As I mentioned on a similar question, I have used my iPod Touch as a means to cultivate better habits in general. I cannot afford to replace it (well, I can, but I have better use for my money) and have consciously developed better consistent habits for keeping track of it. I have a small zippered cloth bag that I put it and the ear buds in, along with some other things, like cash, receipts, etc.
What i’ve found is that I do a better job of putting other things away because of the effort of keeping up with the iPod. All the charging cords now go in one drawer, the keys go on the hook, all the scissors are in a box, all things that are adhesive are in a box (glue, tape, glue gun).
While I’m not exactly tidy, at 50, I’m finally following my mother’s directive of, “touch it once, or touch it twice.” It takes less time in the long run to get up and put something where it belongs the first time, than to have to hunt it, or pick up a whole room. The trick appears to be identifying where things go. If you can’t decide where it goes, you probably don’t need it.
A bare minimum, put a small basket in each room, and drop everything small in there. That way, don’t have to look twice for something.