A standard home entertainment system these days consists of many parts. You have the TV, DVD player, cable box, speaker receiver and possibly more. The problem is that, more often than not, each of these devices comes with its own remote. It can get frustrating trying to remember which remote goes with which device, and inevitably the one you need will always be missing. Here are a few remote-wrangling tricks that might inspire you:

Universal Remote
Most devices these days can be controlled by a universal remote. If your devices are compatible, you simply synch them to the remote and voila, you’ve eliminated the need for dozens of remotes. Unfortunately, it may be hard to find one universal remote that will control all of your electronics, and having more than one kind of defeats the purpose. There are, however, other options.

Duct Tape
Is there anything that duct tape can’t do? If you often find yourself looking for your remote, try making a long tail on it out of duct tape. This way if it gets caught between the cushions or under the coffee table, you will still be able to find it. You could also mark which device that particular remote is in control of on the tail.

Remote-Finding Dog
Think we’re kidding? Dogs have a heightened sense of smell that savvy pet owners can use to their advantage when their remote goes missing. Simply train your dog to recognize the scent of your remote by rubbing it with a small amount of bacon grease. Okay, maybe not bacon grease, but any distinct-smelling object that drives your dog wild will do. Then, whenever the remote goes missing, instead of tearing your house apart, you can simply have your dog do it for you. The problem is that, if your dog goes missing, you are really out of luck. Remotes are not nearly as good at finding dogs as vice-versa.

Noise-Making Devices
If you have the tendency to lose your remote and don’t want to go the duct tape or canine route, which is understandable, there are specialty products that are designed just for this purpose. Usually intended to act as a key chain and help you find your keys, the receiving devices emit a loud noise when you push a button on its counterpart. They generally come with adhesive strips, making them easy to stick to your remote control. When you find that your remote’s gone missing, simply press the button, and follow the noise.

Think of how much time you spend sorting through your collection of remote controls and looking for the ones that are missing. This wasted time could be spent enjoying your favorite program or preparing your TV dinner. These measures will help you spend less time searching and more time relaxing.