I find that kids struggle a bit with it. I came up with a few solutions to make it a bit easier. I have used all of them at some point or another and hope you will find them as helpful as I did.

Buy keys of different colors. When you make the key, just pay a bit more for a colorful option. For example, our garage door has a purple key. Color coded keys make it easier for everyone.
If you already have all the keys you need, you can by a key cover. The key cutting stores often sell basic ones, or novelty shops often have some cute covers.
The cheapest solution by far, which works just as well, is to paint the key with nail polish.
Easy and virtually free! Apply paint to the handle of the key (not on the part that goes into the keyhole). Let it dry and paint the other side as well.

This is a great practical parenting tip – getting your kids involved in the process makes it fun for everyone. They might even surprise you with some great color suggestions. And something that makes our kids’ lives a bit easier can make our lives easier as well.

A rainy day might be a good time to try this; as a parent I know how hard it can be to keep the kids occupied when the weather is bad. Doing this together can be a lot of fun.

Happy and colorful key painting!
Ronit

This post is part of the series Handy Family Tips:

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