We've all done it at one time or another. Taken our sunglasses off for some reason, and before we realize it we've lost our favorite pair of shades. We'll search high and low and even enlist the help of our friends to find them. Sadly, 9 times out of 10, that favorite pair of sunglasses has vanished without a trace.

If you are like me you may have even let out an exasperated, "Dude! Where's my sunglasses?"

Having gone through the painstaking search for my own sunglasses more times than I care to admit, I thought it was about time to share with you the most common places where your sunglasses end up:

Top 8 Places Where You Left Your Sunglasses

8 - In your pocket

If you are like me, you have way too many pockets at any given time to actually keep track of all your belongings. Sure, pockets are a great way to store your stuff, but when you constantly having to check them to ensure everything is present, then they start to become a nuisance.

Typical Pocket Contents:

• keys
• loose change
• wallet
• cell phone
• sunglasses?... sunglasses!

By the way, placing your sunglasses in your pocket without first protecting them is the number one way to damage them. Keys, coins and miscellaneous items will all wreak havoc on your lenses.

7 - In your car

This happens to me so often that I have decided to keep a pair of sunglasses in the car that are used only for car use. My designated spot now is on my visor clip. However this doesn't mean I still don't misplace the occasional pair of sunglasses. After all, I have to take off my 'everyday' pair of sunglasses and put them somewhere before I put on my 'car only' pair. The most common place to find a lost pair of sunglasses in the car is: on the dashboard, wedged between the window, usually on the passenger side... you know, far enough away that they are completely out of reach.

6 - In your house

This can be the worst place to lose your sunglasses, especially if you have a multi-room dwelling. I've torn apart my house so many times that I now have a checklist I go through of the most common places I have left my sunglasses. It is as follows:

• - on the coat rack
• - on the table by the front door
• - in the kitchen (on the kitchen counter or usually on top of the fridge - once I even found them in the freezer... don't ask)
• - in the bathroom (back of the toilet or somewhere near the sink)
• - in the living room (wedged in between a couch cushion, or most likely beside the television)
• - in the bedroom (bedside table is almost always the case)
• - in the garage (if your garage is like most - a.k.a. used for additional storage - then it might be easier to just purchase a new pair)

5 - At the bar / restaurant

I'm usually pretty good at retrieving my items after I leave an establishment, but there have been a few occasions where I have left something behind. Nine times out of ten that something has been a pair of sunglasses, and usually they were left next to the salt and pepper shaker. I've had a pretty good success rate at getting my sunglasses back, but every so often by the time I return or call they have gone missing.

4 - At the beach

You ever seen those guys combing the beach with their metal detectors looking for lost treasures? Don't you wish they had a setting for sunglasses on those things? I know I sure do. I've lost countless pair of sunglasses at the beach. I blame the sand. It hides virtually everything!

3 - On the boat

As an angular (a person that enjoys fishing for those not in the know), I spend a fair bit of time on the water - usually in a boat, and always with a good pair of polarized sunglasses. And wouldn't you know it, I've been on a few chartered fishing excursions where I have left a favorite pair of sunglasses behind. You know how it is; sometimes you just get so excited about catching a fish this big!

2 - On top of your head

God's honest truth, I have tore apart many a living room, bedroom and car only to find that the very pair of sunglasses I was looking for had been sitting atop of my head all along. Sure, it's embarrassing to admit, but hey, at least I was able to find my sunglasses before doing something really silly, like walking into a store to purchase a new pair.

1 - In the last place you look

As my grandfather has always said, when you are looking for a lost item you will always find it in the last place you look. Although those words of wisdom may not be very helpful when embarking on your search, he has given some advice that was. When you are searching for a lost item you have to try to think outside of the box.

You may be visualizing your sunglasses in a certain way, say neatly folded with the lenses facing up, but this does not mean that is how you will find them. Try to think of your sunglasses as they would appear from every angle. With multiple images of your sunglasses in mind, they may be that much easier to spot.

Losing a pair of sunglasses, especially your favorite pair, really isn't fun at all. Hopefully these semi-comical tips will help you to find your lost sunglasses. If not, maybe these guys can help:

The Vision Council has developed the Bureau of Missing Sunglasses, an independent agency that helps those affected by the misplacement of sunglasses to track down lost, broken or missing sunglasses. Check out their recent blog post, a special report on the importance of proper eye protection.

And remember, we do offer a wide variety of sunglass accessories to help keep your sunglasses safe. We carry everything from sunglass straps to hard cases - and of course, sunglasses.