In Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH), you can find Lost Items around your island and return them to their rightful owner to receive a reward. Learn how to find the owner of Lost Items and how to get rid of of it when it becomes What Was This Again? with our guide below!

What are Lost Items?

Items Found Lying on the Ground in Your Island

When you walk around your island, you might find an item on the ground, called a Lost Item. Upon picking it up, you can return it to its owner within the day.

The lost item could be in the form of a book or a drawstring bag.

How to Return Lost Items

1. Find and pick up Lost Item.

Pick up the Lost Item by pressing A when coming across it.

2. Investigate Lost Item from your pockets.

Open your inventory and select the Lost Item. A selection will appear. Choose to Investigate lost item to discover more information about the item.

3. Talk to villagers and ask if they lost something.

The information might help you out in identifying who the lost item belongs to. Don't worry about picking the wrong villager, though! Your neighbours will tell you who it belongs to if you guessed wrong in the first try.

4. Return the lost item.

Give the lost item to the villager. They'll give you a reward in return!

How to Figure Out Who Owns the Lost Item

Talk to Residents

Upon carrying lost items, you can talk to residents and have the option to ask them whether the lost item is theirs and return it to them.

Other Residents will tell you who the owner is

Even if you ask the wrong resident, they will tell you who the owner is.

How to Get Rid of Lost Items | "What Was This Again?"

If you do not return the item within the day, the next day, the "Lost item" will turn into "What was this again?", and you won't be able to return it to its owner anymore.

The only choice you have is to get rid of it.

Dispose of Item at Nook's Cranny

You can choose to sell it at Nook's Cranny, but since it will now be considered as trash, it will be disposed of for free.

Throw Item in a Trash Can

If you have a trash can, you can also throw away the lost item there for free.

List of Trash Cans and Waste Bins

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