Live alone? Have this in your bedroom!

And a phone! Well done Tillybelle.

My daughter had this with her front room door a few months back it just completely jammed shut and needed the whole handle thingy to be taken off to open it
I m alright in my bedroom as I have a hooks/ hanger thing over the top so it never entirely shuts
But good idea to keep a screwdriver in your bedroom Glad you got out unscathed

My friend’s sister and her four friends found themselves locked in he dining room last week when the door knob came off in her hand! Widowed, she had to ring her sister and husband (who have a key) to come to the rescue. They could have got out through the patio doors but it was raining, they had no coats and the rest of the house was locked up.

I am going to inspect all my door handles ! might leave them all ajar !

The only doors that get closed in this house are the downstairs loo, the bathroom and the front and back doors so no danger of being shut in anywhere.

I once went for a bath and the door handle broke, leaving me locked in upstairs.
DH was watching TV (snoozing ?) oblivious to my cries for help.
I was beginning to panic as he didn't hear me ahouting and banging and of course never noticed my absence.
I can see the the fire station drill tower, if I lean far enough out of the bathroom window. I considered screaming "Fire", in the vain hope that a hunky fireman would come and rescue me.
As well as having a screwdriver in your bedroom, always have a screwdriver in your bathroom in case your partner has a tendency to fall asleeep in front of the TV.

We could wear one of those tool kit belts that diyers on tv seem to favour

It is seriously scary though , to find yourself locked in is one of my nightmares

We have those old fashioned Sussex latches on all our internal doors, so, thankfully, cannot get trapped by a non-functioning door lock.

I live alone and luckily I never close any doors of rooms I am in - I know what you mean though as the handle of my understairs cupboard came off in my hand a few days ago and I realised how suddenly it could happen (new build too ?)

Well done Tillybelle! Were you a Girl Guide? Be Prepared . Like MOnica, I have latches on all doors except front and back doors. Slightly off track, I have no key for the car, just a fob thingie and I live in constant fear of leaving it in the car and being far from home with no means of getting in. I hate it. Maybe I could wear it permanently round my neck like one of those emergency call buttons?

Oooer well done for escaping ? I’d be ok as I never shut my bedroom door and I’m open plan downstairs.

Marydoll. THANKS! and everyone else! You've opened my eyes to more things to be careful about!!

I may actually take all these door handle off the rest of my rooms. They are not very reliable. I am hooking a bit of dog's lead onto a hook to stop the bedroom door from banging to and fro (it does this on a windy day) and am rather proud of the hooks I put up and the little hole I drilled with my lightweight cordless drill.

I have been a widow since I was 41, when I still had children at home, so I have had to manage. I do get a bit of satisfaction from achieving little things without "needing a man"! I've also noticed that the jobs themselves, such as putting up the shelves, painting, mowing (when I was able) and many other "man's job's" that my late husband regarded as his alone and he clearly regarded I would no be able to do properly, are actually quite easy! The hardest part is the preparation. Getting the area clear, moving things out of the way, all the jobs "the woman of the house" had to do, and the cleaning and clearing up afterwards of course while he sat back with a drink and was told what a good job he had done!

Now I am old and disabled, I have lost my confidence very much and have had a few rather horrible things to deal with. I do find it very helpful to have your kind encouragement when I manage something on my own. Even if it is childish of me, the kindness of others and the understanding of friends I have not met but who relate to my predicament and support me so kindly is so valuable!

Thank you everyone!

I want to know why Tillybelle has a jemmy in her bedroom? Come on Tilly, spill the beans!

Yes, Chewie, me too. I immediately get curious when someone says 'don't ask'.

The house doors in my cloakrooms have a push in button that Locks the toilet doors but they can be tricky.

My garden shed has a key lock and an outside slide latch.
If I am in the shed and the latch blows closed I can get stuck there. Lots of rattling the shed latch can work but it can takes time.
Or I shout in the hope that someone is in the house or next doors in the garden. If all else fails I would have to keep banging ot until the latch fell off.
At least we usually have a bucket in the shed if caught short .

Seriously, anyone living alone must be very careful about this possibility.DH once got locked in the bathroom all day,
A few years ago, I was out for most of the day, and neither of us carry a phone about with us.Something had gone wrong in the door handle.He couldn’t get out, and although the best room to be locked in ( loo and water to drink!) was quite upset by the time I got home.
It did make me think, and we had all the interior door handles changed.A jemmy in every room makes sense.

many moons ago my dad had a gun cabinet and kept it inside the wardrobe.in the bedroom .the law was he had to keep it locked so the bedroom door was ALWAYS locked..

One morning he got up very early automatically locked the bedroom door...yes fine!! (BUT MY MUM WAS TILL IN BED FAST ASLEEP)!

At some point during the day I rang my mum a few times but no answer.thought oh she must have gone out for part of the day,.(no mobiles then and no phone upstairs)

Wasnt until my dad came home later on that he realised she was still in bedroom, no drinks no nothing on very quiet street that no one passed by

poor mum we do laugh about it now...

My DD has a track record for this. First time, she undressed and went into the bathroom for her shower. The bathroom door lock jammed. She had to lean out the window, with a towel round her. She refused to shout ‘Help’ but shouted ‘Hello’ to get someone’s attention who then phoned a locksmith for her.
The second time she went out of her Yale front door into the porch area before realising she didn’t have her keys with her so couldn’t open mortise lock to street or Yale lock to get back into house. Fortunately she had a phone with her so called long-suffering mum and dad.

I got caught in the utility room once because the handle came off in my hand.
And I have been locked in the bathroom, which has a silly little lock on the handle - which would not unlock.

Fortunately someone else was in the house to rescue me each time.

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My apologies!

I also have a crowbar in my bedroom, under my bed Tillybelle.
Dson was tidying the garage out a few years ago and I spotted it and rescued it from being thrown out.
Fast forward, perh and Dson is kindly cleaning my bedroom carpet with a Rug Doctor and moved the bed and much to his amusement found it.
I explained that if anyone broke into the house, it was for "clonking" them on the head.
He laughed and said, "Well done, Mum!" .?

Oh dear me, no, please don't do that!!
a burglar could wrest it from you and clonk you on the head.