I'm all about writing names on our stuff that is likely to get lost, like baseball bats, camera, toys, etc. BUT don't necessarily want to write all over my nice digital camera with a permanent marker or hang a metal ID tag on a pair of gloves. Stickers fall off too. What I've come up with that works for lots of items (even the kids' jackets) is using Tyvek to make a little label that can loop through most things. I cut a piece that is about 3" long, 1/4" wide and wider at the top, then cut a slit in the wide end. This makes a hole that the piece can wrap around and slide through. The shape resembles a large needle. You can also just cut a long enough piece to tie onto anything. It works great on zipper pulls. Write your name, cell phone number, etc. with a permanent marker and you're good to go. The Tyvek is soft, flexible and very durable. Generally speaking, it's very difficult to tear the Tyvek, it's waterproof and you don't need much of it. The USPS Priority Mail envelopes are Tyvek so next time you get mail in one, cut it up into strips and make ID tags.

Of course, this won't help when your stuff is stolen, but then permanent marker or engraving will be ignored as well. But for those times when you lose something and a nice, honest person finds it, you'll be sure to get it back.

I'm sure there are lots of other great ideas... anybody else?