One quirk of the cordless phones revolutionary ability to disentangle us from the hardwired part of the phone system is its penchant for disappearing into the oddest areas of the household. Fortunately, there are a few methods which are helpful to employ in locating the device after you've misplaced it, to get you back in touch with the outside world and no longer stressing about where you left it!
The “Is It Charged?” Game
Simply put, you're going to have a much harder time locating your cordless or mobile phone if its battery has been drained. If the battery is still functioning, you're in luck and the device should be much easier to get back. Many cordless phone systems include a “lost” or “locate handset” feature on the phones charging base. When activated, it sends a radio signal to the phone which triggers a loud alarm noise. If you hear the noise, simply follow it until you locate your handset, and voila!
If your charging station doesn't include such a feature, try giving the phone a call from another phone while still in range of where ever you think you lost it. Listen for and follow the ring tone. This is also a winning solution for mobile phones: just give it a call.
No Phone To Call With? Use Your Computer!
There are plenty of VoIP services, such as Skype, which can dial to regular phone numbers. Often this can be done for exceptionally low rates, literally pennies on the dollar. If you don't have a mobile phone handy or a helpful neighbour to give your lost phone a ring, download a VoIP service like Skype and give yourself a ring through the internet. If worst comes to worst and your phone is truly misplaced beyond your ability to locate it, at least you'll have Skype to help out until you get a new one.
Battery Drained!
If the battery is drained, unfortunately, you're pretty much on your own. You will have to find the phone the old fashioned way: retracing your steps, tearing apart the living room, and racking your brain for any clues as to where it disappeared to.
Options For Mobile Smart Phones
Almost every smart phone includes some form of GPS tracking. There are plenty of applications on both Android and iOS which can be installed on the device which help to track it through a web application should it be lost. This can allow users to easily find the exact GPS coordinates of the device – helpful if its stolen, but unlikely to help you find it wedged under the couch. These apps also often include some useful features such as locking the device if you lose it, so no data is compromised should it find its way into someone else's hands.