Fixin' Leaks and Leeks

Where are my keys? Where’s that whale I’m hoping to see? Who has the duct tape?

All the answers to life’s burning questions are now in one spot: my scavenger hunt journal. I just open it up and find the things I’m usually missing.

The idea for a scavenger hunt journal startled me in the grocery aisle. It popped out at me in the crafts/office supplies section. For $14.99, I could buy a kit to create a scavenger hunt journal. Or, for $3.99, I could buy a journal that says, “Think Different” and fill the pages with things I find around the house—things I’m usually missing.

To make it extra sparkly, I used stickers. Here are the results:

Opening Pages:

Here, you’ll see delightful stickers—none of which you actually need to find. They’re just fun. The next page shows a little map I drew with a start and finish that make no sense, which is exactly how most maps appear to me. Luckily, the scavenger hunt doesn’t require map-reading skills, which is one of the benefits of a journal. You just turn the page. And here’s the main benefit of the scavenger hunt journal: Non-confusing pages of cheap fun that save time in the end by keeping you incredibly organized.

First Page:

The house key. It’s actually attached to a little wristband, so I can take it with me wherever I go, but once I take it off my wrist, what are the chances that I’ll put it back in a place where I can find it? Very slim. However, if I tape it to my journal each time, I might actually win the day.

Second Page:

Glasses. As you can see, they’re already attached to my face. This is a “reminder page,” which is important to build into your scavenger hunt journal. Sometimes, you just need a reminder that the things you’re looking for are really already where they need to be—you just might need to visit the eye doctor again because the prescription for your lenses may have changed.

Third Page:

There’s that whale you’ve been looking for! Build a page in your scavenger hunt journal that allows you to check off your bucket list. You’ll never be disappointed—or injured by actual whales.

Fourth Page:

Alligators. I DO NOT want to find these. They are non-existent in the place where I live, but with climate change and all, I wouldn’t be surprised to see one chasing a wolf or coyote around our neighborhood. Adding a “Watch Out” page, filled with ridiculous things you’d never find where you live, adds a sense of tranquility. That’s just one less thing you have to find. Cross it off your list with confidence.

Fifth Page:

Potato masher. For a year, I went without a potato masher because I lost it. I couldn’t find it anywhere, even after turning the kitchen upside down. Then, one day, it reappeared—and I had no idea how or where or when—or even why. I suspect the potato masher has stories to tell about great journeys and distances. It probably saw whales and alligators and princes and unicorns, but it will never tell. I believe I can’t ever lose it again because it’s now safe within my scavenger hunt journal, and that’s where it will stay.

Sixth Page:

Duct tape. That’s where it wandered off to.

Seventh Page:

Ibuprofen. The pink giraffe looks like it’s going to eat the ibuprofen—and that monkey is egging it on, which is why I need the ibuprofen in the first place. My head is a zoo.

Eighth Page:

Wrapping paper. As you can see, it’s holiday themed. We don’t have any other. There is never any birthday wrapping paper—just holiday. Don’t even bother hunting for it. It doesn’t exist. It ran off with the potato masher.

Ninth Page:

Weird green bean cards. We have these scattered about the house. They feature green beans or other vegetables with inspiring messages like, “Now’s as good as time as any to do good.” And that’s it—with some green beans—and you’re wondering how these things go together, but if you need a card immediately—and you don’t have time to run to the store—there you are. It’s the thought that counts. And that thought will haunt you in your journal.

Tenth Page:

Wires and cords. The ladybug, flower, and crab stickers on this page look extremely pleased that you found random wires and cords—and they should be. These are things you can stick into your phone or computer or speakers to make them work again—if they fit. If they don’t, just turn back a few pages to the duct tape. The potato masher might be willing to pitch in as well, if it would only stop talking about its wondrous journeys beyond the kitchen.

Your Turn: What are things you can never find around the house? What’s your trick for finding them/keeping organized?