* Warning, Self-Promotion Ahead

This is my first Instructable, so if you like it, vote for it in the Rug Challenge and/or the Dorm Hacks Contest.

You know when people leave their spare key under the welcome mat? Well, I found this very predictable but still helpful. That was why I got the idea to make a secret slot in the mat/rug. The idea is very simple, but it is much safer than simply just putting the key under the mat. Making the slot only takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on how careful you want to be.

Step 1: Tools and Materials Needed

You will need:

a rug/welcome mat
duct tape
a ruler
an X-acto knife
a label
and a sharpie
packaging tape is also optional

You can use any type of rug as long as it is not too thin.

Step 2: Cut Out the Slot

With your marker, make a 4 cm * 7 cm rectangle. Then, carefully score(cut through only the top layer) along the lines without cutting through the whole rug. This is where you want to be careful. After scoring along the line, cut out of the slot with the knife by lifting the scored rectangle up and cutting through the side. (Sorry, I wasn't able to get a picture of this part.)

Step 3: Put the Key Into the Slot

The key should fit into the slot and not stick out too much. After the key is in the slot, put a small piece of duct tape over the slot.

Step 4: Prepare Your Label

If your label is like mine, than it has lost it's stickiness. The simple fix to this is just to use some packaging tape and fold it to make it double sided. (If you don't know how to do this just look up "how to make a single piece of tape double sided") Place your double sided tape pieces around the edges. It is also optional to add some extra double sided pieces of duct tape so the label sticks better.

Step 5: Add the Label

This last step is very simple. Now, all you have to do is place the label over the slot, covering it. Try to make it look as unsuspicious as possible.

Step 6: Enjoy!

I forget my key a lot of the time so I find this very useful. Tell me what you guys think and if you like this Instructable, be sure to vote for it in the Rug Challenge and/or the Dorm Hack Contest.