Has anyone else struggled with how to deal with lost writing utensils?  It made me crazy to find writing utensils all over the room and not know which desk to return them to.  It also made me crazy to have my students bringing them to me all of the time.  Then, after 5 years of teaching, the solution hit me.  Grab a thin basket, throw on a label and put it in the front of the room.  I explained to the class that if a writing utensil was found, it should be put in the basket.  If a student realized he/she was missing one, he/she should go look in the basket.  I used it last year and loved it!  This simple solution has taken care of wasted time dealing with missing pencils, crayons and markers.  If you have a similar story or a clever idea, please share!