You’ve prepped your favorite spread of snacks, popped open a can of refrigerated juice and sat down in front of the couch, all set to turn on the television to watch the day’s cricket game, only to realize that you have no clue where the remote is. You toss the couch cushions, look under all the furniture, check your pockets, and have absolutely no success in locating it. Cut to ten minutes later, and you’ve already missed the opening over, only to find that you accidentally left the remote in the kitchen cabinet next to the chips. Searching for the misplaced remote is an event that happens in most households several times in a week!
Many good times have been ruined by a case of “missing tv remote” than any other scenario in history. It is truly one of the top tier leisure hindrances of the twenty first century. Thankfully, there are real solutions to this devastating problem. All it takes is a little preparation and investment in the right technologies, and you will never have to wonder where the remote ran off to ever again!
Keep reading this article to know just what you could do to always find your remote quickly when you want to watch television.
Where do you find the misplaced remote often?
TV remote control is one of those everyday things that is likely to hide in the most obvious of places. The best remotes can even disappear right in plain sight. Before learning about the best remote location devices and technology, it’s best to understand where exactly remotes tend to disappear to, so you can get in the habit of rooting them out quickly. Some of the most common remote hiding spaces are as follows:
- Inside the couch
The spaces between couch cushions is actually an endless abyss that ruthlessly absorbs small objects. You can find just about anything you’ve lost in between the couch cushions – coins, keys, lucky charms, crayons, pens, and of course tv remote controls. Your first stop after losing the remote should be to flip the cushions and commence a deep dive into the abyss. This doesn’t just go for couch cushions; comfy chairs also tend to absorb tv remote controls. And if you can’t find it inside the couch, there’s a big chance that it might be beneath the couch, so make sure to bend down and give it a thorough examination.
- In the bedroom
Believe it or not, people often find their tv remote controls inside their own bedrooms. It’s a strange phenomenon where people tend to carry it with them when they go to the room to get something or when they go to bed. It may sound strange, but it makes sense if you consider that people normally turn the television off right before getting up from the couch and going to bed. In their groggy and lethargic state, they just carry the crucial device with them to the bedroom.
- Inside pockets
The majority of tv remote controls are perfectly suited for fitting inside a person’s pocket. They seem to get smaller and smaller as technology gets better. Some remotes are actually just your smartphone now, so they definitely can fit into your pocket without a cinch. People often absentmindedly mistake their phone for their remote and pocket it away. Always check your pockets and the magazine pockets in your couch first to avoid having to spend lots of time searching the house for your wayward remote only to feel foolish looking in one of these pockets.
- Right in front of your face
One of the most common remote hiding places is literally right in plain sight. There’s something about the way brain works that makes you not able to see simple objects you’re looking for, even when they’re right in front of your eyes. Just ask any mom how often she’s had to tell her kids the juice carton is right next to the sauce bottle inside the refrigerator. Check your coffee table thoroughly, giving it your complete undivided attention and you may just discover the remote is sitting in plain sight. Also make sure to flip over magazines and other items that may be obfuscating your view of the remote.
- The last room you visited
Finally, check the last room you visited in the house. It is not unusual to hold onto the remote control and take it with you when you get up to wander around the house. Check the last room you visited, especially if it was the kitchen or dining room. Chances are, your remote control is sitting on the counter just waiting for you to retrieve it.
A pouch on your couch
Knowing the common hiding places of the remote is good, but really, you should be training it and yourself to always be in the right place. That’s where technology comes into play. Modern scientists have invented a pouch that is designed to hang off the couch where you can store common handheld living room items, such as the television remote control, magazines, spare batteries, etc. All you have to do is get in the habit of placing your remote into the pouch when you’re not using it. Not only will you always be able to find your remote control whenever you want to, but you’ll also leave your space clean and uncluttered. Some features of a good remote pouch are as follows:
- Neat and tidy
You want your remote – couch – pouch to improve the neatness of your tv watching space. It should be neat, and not stand out too much from the furniture so that it does not stand out from the environment too much. You also want to make sure that it holds the remotes in an upright manner. - Easily accessible
A good remote pouch also has to let you easily access the remotes. If it’s hard to put the remotes in and take them out, then you simply won’t use it and you’ll continue to lose your remote controls repeatedly. - Holds multiple remotes and batteries
Most modern entertainment systems have multiple remote controls which is really just more opportunities to lose them. A good remote pouch will be suited to storing all the remotes for your entire entertainment system plus extra batteries. Just imagine, you’ll never have to run back to the cupboard for batteries ever again.
Smart tracker – The answer to the question ‘what’s the quickest way to find lost remote?’
A remote pouch for your couch is a good idea, but it’s ultimately unreliable because it relies on you to be disciplined enough to use it. And it’s not just you, it’s every other member of your household; any one of them may run off with the remote and hinder your ability to access Netflix. The absolute best solution for keeping track of your tv remote control is to tag it with a Bluetooth tracking device. That’s right, why bother frantically searching your house for your remote when you can simply have your phone find it for you?
There are many Bluetooth trackers available on the market that you can attach to your remote so that you can find it in a jiffy. People have been using them to find their keys for some time now, so it is only right that the technology extends to your tv remote control. The only weakness of the Bluetooth tracker is that it utilizes your phone to find the remote control, so you have to make sure that you don’t lose your phone. Let’s take a look at what makes a good remote tracker.
A remote-control Bluetooth tracker works pretty simply. It pairs a small card or chip with your phone via the Bluetooth feature. When your remote is out of site, you can open the app on your phone to locate it via a map or have the Bluetooth device send out an audio signal to help you locate it audibly (hopefully the tv isn’t too loud so you can hear the signal).
The concept is relatively simple, but you want to make sure that you’re investing in a good Bluetooth tracker as not all Bluetooth trackers are made equally. Here’s what you should be looking for in a quality Bluetooth tracker:
- The smaller the better
When it comes to Bluetooth trackers, size does matter. You want the tracker to be as small and discreet as possible so as to not ruin the aesthetic of the remote. If the tracker is too big it can also interfere with the remote’s functionality. The less space it takes up, the better. - Water-resistant
Accidents happen all the time, especially when remote controls are involved. All it takes is one spilled beverage to ruin your tv watching experience and make you miss the game you’ve been waiting to watch all day. Make sure the tracker is water-resistant and won’t be shorted out thanks to some minor accident. - Long battery life/ Replaceable battery
A good Bluetooth tracker will have a battery life of about a year. You don’t want to make maintaining the tracker a chore and have to focus on charging it every few weeks. A Bluetooth tracker is no good to you if the battery is dead and you cannot replace it. Look for devices that come with the option of replaceable battery! - App with a good UI
The tracking app itself is also important. It should possess as simple an interface as possible. All you want to do is open up the app, choose the tagged item you’re targeting and start tracking the device. It should also have multiple log ins so different members of your household can use it as well. - Good Bluetooth range
The Bluetooth signal range should be at least 100 ft. Anything less than that is going to be ineffective in helping you to find your remote anywhere inside your household. - High audible signal
Finally, you want to make sure you can actually hear the audible signal the tracker emits. It should be distinct and at least 90db. Some of the better trackers actually let you choose the signal that corresponds to each tracker so that you can distinguish each tracker from each other.
The wrap up
Finding your remote control is not that big a deal. Your life won’t fall apart just because you can’t find the remote or because you miss the first few minutes of the big game. But, keeping track of your things helps to bring order to your everyday life, which can reduce stress and improve your overall lifestyle. Combining the Bluetooth remote control tracker with the remote couch pouch can help you bring the losing-TV remote-incidents under control. Make sure you have a designated place to keep your remote controls, but also the means to find them when they wander away. That way, you’ll never lose your devices again.
