Step 1. Mask the item. Change its size, shape, outline, or appearance. In this case, straighten out to be just a bit of wire. Step 2. Fight gravity. Items fall down normally, so hide it somewhere against gravity. Anywhere you couldn't normally reach is a good start. Step 3. Reach around. Hide the item in a location you can reach, but cannot see. In this case, the air return would be a good place I could reach into and hide a small piece of wire by wedging into the drywall. Step 4. Distract. Take the other boxes of paper clips and scatter them throughout the house. Welcome to the haystack. Step 5. Admit nothing. If they ever claim to have the paper clip, do not check the correct location until the time period has elapsed.