Most lockouts happen at the worst possible time: early morning, late at night, or in a parking lot in bad weather. A few minutes of preparation makes them shorter, cheaper and less stressful.

1. Keep a spare key somewhere you can reach

A spare with a trusted neighbor or family member nearby is the fastest way back in. Avoid the fake rock or the top of the door frame: those are the first places anyone looks. If you use a lockbox, pick one with a code you can change.

2. Check every door and window first

Before calling anyone, walk around and try the back door, the garage entry door and any ground-floor windows you normally leave unlocked. For cars, try every door and the trunk or hatch.

3. Do not force the lock

Credit cards, coat hangers and screwdrivers can damage the latch, the weatherstripping or the car's door wiring. A repair often costs more than the lockout call.

4. Have the right information ready

A locksmith will ask for your address, the type of lock or vehicle (make, model and year), and will need to see ID that matches the address or registration once the door is open. Having this ready speeds things up.

5. If a child or pet is locked in a hot or cold car, call 911

Emergency services respond to these situations first. Do not wait for a locksmith.

6. Afterwards, fix the cause

If the lockout happened because a key is worn, bent or the lock sticks, get a fresh key cut from the original or have the lock serviced. If keys were lost or stolen, consider rekeying so the old keys no longer work.

If you are in Northern Colorado, Choice City Locksmith is a mobile locksmith based in Fort Collins that handles home, business and car lockouts.