DEAR ABBY: My girlfriend loses her keys, wallet, credit cards or iPad every day. I have suggested ways to avoid losing her keys. For example -- always use the same pocket in her purse or put them in a bowl by the door. She doesn't do it. I think it is to spite me.
She has now become resentful that I have become impatient about it. I'm frustrated because this is something that can easily be fixed, and I'm tired of searching for 20 minutes for whatever she has misplaced. What can I do? -- BEYOND FRUSTRATED IN L.A.
DEAR BEYOND FRUSTRATED: The first thing you should do is understand that your girlfriend isn't doing this to upset you, and it's possible that she becomes as upset as you do when it happens. While I agree that part of the problem is that she's disorganized, it could also be that her thinking is scattered. When she puts something down, she isn't fully in the moment. Her thoughts may be on something else.
Frankly, there isn't anything you can do about it. If there is a solution to your girlfriend's problem, it's that she should slow down and think about exactly what she's doing when she's doing it, which is sometimes easier said than done.