On average, each household has about three remotes, and the average TV watcher will spend over two cumulative weeks looking for lost TV remote controls in their lifetime. Here are some steps you can take keep from wasting that much time:
1. Keep it from getting lost
Putting a piece of glowing tape on your remote can be a great way to find it, especially if it frequently falls under a couch or into a darker space. Just turn off the light and look for that glow! You can also come up with a regular home for your remote, like a specific side table or an armchair pocket organizer. Keeping your remote in one place takes a little extra discipline but it’ll save you time in the long run. Some people even attach their remotes to Velcro strips or retractable cords to keep them from straying.
2. Look for it carefully
Check for your remote under couch cushions and under furniture. If you see any new magazines on the coffee table, it might be under there, or it might be inside a crumpled blanket. If the usual places fail you, retrace your steps. Often people bring remotes into the kitchen with them when they pause to get food and forget to bring them back. Also, make sure to check the trash. Remotes sitting on armrests and side tables can easily get knocked into garbage bins, and if you don’t move quick, you could lose them forever.
3. Buy a universal remote
Having a universal remote around as a TV remote replacement for frequently lost remotes can be handy, but it’s not a cure-all. Universal remotes often come with limited options and don’t give users the same experience as their original device. This means you can change channels from the couch, but you might not be able to access the more complicated functions of your TV. They can be convenient for accessing multiple devices from one remote, but programming them with universal remote codes is often tricky and time consuming.
4. Buy replacement remote controls
It’s easier than you’d think to just buy replacement remote controls for your device. You can see if the manufacturer. Usually, you can buy your exact remote from the original manufacturer with a quick online search, and the same companies can also customize remotes if yours is no longer in production to get as close to the original as possible. If you lose remotes all the time, it might be nice to have replacement remote controls on hand even before you need them.
Do you have any tips for keeping track of remotes? Share them in the comments! Links like this.