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What do you hide from your family? (Woe is me. My husband is a maker!)


PollyOR
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My husband is a maker  and it is wreaking havoc in my life.  I can never find the scissors, tape, or Sharpie.  Nothing is sacred.  He will use anything he finds in the house and he almost never puts things back.  Some of our most heated discussions in the past year-and-a-half have been over me not being able to find my tools (scissors, tape, Sharpie, etc.)  when I'm ready to use them.     

 

Today we received a shipment of art supplies for school.  After checking the contents, my 12yo and I quickly hid the supplies.  My other children who live at home have been ordered to NOT mention to DH that said art supplies exist.  

 

This is getting ridiculous! 

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I actually put a cord on my scissors.  He cut the cord!   :lol: But he got the hint and has gotten a bit better about at least leaving them in the same room they belong in.  

 

Jean, I've been so tempted to do that!  But, yeah, he would find a way to unchain them.

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My husband is a maker  and it is wreaking havoc in my life.  I can never find the scissors, tape, or Sharpie.  Nothing is sacred.  He will use anything he finds in the house and he almost never puts things back.  Some of our most heated discussions in the past year-and-a-half have been over me not being able to find my tools (scissors, tape, Sharpie, etc.)  when I'm ready to use them.     

 

Today we received a shipment of art supplies for school.  After checking the contents, my 12yo and I quickly hid the supplies.  My other children who live at home have been ordered to NOT mention to DH that said art supplies exist.  

 

This is getting ridiculous! 

I do not have to hide from my husband. But the linen closet, coat closet, and pantry all have these shoe hangers with pockets. All sharpies are on the highest pockets to keep the littles from getting them. And the Scotch tape is all hidden from all children.

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We must have at least 20 pairs of scissors in this house . . . somewhere.  And masking tape.  And electrical tape.  And measuring tapes.  I've threatened to put homing beacons on all of them so that when I need them for art or science or a home maintenance task, that I can find them.  Our entire household is smart but scattered.

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My husband loses keys and his wallet INCESSANTLY. I wish I could hide those from him. Instead, I give him MULTIPLE dedicated places to put them. And nag him to keep them there. (He appreciates my nagging...I think.). He is always chagrined when he loses them.

 

He also loses his phone regularly, but I can do Find My iphone on thatz

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Please. 

 

The scissors, tape and sharpies are the least of your worries.  It's the incredible amount of crap they collect that they might use in the future that's the real problem.   LOL

 

Laughing and crying together.  I parked in my garage for 15(?) years.  No more.  It is now full of maker stuff.  Ya know, old printers and DVD players that have been dismantled.  There are even Furby parts and pieces lying around out there.  Creepy!

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Oh, I have another one!  I had one of those toolboxes made from molded plastic with a place for each tool to snap into place.  For years I hounded my family to replace the tools when I saw an empty space in my tool box.  The man has a garage full of tools and over time he "lost" about half of my tools.  A year ago I bought another set and hid it in my closet.  A few days ago I complained about him losing my tools and he bought me another set.  I didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't need it.  Oh well.  

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For those of you losing larger items, have you seen this: http://www.amazon.com/Click-Receivers-Wireless-Keyfinder-Batteries/dp/B009JJJ7S4/ref=pd_cp_e_0

 

I think you could attach it to some scissors...

or this: http://stickr.thetrackr.com/

 

Kinda costly.... but also so tempting (especially for DH and the keys).

I've seen this and have thought seriously about it,  But knowing dh he would toss them into a sink full of soapy water without even thinking about it.  Honestly.  Sigh.  

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Chocolate or any other specific treat I buy myself. He has a compulsion and will eat any and everything without considering that it might be for someone else (and yes, I buy him certain things just for him). It's a serious problem when I want my tiny piece of chocolate at night and it's GONE!

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My husband loses keys and his wallet INCESSANTLY. I wish I could hide those from him. Instead, I give him MULTIPLE dedicated places to put them. And nag him to keep them there. (He appreciates my nagging...I think.). He is always chagrined when he loses them.

 

He also loses his phone regularly, but I can do Find My iphone on thatz

My dh is the exact same way. I put a wooden bowl on our dresser where he can put his stuff. Keys usually find their way there, but wallet, phone, glasses, etc., are often missing.
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Jean, I've been so tempted to do that! But, yeah, he would find a way to unchain them.

I saw a pin on Pinterest with them in a padlock. So smart! If only I could find a padlock. Grr.

 

I just bought myself a bunch of tools because I am so sick of looking for them. 

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The only reason I buy individually packaged snack foods is for packing in school lunches. My dh loves these little snackies and will eat them all gone if I don't hide them, leaving none for the next days of lunch packing. So I hide them.

 

There are always other things to eat, he just seems to think of these as treats!

 

I also hide dark chocolate bars and sometimes chocolate chips end up in the medicine cabinet. So around here I guess it's just food that gets stashed.

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Growing up my friend's Dad had the losing keys etc problem, what cured him was if any one in the house spotted that the key hook was empty, they could ask him where were his keys and if he couldn't answer instantly he had to buy everyone in the house at that time a Freddo Frog (chocolate frog) He soon got trained into hanging up his keys as he walked onto the house.

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It's not that I hide my chocolate, other candy, cokes, and sparkling water from dh deliberately. Really.

 

I just happen to stop by the grocery store on the way to work and the only place to put those items at the station is in my locker...under my bedding. I'm sure it's entirely coincidental that the duffle bag holding my spare clothes has also been put to a secondary use. Or maybe it's a primary use and my socks, undershirt, towels, etc are just for cover...

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Please. 

 

The scissors, tape and sharpies are the least of your worries.  It's the incredible amount of crap they collect that they might use in the future that's the real problem.   LOL

 

You are so right! Let's see, in my son's room right now are speaker parts from old stereo speakers, chicken wire, pliers, wire snips, tape, glue, files, scissors, all kinds of art supplies, some type of medium for model making, a glue gun, a collection of  cords for various things, two old computers (the ones that printed out on the equivalent of cash register tape, doesn't everyone have those?), a keyboard, a fan, tons of electronics components (controllers, bread boards, switches, wires, etc. 

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My husband had a troubled childhood and spent a few years very, very poor.  As such, no food is sacred in our house. We live way out in the sticks and go grocery shopping once a month.  There is always more than enough to go around, but if he likes something, he cannot ration it out.  He will try, but then goes back for seconds or thirds.  So my son and I hide the family chocolate or candy stash.  We put the quarts or two of Greek yogurt way in the back of the fridge.  Slowly but surely all the good stuff reappears each week.  We just cannot put it all out at once.

 

Ds works with me during the day when Dh is at work to check on various quantities.  Ds has a small candy jar up in his room just in case.

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Shoot. I thought the thread title was "Where do you hide from your family?"

 

I was hoping to get some good ideas. Sigh.....

Usually in my closet, behind some clothes. Sometimes I hide in the minivan in the garage. But they usually can find me. They are relentless.
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OMG, I didn't know this was a thing!  James Bond is the WORST for just taking random items that don't belong to him, and using them for whatever random thing he thinks up.  I can't tell you how many times I can't find something I'm looking for, only to find it LATER twisted or used for something insane.  I got really tired of tools and stuff going missing, so I bought a pink box full of pink tools.  He does NOT take those.

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Not necessarily hide, but some odd things are off limits without asking:

 

Hi-bounce balls for trigger point therapy-the kids aren't to play with these, they have their own.  

 

Good chocolates-I share them, but I ration it out. 

 

As for scissors, I finally bought them each a good pair, labeled every one with a Sharpie and told them they owed me $1 every time I see them with a pair that wasn't theirs.  Needless to say I now can usually find my scissors (unless I have lost them). 

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LOL!  In this house, the mystery is what has become of the many pairs of scissors I bought !!  And no, it isn't my kids who are taking them.  I go through their stuff often enough, and they use their own scissors. 

 

It should be easy enough to buy another pile of scissors, but then how long would those last?  I would certainly hide a couple pairs, so I wouldn't have to again resort to my kids' blunt baby scissors (they rarely lose anything - except for socks).

 

I have been known to hide tape, for the same reason.

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I don't hide things because I've found the most awesome product ever.

It's at Container Store - the Fridge Locker. My links don't work, but search for it.

They have a three digit lock. I have a few around the house.

 

The living room one keeps remotes locked up (I get sick of hunting them down).

The office one keeps e-toys locked up, including phones every night.

The school one keeps my Prismacolors locked up. I don't like to share!

And the one in my dressing area keeps the make-up and perfumes locked up.

(My nine year old thinks she's the next blog/YouTube sensation :glare:.)

 

Only one of my kids has tried to solve the combination.

He's my carb-addict who wants to liberate the cookies from my pantry locker.

And I have to laugh because when I saw him trying, I changed it to 000.

Because either he started with it, or he'll end with it.

I can't decide if his persistence is admirable or tragic.

 

As for scissors, I finally bought them each a good pair, labeled every one with a Sharpie and told them they owed me $1 every time I see them with a pair that wasn't theirs.  Needless to say I now can usually find my scissors (unless I have lost them). 

 

I did the same, except I used those metal rim tags.

And instead of each person having his own, each ROOM has its own pair.

The kitchen has two pair - one for me, one for those who don't mind sticky scissors.

This has really helped the scissors from walking away and getting lost!

 

I rarely find scissors in the wrong room, but when it DOES happen -

I make everyone stop what they're doing until it's fixed.

It's pretty annoying (for them, and highly entertaining for me).

I don't care who's guilty, or why, I just like to be a butt.

Because I can LOL.

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Please. 

 

The scissors, tape and sharpies are the least of your worries.  It's the incredible amount of crap they collect that they might use in the future that's the real problem.   LOL

 

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you could see our garage (and shed, and side of the house...) there is wood EVERYWHERE! Not onlyl that, but I can never buy anything because "Oh, I can easily make that, hun!" Argh! I just want some more bookshelves. IKEA have very nice ones. But nooooo....

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A couple of years ago, a guy in our neighborhood offered for sale little flashlights that he would engrave with your name.  I bought one for each of the  five members of our family and jokingly asked if I could have one that said, "MOM.  If you touch this and are not Mom, your hand will fall off."  Well guess what he included with our order?  Yep.  I am the proud owner of a threatening flashlight.  The threat is mostly effective.  Mostly.

 

I also have pens and scissors that no one is allowed to touch, and I mostly solved the tape problem (which seems to be universal) by buying a case of tape.  We have rolls of Scotch tape EVERYWHERE.  I am not a hoarder, and I despise clutter, but having three rolls of tape in every drawer has gone a long way towards preserving family harmony.

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DH has 4 garage stalls, two of which are dedicated to his tools, yet he used to constantly borrow and then promptly forget where he used my kitchen pliers. I tied a frilly lace and pearl monstrosity around the handle and then superglued it securely. It is hideous. He now leaves my pliers alone :)

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Please.

 

The scissors, tape and sharpies are the least of your worries. It's the incredible amount of crap they collect that they might use in the future that's the real problem. LOL

The four oldest people in my family (that would be DH, me, DD, and DS1) are all like this. Oh my. How can I make the kids throw out their cardboard box collection when my yarn and fabric and other craft stashes are just as bad?

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The debit card.

 

"But we needed it."

 

"We needed 12 cans of corn?"

 

"Yes."

 

"What for?"

 

"I don't remember."

 

I often hear "but it was on sale at a really good price."  Two years later, the expired cans go in the garbage ....

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The four oldest people in my family (that would be DH, me, DD, and DS1) are all like this. Oh my. How can I make the kids throw out their cardboard box collection when my yarn and fabric and other craft stashes are just as bad?

 

Yeah, my kids always want to keep the boards they broke to get their next belt in TKD.  At first I thought, sure, these could be usedin a project someday.  Then I thought, in a couple of years we're going to have a huge pile of broken wood.  No thanks.  They are lucky I'm letting them keep the old belts - for now.

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Yeah, my kids always want to keep the boards they broke to get their next belt in TKD. At first I thought, sure, these could be usedin a project someday. Then I thought, in a couple of years we're going to have a huge pile of broken wood. No thanks. They are lucky I'm letting them keep the old belts - for now.

LOL, my kids just started MA a few months ago, and they've gotten through a couple of belts each so far. I'm not sure what to do with the broken boards either. I will let them keep the belts, though.

 

Oh, and that's the other problem -- several of us are sentimental. None of us are minimalists. Not a good combination.

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