Ah, the efficient office... now where'd I put that?

I keep trying to make my home office more efficient and laid out to allow for me to move smoothly from one task to another, but there are times when I am blatantly reminded of just how futile that effort is.

case in point. I need a red marker that I had a couple of days ago. I know it is in this office, I know I put it in a very logical place, I know I can't find it. I've also in the past lost things such as the stapler, scotch tape... the list goes on. Thumb drives are being carefully herded into solitary confinement under my primary monitor when not in use for fear of losing them. I only have two, but I would cringe if I was to loose them since I can't figure out how to network my computers so they are my only means of moving work from on to the other between my laptop and desktop.

I think there must be a black hole in here somewhere, an abyss that things fall into when I think I have put them somewhere safe. I wouldn't be worried except I am the only one that ever comes in here so when something goes missing... it's really, Bermuda Triangle style, missing.

I guess the answer is to have a cluttered office so you don't realize that there is a shifting tear in the space time continuum that is gulping up stuff in your office? ::goes off in search of the red pen again:::