After having a lost needle break off into my bare foot in college, I'm careful about keeping track of them. On sewing days, I stick my basting needle into the paper on the top of a spool of Mettler thread, which is left on the sewing table. If I'm moving back and forth to the ironing board, I may stick it into my shirt collar. I make sure to count needles at the end of the day.
Unless I need silk pins, I sew clothes and everything with the long quilting pins with bright yellow heads. I keep a small ramekin bowl behind my sewing machine while I am sewing, so I can toss pins as I sew. It has developed into a habit to grab my bowl when I stand up to walk over to iron. I still manage to drop pins on the floor, so I have to check periodically.
Quilting betweens are so fine, I think I need a new system. I like the idea of a wool felt needle book-- maybe attached to one end of a chatelaine ribbon?? I have always been afraid that I would somehow manage to cut myself with applique scissors attached to the other side.
Did I mention that I'm accident prone while sewing.... and cooking?