Over the years, spare keys get handed out – to relatives, cleaning staff, old roommates, repair people, or neighbours – and sometimes never returned. If you don’t occasionally track who actually has access, your mental list becomes outdated.

Knowing exactly who holds keys lets you decide if you still feel comfortable with that. Relationships change, staff members leave, and people move away. If a key is with someone you no longer know well or trust, it might be time to ask for it back or consider changing locks.

It’s not about being suspicious of everyone; it’s about staying in control of your home’s security. Keys are physical access. You wouldn’t leave your front door open to “whoever once lived here”, so you shouldn’t leave old keys floating around carelessly either.

A quick review once in a while keeps the situation clear and gives you peace of mind.